Interviewing your characters

Justin91 · Jul 12, 2007

I recently used this technique to help me really get to know my MC in a novel I am currently working on. It worked so well, during our "conversation" we even worked out a few problems with the plot. It felt really natural and a portion of it will be used in the story itself. My MC is a Sheriff and the interview was about recent murders in the area.

Anyone else use this technique with any success?

SilverVistani · Jul 12, 2007

I've not necessarily 'interviewed' a character, but I have chatted with some from time to time. I have a character named Kali, for example, that I've been talking to a lot lately.

Unfortunately... she's a bit of a bad influence on me. -_- Very playful and a bit shameless... She's made me blush on multiple occasions.

Azraelsbane · Jul 12, 2007

Interviews... Heck, I wish mine would keep themselves to something so structured. I thought it was normal for one to have constant internal dialogue with their characters...

Please tell me I'm not crazy. Or at least not the only one.

But yeah, chatting with your chars always helps.

Claudia Gray · Jul 12, 2007

I've never "interviewed" them, but I do like to go through and ask myself certain questions about them -- their likes and dislikes, important memories, their opinions about certain things. Sometimes it's just an exercise, but I've learned a few illuminating tidbits by doing that. Basically, any method that makes you learn more about the characters, including sides of them that maybe aren't even going to play a big role in your work, is a good thing.

Zoombie · Jul 12, 2007

My character hates interviews and papperatzo...he's had to avoid them most of his life, what with being the son of a diplomat.

So I tried interviewing him and he punched me in the face. Thanks a lot, "What would your character do?".

althrasher · Jul 12, 2007

I do talk to my characters some, but isn't it odd how things just take on a life of their own? If a non-writer was reading this board, they might make the bid for us all to be institutionalized. Just a thought...I'm always interested in how people can see the same world so differently.

Sassee · Jul 12, 2007

Yeah I told one of my friends about the funny process of characters running off to do their own thing, and he was like... "are you schitzo?" lol!

I don't interview my characters, but I let them talk to each other and hash things out that way. I've had some pretty interesting conversations come out of those little chats.

RLB · Jul 12, 2007

I went to a writers conference a couple of months ago and listened to an author panel on characters. Two of the authors were the voice-hearing, character-conversing types and made me worry that I wasn't hearing voices in my head.

I was thinking: My characters don't talk in my head- to me or each other. They talk when I write them talking, and that's just about it. They don't say things that surprise me; they say things I plan for them to say. Sometimes, what they are saying or how they are acting will change into something I hadn't originally planned, but before that happens, I know it's gonna happen. I must not be a real writer!

The next two authors who spoke were more like me, so that was a relief.

sunna · Jul 12, 2007

I've tried it, but all I really learned is that my characters don't like intrusive questions, and tend to respond with sarcasm.

Like Sassee, I generally just take them and put them in a locked room outside the story for a while; I learn all sorts of interesting things that way.

reenkam · Jul 12, 2007

.......how do you interview your characters? Don't you know what they're going to say before you think about them saying it?

I've never talked to my characters before...They talk to each other in my head when I'm playing out scenes (even ones that are never going in the book) but I don't talk to them directly. I don't get how you would do that...

c.e.lawson · Jul 12, 2007

RLB said:
I went to a writers conference a couple of months ago and listened to an author panel on characters. Two of the authors were the voice-hearing, character-conversing types and made me worry that I wasn't hearing voices in my head.

I was thinking: My characters don't talk in my head- to me or each other. They talk when I write them talking, and that's just about it. They don't say things that surprise me; they say things I plan for them to say. Sometimes, what they are saying or how they are acting will change into something I hadn't originally planned, but before that happens, I know it's gonna happen. I must not be a real writer!

The next two authors who spoke were more like me, so that was a relief.

Thank you for posting that, RLB! I agree with everything you said. I was beginning to think something was wrong with me. I've been writing seriously for only about four years. I have written several short stories, one novel length story and one a bit shorter than a novel, and never, not once, did my characters talk to me or take on a life of their own. The same with my current novel WIP, although I'm only on chapter two.

People who have read my stories have liked my characters and have told me they seem very real, so I don't think I have a serious lack in the characterization department. But I'm a planner and I cannot write unless I know where the character is going and where the particular scene is going. I have a good understanding of each character before I begin to write, so I can work out their appropriate behaviors and responses to different situations. Funny how differently our minds work!

c.e.

JoNightshade · Jul 12, 2007

My characters don't talk TO me; they prefer to pretend that I don't exist. I mean really, it would be unnerving to think that somebody was out there writing down everything you did...

Yeah, instead they talk to each other or to themselves. They use my spare brain-space whenever I'm doing something mindless like vacuuming or washing dishes. I sort of eavesdrop and then when they're not paying attention I run over to my computer and write it all down. This works out okay, except that sometimes they want my brain at inconvenient times, such as when I've already closed down my computer for the night and would really rather prefer to go to sleep. Ever tried to sleep when someone was carrying on a conversation in the same room? Grrrr. Shut up!!!

Sassee · Jul 12, 2007

RLB and c.e. must have very cooperative characters

Actually, it just means you aren't quite as random as the rest of us, which isn't a bad thing.

reenkam - interviewing your character is like the dialogue between other characters. pretend you've made up a news reporter that's going to appear in your story. have the news reporter sit down with a pen and paper, and have him/her ask your MC some questions. That's about the closest reference I have. The purpose of the exercise is to get to know your character and work out what sorts of speech patterns and temperament he/she may have.

