I began a manuscript the other day and after 4.500 words I realised my characters aren't developed enough. They are cardboard cut outs, stiff and without personalities. So after spending the morning delving into character sheets, giving my characters good and bad traits they are almost born.
A characters history is so important to make them the people they are today. Their dislikes, their likes even knowing what they like to eat and drink is valuable. What has or is influencing how they think or feel is as important as knowing what their parents and siblings do for a living. Their education, and how they were bought up also adds to their personality. Everything during their upbringing from birth to their age on a manuscript influences what type of people they are and how they react in different circumstances.
Tomorrow I have a writers meeting and there is a workshop on developing characters. There's nothing like refreshing the mind. Great characters are essential alongside plot and subplots in developing a novel. Refreshing the mind is essential. It concretes the 'how to' in the important steps in writing a good novel.
I'm off to do some more developing.
It's Friday again. Have a great weekend :)
