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Imagined histories
A well-loved practice technique of writers everywhere is to imagine identities and histories for the people they see day to day. What does that girl on the subway with the shiny purple pants do for a...
View ArticleCharacter Questions: The Letter D
Here are more questions you can ask of a fictional character to help you flesh him or her out a bit more. The number you decide to answer will probably depend on how much detail you go into—the more...
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Photo Album
Imagine that one of your fictional characters has pulled an old family photo album from a shelf. He retires to a couch to look through it. What does he find? Describe at least one of the...
View ArticleThe Power of Ritual
Writers of all people tend to be familiar with the power of ritual in one’s life. After all—that’s one of the reasons behind engaging in writer’s prompts. The familiarity of ritual can help to put one...
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Gender Roles
This morning I got to thinking about gender roles in some books. So today, I’m going to suggest that you grab a sheet of paper and a pen, set a timer for 10-20 minutes, and write about gender roles in...
View ArticleDisappointments
If you’re a non-fiction writer: What’s the biggest disappointment you’ve ever faced? Free-write for 10 minutes. If you’re a fiction writer, pick a character and: What’s the biggest disappointment he or...
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Birth of a character
Write up a scene depicting your character’s birth or arrival in her parents’ arms or home. You’ll probably find this says a lot about your character’s family and parents, but by extension this can also...
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Wedding Bells
Imagine that one of your fictional characters is getting married. How would it happen? Write the scene. Alternative #1: Imagine that someone close to one of your fictional characters is getting...
View ArticleMountain Men
Today, create a side character (someone who will appear in a story but isn’t meant to be the main character). Base the overall image on a stereotype, but then give the person a quirk that’s completely...
View ArticleCharacter Art Collection
One of my favorite resources for fleshing out a character is the vast wealth of portraiture found online. Art, photos… There are multiple ways to use such items to help you with a character. The two...
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