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hi I’m the person who asked about character creation advice in the listen along stream. My internet went funny so sorry I couldn’t specify on stream!
I meant characters in general! I really want to get into writing stories (books, podcasts, film, I haven’t really decided yet) but I’m struggling a bit with fleshing out my characters and I often feel like they’re all kind of the same person.
I really love the characters in Camlann so advice would be great!
Hi hello! Thank you so much for joining us for the stream, I'm sorry for your internet difficulties!!
Hm, this is an interesting and tricky question which I want to preface with a quick disclaimer:
Everyone writes differently. There's no one correct way to write, and whilst there are tool sthat you can use for writing - just like there are tools in visual art and music, learning which tools you want to use and how you want to use them is, I think, a big part of learning how to write well and in a way that's enjoyable for you.
This said! People often make jokes / comments about 'plotters vs pantsers' or 'architects vs gardeners'. A lot of writers fall into one of two categories - meticulously plotting detail before writing, or just kind of going with the flow. I personally am very much in the latter category, so I'm afraid I don't have a lot of specific tools or exercises I can give you.
This said, I'm going to do my best. Ursula K Le Guin is, in my opinion, one of the best writers of the 20th century, and she writes a lot of wonderful essays about the imagination and writing which I find really inspiring. I'm paraphrasing because I can't find the quote, but she once said something along the lines of: "If I can't close my eyes and have a conversation with a character, then I'm not ready to write their story yet."
That's a lot how I feel about writing characters. Some of it is conscious. I identify traits - flaws, strengths, quirks - in myself and others, and I give them to my characters. Dai is hyperactive and excitable because I'm hyperactive and excitable. Perry infodumps because I infodump. Morgan is stressed and protective because I am both of those things. But they also all have elements I don't have - Morgan is a lot more understated and pragmatic than I am. Dai is much more confident and reckless. Perry is significantly more organised and self-disciplined.
As a rule, I personally find it best to avoid ever trying to write 1 for 1 either yourself or a friend into a character. That way lies hurt feelings and honestly an inability to see them clearly, because it's very hard to see yourself objectively. Instead, I think of it like putting puzzle pieces together, or a patchwork quilt, or planting seeds. People often say good writers are good eavesdroppers. Phrases that people say on the tram stick with me. Strangers in shops. People dancing. Expressions and ways of speaking that filter through to characters I write.
Once I've identified a small handful of key pieces, I leave them to grow in my subconscious. This normally takes a few months. It's like...moulding a piece of wet clay for a few hours - ok, I don't want them to be X, I do need them to do Y - and once you've got roughly what you want in the right places, putting it in the kiln that is your mind and letting it cook. I just...think about my characters a lot - daydream about them, imagine them in different situations etc. Once I feel they've had enough time to settle, I start writing.
I honestly find one of the best ways to get to know a character is just writing them. For me that always feels like a conversation. And not just writing - editing and rewriting and rewriting - learning what they would or wouldn't say, thinking about how they'd react in different situations etc. There are...minimum 7 drafts of the Camlann scripts? I got to know the gang better just because I spent a lot of time with them.
Finally, for audio specifically, always always read your scripts aloud! If you can, rope in a friend or two. The way people speak out loud and the way they speak in our heads when we're reading is very different. Something that's incredibly moving in prose can feel awkward and stilted in audio. So read it out loud - start getting a sense of your character's vernacular. Do they say 'don't' or 'do not'? Do they swear? Do they use slang? Are they flirty, shy? I always find that my characters start coming to life when I can hear their voices. If I can hear them speaking to me, they're ready to be written.
This is all a little wibbly wobbly, and very personal to me, but I hope it at least helps you think about how you want to write. Good luck, and have fun!
‧₊˚ ⋅ ꒰১ ᯓ ☆ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤ𝑻𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝒏𝒆𝒘𝒇𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 of the Astral Expressㅤ—ㅤit was clear that the hotel bellboy part of him wasn't exactly leaving anytime soon. That truth had been made more than obvious by the very image of the child scurrying about the main train car and cleaning every surface that could POSSIBLY be cleaned. Sure, his efforts weren't making THAT much of a difference with the conductor having done the job alreadyㅤ—ㅤbut he was sure he was picking up a few dust bunnies and ACTUAL bunny ( . . . ? ) fur !
˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤSo focused the child had been on his self - appointed duties that he practically jumps when the OTHER new member of the Astral Express speaks out to him. The boy turns; periwinkle eyes blinking for just a few moments before he SMILES and shakes his head. Technically, there was no hierarchy or fancy titles like ' Family Head ' or ' Watchmaker ' separating them anymoreㅤ—ㅤand it wasn't for that reason that he refused. It was just the CUSTOMER SERVICE that was apparently stuck in him.
˚ʚ ☾ ɞ˚ㅤ˗ˏˋㅤㅤ❛ㅤIt's OKAY, Mister Sunday ! I couldn't POSSIBLY make you do all this work !ㅤ❜
@indeliblepromise ♡'d for a starter !
flaxen hues watch as the young boy tidies up around the parlor car, wiping down the tables and sweeping even though the conductor just did that not even two hours ago. its almost a little bizarre, the two of them now being members aboard the astral express, when before their interactions were few and far between. the halovian wonders if he should speak the boy, but his own shy nature made him struggle with it still. then again, it also wouldn't do to stay strangers when they'd be traveling together for the foreseeable future. so he gets up from his seat and walks over to misha, offering a small, but unsure, smile.
❝ um... would you like some help, misha ? if you plan on cleaning the rest of the train, it'd be an awful lot of work for just you. ❞