If you’re a new writer, you’ve heard this caveat ad nauseam: start your novel in the middle of the action. And it’s good advice, so you jump into the story, set your scene, and plunk your hero smack dab into the eye of the storm – and then you pause, fingers poised above the keyboard. Just who is this person you’re writing about? Who is your hero? How did he get in this predicament? In other words, what’s his back story?
You can dissect your character in a cold, clinical way, by making a fill-in-the-blank list. Assign attributes like gender, hair color, height, weight, and race. Delve deeper. Who are her parents? Where was she born? What is her lineage? Does she have any quirks, prejudices, allergies, fears, hopes? You can go on forever and still not develop a real sense of who this person is.
What you really want to know are his motives. One way to uncover your character’s motivations and develop his back story is to interview him. It’s a perfect way to get to know your hero (or other characters), and it’s great fun, too, because, basically, your creating another story.
First, set the stage. Who’s the interviewer? It can be you, as the author, or you can invent an interviewer on the spot. Say, Mark Twain. Or Shania Twain. Or whoever. It doesn’t matter – you just need a warm body to ask questions. If your novel includes a narrator, then she can do the interview.
Interview Those Suckers
The interview process works best if you have a synopsis or an outline of the novel, or some idea of where it’s going. You don’t have to be locked into the story line. In fact, the looser your story line, the better. You may find your character providing insights during the interview that will take your book in an entirely new direction.
Start the interview by welcoming your hero (or villain, or sidekick) to your interview. Joke around a bit. Get a feel for your character’s personality – it will start to emerge as you get deeper into the interview. Ask about his background, where he grew up, his friends and family. You’ll be amazed and heartened by the answers you get back. As you delve deeper into your character’s past, you’ll see him flesh out before your eyes.
Ask her leading questions. Avoid questions with yes or no answers. Your goal is to get her to open up to you. You want to dig up the dirt. Don’t hesitate – you won’t hurt her feelings. She wants to tell all. So be brutal, and ask the tough questions. When did she realize she was a lesbian? And that her lover was really a zombie from the planet Zorg? Just what does she have against the antagonist, anyway? And what does she think is going to happen next?
By the end of the interview you’ll have pages of information – back story – about your character, and a better understanding of your book. You can go back to your opening scene with confidence. You know this person, and you’re ready to put him through the paces.
The character interview is a lot of fun, and will help you figure out your character’s strengths, weaknesses, history and motivation. Knowing this in-depth back story will help you write the book. You’ll understand what character traits and history to use to flesh out your character within the context of your story, and what you can leave out. And if you should happen to get stuck later, just schedule another interview – and get the answers straight from your character’s mouth.
What are some of the methods that work for you in getting to know your characters’ back story?
