Monday, January 3, 2011

Ask Your Characters This

I found a post on Elaine Smith’s blog last week and she found them on Donald Maass blog earlier this year. So I’m passing this information onto you.

Instead of asking your character a set of mundane and over used questions, ask them this.

• Why do you matter?
• To whom do you matter?
• How would the world be poorer if you weren't in it?
• What are you better at than anyone else?
• What do you see or understand that no one else does?
• What was the last thing you learned?
• What was the last thing you learned about yourself?
• What is the worst thing about this moment? What’s the best?

So there you have it. Visit both blogs for more information. I must write 17 post for my blog book tour. So off to work I go.
Nancy

16 comments:

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

Great questions! Thanks for passing them along. :)

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Interesting questions!

Dominic de Mattos said...

Great prompts for character development

Good luck with your blog posts - looking forward to the tour :D

Michelle Gregory said...

these might be just what i need to understand my male main character better. thanks for posting.

Southpaw said...

Good ideas for developing deeper characters. Thanks.

N. R. Williams said...

You're all welcome. Thank you Elizabeth, Alex, Dominic, Michelle and Holly for dropping by and leaving a comment.
NR

Golden Eagle said...

Thanks for the post! These are great questions.

N. R. Williams said...

You're welcome Golden, thanks for dropping by.
NR

Denise Covey said...

Thanks for posting this nifty character check. I went across to Donald Maass' blog and checked it out in full. Great stuff. I really admire Donald Maass and value his books.

N. R. Williams said...

I'm glad I could help L'Aussie.
NR

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

great list of questions. I particularly like the first question. It's probably a question I should ask my characters more often.

Wishing you a happy new year!
Lyn

PK HREZO said...

Great questions! Thanks for sharing!

N. R. Williams said...

Thank you Lynda and PK...I hope you both have a great new year and can use the questions.
NR

Roland D. Yeomans said...

Those are indeed excellent character-developing prompts. I wish you nothing but the highest sales on your new book! Roland

Abby Minard said...

Those are great questions- I'll have to sit down and ask my characters that. What a great way to really get to know your characters.

N. R. Williams said...

That is kind of you Roland, thank you so much.

I agree Abby. I'm glad you found them helpful.

Thank you both for dropping by and leaving a comment.
NR