Great characters are the foundation of any compelling story.

Readers don't care about wimps.  They want strong heroes and powerful villains.  We writers owe readers what they crave in characters.

Beginning writers and veteran authors alike think long and hard about their characters.  What do they look like?  What frightens them?  What moves them emotionally?  Who do they love and why?  What type of person do they dislike?  What are their names and what do those names show about the character?  Where do their passions lie?

These questions and scores more run through a novelist's mind as she/he creates characters for books.

One excellent way for a writer to get to know his characters is by interviewing them.  The interview can be done by the writer on her own, asking and answering the questions, or with another person.  If an author is lucky enough to have a friend who would enjoy this process, the friend could interview the writer posing as the character as she answers the questions of the curious interviewer.  Such an activity can really spark the writer's imagination.

If you're a writer, give this interview exercise a try, if you'd think it would be helpful to you.  If you're a reader, it's interesting to think about how the author of one of your favorite books went about creating the characters you love or the ones you love to hate.

Have a great week!

Fran