By Jennifer Blanchard
As I mentioned in yesterday’s post, getting to know your characters before you start your NaNo novel will go a long way when it comes time to start writing.
Here are some great characterization tools to help you along your journey:
- Characterization Series, by Larry Brooks: Brooks’ series does a great job of helping you create characters that are well-rounded and believable.
- Character Development Drives Conflict, by Pedar Hill: This article details the character arc and the role it plays in creating believable characters.
- Building Complex Characters, by Jennifer Blanchard: This post details the “diamond method” to characters, created by romance novelist Connie Flynn.
And although it’s not mandatory, here are some other tools I recommend when creating characters:
- A baby names book–This is extremely helpful when it comes to finding the right names for your characters. Baby names books are cheap and available in every bookstore.
- BabyNamesWorld.ParentsConnect.com, BabyHold.com, BabyNames.com or other Web sites that list potential baby names. Some even come with meanings for the name. These are free alternatives to the baby names book.
Nameberry.com is a really nicely set up baby naming site that is fairly new. Check them out, too!