November is National Novel Writing Month
More affectionately known as NaNoWriMo, a month-long writing spree to complete an entire novel in a month. Because of the fame of this month-long celebration of the novel, NaNoWriMo has evolved into an event that is half-comradery and half-competition. But to participate, you must have a portion of the novel - at least a title - completed before November 1. A novel, like any piece of fiction, has to have three basic components - character(s), plot, and setting. Character development is often the hardest - and most crucial - of the three; even a relatively mundane plot can be compelling with an interesting character. Below are several original prompts and exercises to help you with each step of the character development process.
Character Sheet
If you have an idea about your character, then start by making a rough sketch of your character. Character sheets are an excellent place to start. If you have a more solid idea of a plot than a character, try one of these prompts:
• He wasn't the first. He knew that. However, he was the ...
• When she turned around the corner, she was surprised by what she saw. There, on the ground, was her worst nightmare: ...
• He shuffled through the papers on his desk. It had to be here somewhere. He knew he had just had it the day before. Losing it could mean serious consequences. But as the light shining through the window turned from yellow to purple, as he
looked at the pile of scattered papers now covering the floor, he knew he was in serious trouble.
• Standing outside his car, he looked over at the old park. It wasn't like it used to be; wisteria crept over the slide, blue and slick with dew, and the chains on the swings glowed with a rich patina the color of sumac berries. In the early morning light, he gazed over the park, thinking he was alone until he saw...
Even if what you write has absolutely nothing to do with your novel, placing your character into a different situation will help you to have some concept of how he or she might react to an unexpected situation. It will also prompt all sorts of discoveries about your character that you can later use when you start writing.
Solid Form
If you already have a pretty solid idea of who your character is, then you might want to flush them out a little bit more before you start writing. One way to do this is to go through their trash - figuratively, of course. Imagine that you're digging through your character's trash can. What do they throw away? What's half-empty? Does your character eat two-day-old pizza or organic vegan? What kind of shampoo does he or she use? Rummaging through their trash will tell you all sorts of seemingly minor details that can really help you to flesh out a character.
Know your character
Once you feel like you really know your character, then it's time to toss them into the novel. One strategy to get the juices flowing is to write the climax first. One way that novel writing has been described is that as an author "you find out what a person wants most, and then you take it away from them to see how they react." Since the climax should involve exactly that, writing it first is a good way to get to know what your character is like under pressure. Of course, if the story changes as you're writing it, then you can always rewrite the climax later
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