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We had a question on the board
about how to develop a continuing character and I thought I'd
take a swing at it.
The approach described in the
post was to fully figure out a character's personality and background
and motives. It's nice to know which is your character's favorite
Disney movie or color or where they were born or how they did
on their SATs. But NONE of that is important. And doing up complicated
backgrounds for your fictional folks can bind you when you want
to explore them further.
Strange as it may sound, your
character's past is immaterial. Sure Beaverman is forever affected
by the night the masked Lumberjack destroyed his dam and murdered
his family. But it's where the Heroic Herbivore is going next
that's important. What's he do next? What does Beaverman
want?
That's the key to a three dimensional
character. What does he want most in the world? How does he achieve
it? What's he sacrifice to get it?
Rick in CASABLANCA wanted nothing
more than to be with Ilsa. But he sacrificed this for a higher
cause; his love for her and his dedication to a free world. Right
there in what Rick wanted and how he dealt with his desires is
the key to the whole damn story!
Batman wants to keep his childhood
vow to avenge his parents. Superman wants a world to call his
own. Dr Doom wants to prove he's the world's greatest intellect.
Bugs Bunny wants to be left the hell alone. Xena wants to make
up for her past as a bloodthirsty warrior queen. Darth Vader
wants his son to join the family business for his own protection.
George Costanza wants the affection and respect of others even
if it's an illusion. Sherlock Holmes wants distraction from the
chaos of his own awesome intellect.
See a pattern here? Play the
game yourself. Most enduring fictional people have a deep want
that drives them. There's exceptions of course.
Mickey Mouse, Wonder Woman, the
cast of Suddenly Susan, the Waltons; all tend to be ciphers.
Who knows what they want beyond some vague notion?
But the characters we care about
have that deep desire that drives them. You give your creation
that and the rest falls into line.
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COMMANDMENTS OF COMIC BOOK WRITING you should also find
something to like and something to hate about each character.
The Punisher battles crime and wastes ten times his weight in
baddies every day. But he's also a stone bastard to anyone who
tries to get close. Magnum is Hawaii's coolest private eye. But
he's so dumb when it comes to women. He always gets dumped
on. Donald Duck has the shortest temper in the cartoons. But
he does provide a home for his nephews.
Factor these kinds of things into a character and then let them
fly. Don't try to pre-program them. Let them evolve.
If you build a strong enough
fictional personality then you'll KNOW how they'll react in any
given situation. They'll wind up "writing themselves."
I may struggle and strain with
plot and dialogue but I NEVER sit here wondering "I wonder
what Nightwing would do if this happened." I already
KNOW based on the course I've set for him.
It's actually pretty simple.
What's my character want?
What do I like about them?
What do I dislike about them?
Hope this helps all you striving
fictioneers out there.
-
- Chuck
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