At Triskele Books we spend a lot of time marketing, networking, discussing various publishing methods and retail avenues. A few weeks ago JJ Marsh suggested we go back to basics and as a team work our way through various exercises in order to focus on the writing as well as the marketing.
This is the first of a series of exercises I found particularly useful. Developed by JJ Marsh and Sheila Bugler, with a few additions from myself, you're to answer the following questions as one of your characters ...
Enjoy!
JD Smith
1. Are you typically (insert nationality)?
2. What makes you easy/hard to get along with?
3. Describe your earliest memory.
4. Where do you get your information from? Be specific – TV? Which channel? Gossip? Whose word do you trust?
5. Who or what is the love of your life and why?
6. Who is your hero?
1. Are you typically (insert nationality)?
2. What makes you easy/hard to get along with?
3. Describe your earliest memory.
4. Where do you get your information from? Be specific – TV? Which channel? Gossip? Whose word do you trust?
5. Who or what is the love of your life and why?
6. Who is your hero?
7. Can you be trusted?
9. In what ways are you like your parents?
10. If you were an animal, what would you be?
11. Give an example of one of your rituals.
12. What are you most afraid of and why?
13. What is the last thing you do before you go to sleep?
14. Are you normal?
9. In what ways are you like your parents?
10. If you were an animal, what would you be?
11. Give an example of one of your rituals.
12. What are you most afraid of and why?
13. What is the last thing you do before you go to sleep?
14. Are you normal?
15. Describe yourself in 5 words.
16. What would you change about your appearance?
17. When was the last time you indulged yourself? How?
18. What prejudices do you have, if any?
19. What makes you laugh?
20. Do you have any scars? Where did they come from?
21. What is your most precious possession?
22. What keeps you awake?
23. Why do you/don’t you have children?
24. Who is your best friend?
25. When did you last lose your temper? Why?
26. Which items do you always carry with you?
27. What is your idea of a perfect evening?
28. What is your greatest regret?
29. Which characteristics do you look for in a friend?
30. Describe your greatest achievement.
16. What would you change about your appearance?
17. When was the last time you indulged yourself? How?
18. What prejudices do you have, if any?
19. What makes you laugh?
20. Do you have any scars? Where did they come from?
21. What is your most precious possession?
22. What keeps you awake?
23. Why do you/don’t you have children?
24. Who is your best friend?
25. When did you last lose your temper? Why?
26. Which items do you always carry with you?
27. What is your idea of a perfect evening?
28. What is your greatest regret?
29. Which characteristics do you look for in a friend?
30. Describe your greatest achievement.
31. Where do you call home?
Developed by JJ Marsh and Sheila Bugler
Developed by JJ Marsh and Sheila Bugler
Quite salutary just to thinks these through
ReplyDeleteEven deeper when you apply the same to the antagonist as well as protagonist.
ReplyDeleteah I remember this! Still such a good exercise to do if your characters are eluding you
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