Continuing on in the Character vein…
So, do you just have a vague idea of your characters and write and go for it? Do you cut out pictures of people who look like your characters? Do you use people you know from real life?
How about…do your heroines usually have the same color hair and the same length 😳 (brown, shoulder length, sometimes French braided to keep it out of the way 🙄 )
Do you do character interviews? Sketch out a rough idea of the character? Keep notes so you get the eye color the same all the way through the book 
What’s your process for developing your characters?
Uh…:confused:I dunno. They just become. I can’t think of a way to describe it. I do not base my characters on pictures, they totally exist in my mind. A lot of my characters have auburn hair or hair with auburn highlights because its a hair color I like. But other than that I’m pretty open. I do not keep notes. I seem to “know” these people pretty well before the end of the first chapter.
It really varies though I”m not big on character sketches as a rule, sometimes an interview or background notes w/pen and paper can help me see if I’m going in the right direction. I don’t always look for pics but sometimes if I’m um having trouble plotting or something (like stalling) I’ll look for pics, but like Rene they’re more in my head. Sometimes I find pics that don’t even look like my charactsr but work because they convey the right personality.
It’s HARD not to give characters similiar traits when you only have blonde, brunette, and redhead to choose from but I do try to mix it up. LOL
Great questions!
I just write ’em and whatever happens happens. 🙂
I jot down minor characteristics when I’m creating characters because I’m a visual person, and like to picture people and scenes in my head. Hair color, style, eye color, something unique about the character’s features. Maybe what they like to wear, a starting point to make them a little more real to me. 😉
I usually have a good mind idea of my heroine and a couple supporting characters before I start writing. The hero usually evolves from them. Not sure why.
interesting. Not many use pictures, it’s more in everyone’s minds.
I don’t use pictures either, though I might try it this book. Don’t do character interviews. I do jot down the color hair, eyes, etc of secondary characters so I don’t screw that up.
I love seeing everyone’s answers to these questions!
I’m the same as Rene – the characters just sort of arrive, and I usually have them with me for a while before I start their story. I’m not big on plotting (I think I might be genetically incapable) so I love it when a character reveals something to me during the writing process – I love being surprised by their quirks.
I don’t use pictures beforehand, but every once in a while I’ll run across a picture and go – hey, that’s my character.:rofl:
I guess I’m the odd one 😉 I cast my characters as if I’m making a movie. I start off writing character sketches, filling out interview sheets, etc. but half way through, I stop and just write. I do have to keep notes of eye and hair colour, etc. because my memory isn’t what it used to be :confused:
I used to do all that and I’d get more confused. Now I just write and do a million revisions to find the true character–it’s more uh…fun that way. I just pound out every character on the keyboard:mad2:
I usually do some character sketches and sometimes interview them. This is when I get the most out of them and learn so many new things. But they evolve as I write them, as well.
I try to get to know my characters very well before I even start, but they always seem to change. Darn them. I’ve been known to find pictures of them, especially the heroines. The heroes I can picture better in my mind. And yes, I do interviews when needed. Which is frequently.
:secret: I’m with Michelle on this one. I just write them and what happens, happens. :crazy2:
Some I have a better idea than others. The current heroine is still kind of vague. but it occurs to me most of my heroines have my coloring (dark hair/green eyes). Not sure I ever intended it that way. 🙂
I also let my characters take a hold of the story, and I transcribe it. I know who the characters are, what they look like, and their personalities. I don’t do a character sketch, per se, but I will jot down hair color, eye color, etc. That way I don’t have my redheaded heroine brushing her brown hair. 🙄 It’s the little things.
Grins*
I cut out pics of people from magazines and then make lists of their qualities and keep it in a notebook.