Dynamic Characters (23 page)

WHAT KIND(S) OF FOOD?_

CAN HE/SHE COOK?_HOW WELL?_

ENJOYS SHOPPING? □ NOT PARTICULARLY □ YES HOW MUCH? □ MILDLY □ A LOT □ ADDICTED

SHOPPING FOR WHAT?_

WHERE?_

HOME

WHERE DOES THE CHARACTER LIVE?

□ BIG CITY □ SMALL TOWN

□ RURAL AREA □ OTHER_

WHERE WOULD HE/SHE PREFER TO LIVE?

□ BIG CITY □ SMALL TOWN

□ RURAL AREA □ OTHER_

WHY DOESN'T HE/SHE LIVE THERE?_

WHAT KIND OF HOME?

□ APARTMENT □ HOUSE □ TRAILER □ OTHER_

WHAT KIND OF HOME WOULD HE/SHE PREFER?

□ APARTMENT □ HOUSE □ TRAILER □ OTHER_

WHY DOESN'T HE/SHE LIVE THERE?_

DECOR OF PERSONAL SPACE CONTROLLED BY
THIS
CHARACTER CAREFULLY PLANNED? □ YES □ NO EXPENSIVE? □ YES □ NO NEAT? □ YES □ NO CLEAN? □ YES □ NO COMFORTABLE? □ YES □ NO

ATTRACTIVE? □ YES—TO WHOM?_

NOW THAT I KNOW YOU . . .

You've compiled the dossier on your character—bit by bit or all at once, written down or not, in depth or just enough to suit his role in the novel. Now what? Besides referring to it as you work to make sure that he isn't forty-three years old in chapter eight and forty-nine in chapter seven, what do you do with the dossier? How can it help you?

It can help generate plot.

Ideally, this should happen as you fill it out (bit by bit or etc.). You come, for instance, to ''Pets'' and think,
Well, all right, does this guy have a pet
? Yes, he has a dog. And ''How does he treat the pet?'' Badly. He's neglectful, which fits with the rest of his character. He forgets to feed the dog. He doesn't give it water in the summer. The poor beast barks in misery. In fact, the dog barks and a neighbor comes over to check on him. Outraged, she calls the Humane Society. And their
hassling
of him comes to the attention of his ex-wife, who sees a chance to cause him trouble____You've crossed over from characterization to plot. Moreover, the plot development is springing naturally from consistent characterization.

Another example: Thinking about the dossier, you ponder "What event is he most afraid might happen to him?'' You realize you don't know. You give this question some time, thinking over everything your character has done so far, getting a better feel for his psyche. And finally you realize that he's afraid of public failure. He doesn't put this into words—but now you have. A public humiliation, with everyone laughing at him, would devastate this guy. And if it
did
happen, how would he react? With rage? With so much shame that he would leave town? Or would he, over time, grow past it and emerge a stronger person, more guided by inner values? Maybe that public humiliation should happen in the book. You see how to set it up. Then, afterward, the character could. . . .