In my previous blog, I mentioned bringing a story alive. I think a big part of that is bringing character to life. Perhaps asking questions like: ‘What would they do if…?’ How do they react to stress?’ ‘What are their shadows?’ That last question is loaded and perhaps I discover more of my character’s depths as I go along and put them in various situations where they are actively making choices and doing things that are relevant to the storyline.
It’s also useful to ask what their voice might sound like if you were to hear it in real life. Would it be pompous or squeaky or gentle? Would there be a depth and wisdom to it that could only come through years of experience in their field? Are they excitable? Do they have a particular way of speaking that makes their voice distinct? Such questions help the character become three dimensional.
Making up questions is such an important part of the process for me. I find that it sparks my ideas and imagination. It really helps me picture and ‘bring to life’ the actors in the story.
