Writing is hard. For some people, writing might come easier. However, that doesn’t mean you don’t struggle — especially when writer's block hits.
School papers are far different than creative writing. They’re filled with sources, MLA formatting, extra readings, and wondering if your teacher is even going to understand it.
Creative writing, along with fiction… are kind of the same. They might not consist of MLA formatting, but there's plenty of research that contributes to the stories. Imagine the questions you look up that the government might be monitoring: “How long does it take for someone to drown," "How to use a weapon," or "How to hack a computer,” might be some questions that fill your search history.
What I struggle with most is character development. In most stories, there’s one main character, if not more. They probably have friends, too, which contribute to the rest of the story. But how do you differentiate one character from others? How do you avoid messing up how they develop? Their backstories? Who are they related to? It’s a jumble that’s important to remember — especially with people reading the stories and hanging onto every detail.
How do you remember it? There might be different dates, different years, or even different worlds. Sometimes they blur together. But sometimes, making questions and filling them out helps the most. What’s the meaning of their name? Where did they get it from? Not only does it help you memorize character details, but it helps flesh them out. No one likes a Mary-Sue. No one likes a dull character and sometimes… Backstories start to unfold.
Questions that usually help me are beyond the basics. Beyond "What color is their hair?" Beyond "What color are their eyes?" Yes, that's vital, but it's usually easy to jot down really fast.
Dig for gold instead. Ask questions that will motivate you, along with your character's intentions.
- Where were they born? Was it upper class or lower class? How might this impact your character's lifestyle?
- What type of humor do they have? What’s their favorite joke? (This might flesh out what type of personality they have.)
- What type of relationship do they have with their family? Good? Bad? Why? What caused it? How? (Don’t be afraid to ask the 5 Ws here.)
- What is their favorite memory? Their worst? What caused it?
- What type of personality do they have? How does this cause them to interact with others?
- How do they dress? (This question might be simple, but it can really explore how society takes a toll on them and their personality.)
- How did their parents impact them? Did their parents try to reach for the stars? Or did their parents want them to do one specific thing in life? Did they live up to their expectations or did they fail?
- What is their greatest fear? What contributed to it? What happens if they’re face-to-face with what scares them most?
- Do they have enemies? If so, how? What contributed to that relationship?
- Do they have any bad habits? What are they? When did they start?
- What type of mannerisms do they have? (If none, that’s okay.) Explain the mannerisms they have and who taught them.
- Are there any distinguishable markings they have? Tattoos, scars, freckles, etc. (If yes to scars or tattoos, how?)
- What are their long-term goals? Short-term goals? What do they want to accomplish in life? What do they want to accomplish at the moment?
- What positive traits do they have? Negative? How do these traits contribute to their identity?
- This isn’t really a question, but make a playlist or Pinterest board to get a better understanding of the character. What type of music applies to them? Pinterest helps make the character easier to see and it’s also filled with great quotes.
I'll end with a reminder, rather than a question. Write, write, write. Put your soul into your writing, kill your darlings, and don’t overthink the process. Do what makes you happy and don’t question it until you have to.