It goes something like this:

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Me: "So, miss...?"

MC: "Kate."

Me: "Kate, then. Tell me, why were you out sneaking around last night?"

MC: "I wasn't sneaking around! And it's none of your business."

Me: "I'm afraid it is my business. There are killers on the loose and you're putting yourself in danger by going out alone after dark."

MC: "So what if I am?"

Me: "As your writer I have to say I'm concerned. I don't plan on having you killed this early on in the WIP."

MC: "I know what I'm doing. Just give me a little time. You'll see."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Make sense? You can have an informal conversation or you can go through the standard "what's your name?", "where do you live?", "do you have any brothers or sisters?", "what are your hobbies?" etc. Don't pretend it's YOU talking to the character. Pretend it's another character.

Spiny Norman · Jul 12, 2007

I usually think that the ideal place to be is when you forget your character is even a character. Some sort of self-induced schizophrenia in the name of creativity. The idea of taking my main character out of the place I've built for him and then sitting him down and talking to him bothers me immensely. It's difficult for me to say why.

reenkam · Jul 12, 2007

I guess I could try it out...though I feel like it'd be really weird. I'd know what the answer was before asking the question...since they'd go hand in hand. I dunno...it seems confusing

seun · Jul 12, 2007

Interesting idea. I've never interviewed them in an obvious way but I may give it a try when I come the edit of my WIP.

Sassee · Jul 12, 2007

Okay for all you geeks out there - it's like live action role playing.

It doesn't work for everyone though. You have to be a special kind of insane to be able to have theoretical conversations with your imaginary characters

Justin91 · Jul 12, 2007

reenkam said:
.......how do you interview your characters? Don't you know what they're going to say before you think about them saying it?

I've never talked to my characters before...They talk to each other in my head when I'm playing out scenes (even ones that are never going in the book) but I don't talk to them directly. I don't get how you would do that...

That is my point reenkam...I have never interviewed my characters before, let alone talk to them. The reason I started the interview was because I needed some answers about what was going on with the recent killings in my setting and the conversation grew from there. And no...I did not know what the MC would say before I wrote it. Kinda freaky huh!!

Bottom line...I was really talking with my character, and before I knew it I had written about five pages of Q & A. It was just really weird. I am glad I am not the only one that has "conversations" with their characters!

Justin91 · Jul 12, 2007

Zoombie said:
My character hates interviews and papperatzo...he's had to avoid them most of his life, what with being the son of a diplomat.

So I tried interviewing him and he punched me in the face. Thanks a lot, "What would your character do?".

I bet if Esquire Magazine wanted to do a peice on Hot Single Bachelors your character would probably give in to an interview. We all have egos…especially a rich diplomats son!

Justin91 · Jul 12, 2007

RLB said:
I was thinking: My characters don't talk in my head- to me or each other. They talk when I write them talking, and that's just about it. They don't say things that surprise me; they say things I plan for them to say. Sometimes, what they are saying or how they are acting will change into something I hadn't originally planned, but before that happens, I know it's gonna happen. I must not be a real writer!

The next two authors who spoke were more like me, so that was a relief.

This is the way it is usaully with me RLB. I still have to think it up before I write. The interview with my mc was the first time I was not in control of what was coming out on paper. I would ask a question, he would answer…

I hope I don’t sound too terribly deranged…

Mel · Jul 12, 2007

Fiction Factor has a character interview. I've used it, but added more questions. Interesting the things I found out about some of mine I hadn't known. Good for seeing little quirks they have too.
Developing Realistic Characters

EriRae · Jul 12, 2007

I was acting like my current MC last night...she's a say-it-as-it-is girl, and I'm more bottle-it-up. There's a guy at work that's been annoying me so I let him have it...hope I don't get fired.

I hear voices all the time. I started writing it down so I don't seem as crazy as I am. I love when the characters take on a life of their own, do things I didn't expect, etc. That's when I know I have a story, not just schizophrenia.

Justin91 · Jul 12, 2007

Sassee said:
It goes something like this:

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Me: "So, miss...?"

MC: "Kate."

Me: "Kate, then. Tell me, why were you out sneaking around last night?"

MC: "I wasn't sneaking around! And it's none of your business."

Me: "I'm afraid it is my business. There are killers on the loose and you're putting yourself in danger by going out alone after dark."

MC: "So what if I am?"

Me: "As your writer I have to say I'm concerned. I don't plan on having you killed this early on in the WIP."

MC: "I know what I'm doing. Just give me a little time. You'll see."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

This is EXACTLY what I was talking about! Thanks for the post Sassee - maybe I am not so crazy...

RLB · Jul 12, 2007

Justin91 said:
I hope I don’t sound too terribly deranged…

Not at all! It seems to be par for the course around here...

Xx|e|ph|e|me|r|al|xX · Jul 12, 2007

Xx|Oh, yes. I talk to them all the time. XD

It's normally just in my head, though. I rarely write it out. I call it a "blank canvas". Just a big, white room where we can all just hang out and have anything we need. I was chatting with my Alfie the other day while I was doing a (clothing) fitting for him. He was standing in front of a mirror while I tugged on different parts and got it sitting right and everything. It was cute. XD I get both my best design and story ideas like that. :tongue

|xX

Interviewing your characters

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