A video I helped produce on Geekside Network has been channeling in the views. Zoe and myself talked about character creation, and discussed a character of his in the making during the show. We cover the many steps and considerations undertaken when designing a character for a book. Although I tend to focus fantasy, and he treads between fantasy and science fiction, these techniques could apply to a variety of characters.
I think every author needs a good cheat sheet…who am I kidding?….a whole file on any main character, to cover their dress, nuances, feelings, and history. These building blocks create the necessary foundation for the most important thing in any book: the characters! After all, settings can seem mirrored and even plotlines can seem stolen, but the variety of good characters can land a unique fingerprint on your story.
I hope everyone also takes the time to check out this video. We plan to have more “Author Initiative” discussions, focused on different aspects of the novelization process. We may discuss such foundations as world creation and plots, or helpful tips on the business itself, such as publishing, self or otherwise, or physical book traits and even cover art options.
Hope this is helpful for other authors, and expect that we might even grab some guests for the show!