This post is part of the brand new WIP Wednesday Link-up For Writers. The theme this week is “My Favorite Character I’ve Ever Written.” Join the link-up and show off your current projects!
My Favorite Character I’ve Ever Written
Confession: You know when people debate whether an author is a character-driven or plot-driven writer? I’m definitely character driven. I have a nasty habit of accumulating stockpiles of characters that I love to bits and then finding myself utterly incapable of thinking up a story to put any of them in.
My writing process is basically:
- think up character
- profess undying love and adoration for said character
- mentally catalogue every conceivable detail about the character, including strengths and weaknesses
- figure out how to ruthlessly exploit those weaknesses within a story (example: this girl has fear of loneliness? HOW CAN I ISOLATE HER FROM EVERYONE SHE LOVES??)
- begrudgingly brainstorm how I might use the character’s strengths in moments of triumph, because I guess they have to win sometimes.
- retroactively find a way to thread all these pieces into a coherent plot