Getting Into Character: Seven Secrets a Novelist Can Learn From Actors Read Online Free Page B

discovering different answers for your character until you “hit bottom” on a core truth that will work better for your story.
    Or, if you discover an inner truth that doesn’t fit well with the plot you know so far—what would happen if you kept that inner value? Where could it lead? How might it change your story? Would it improve the plot? Give you an idea you hadn’t thought of?
    As you can see, the process of creating a novel is circular, not linear. You don’t build characters, then build a plot, or build a plot, then build the characters. The two go together. Better knowledge of your character and the natural choices she would make in any given situation further plot points further discovery of character more plot points. It doesn’t really matter where in that circle you start—with a character or with a basic plot.
    In fact, you might even start Personalizing from the plot itself. As I was creating my suspense novel Exposure I began with only one thought: a camera that takes its own pictures. From there I envisioned the opening scene: a young woman comes home after dark and finds a camera on her kitchen table. Where did it come from? Flash. The camera takes a picture of her.
    Starting with that plot point, I asked myself, “What kind of person would be most affected, most scared in these circumstances?” Answer: one who has many phobias, including a strong paranoia of being watched. With that known fact about the character I could start the Personalizing process.
     
     

     
     
    Okay. When you discover an inner value that works, go on to Step 3. Let’s continue with the above example of the rich woman. Now that you know your character bases her self-worth on her money, how will this inner value translate into outward attitudes? In other words, what trait will naturally result? Dig deeper into your character until this trait is revealed. You may discover she is proud, perhaps even given to bragging, about her wealth. Or perhaps you’ll find she’s tightfisted, for if she ever lost her money, what would she be? The key here is not to leave this step until you understand how the inner value will directly affect your character’s outward personality.
    Once you’ve discovered the trait (or traits) linked to your character’s inner value, proceed to Step 4. Continue with the same line of questioning to see if you can hit bottom a second time. If you do, you’ll discover one or more specific mannerisms tied to the inner value. For example, you might ask your character—with her self-worth based on money, what exactly has she spent her money on? Probe this a bit. Let’s say you decide she’s bought herself a large diamond ring that she absolutely adores. She wears it all the time. This information has singled out her hands. What else do you know about her hands? Is she proud of them? Are her fingers long and beautifully tapered or stubby and wrinkled? Perhaps your character doesn’t think her hands are all that attractive, even though her nails are groomed and polished. This fact bothers her, and if it weren’t for the ring, which is a sign of the wealth by which she defines herself, she wouldn’t choose to draw attention to her hands.
    Now you can ask her which of these two desires will supersede the other—her desire to avoid drawing attention to her hands or her desire to show off the ring? Answer: show off the ring.
    Great! You’ve hit the second bottom for this line of questioning. At this point, you can go to Step 5. After all your probing, your knowledge of this character can now translate into specifics of how she will use her hands. She may talk with them, spread her fingers in graceful poses, rest them on the table at dinner rather than in her lap. Or she may have the mannerism of tapping a nail against her cheek as she’s pondering something, or on a table when she’s frustrated. Why? Because she wants to show off the ring.
    After awhile of doing this, your character may not even be