Continuing from last week’s Part 1:
Step 3: Initial Character ImpressionAs you find the story, you will start to imagine the scene in your mind and start getting a sense of who your character is. The writing will give you either very clear or subtle clues as to the qualities of your character. An example of clear clues is the character description when you first appear in the story: “…SARA, early 20s, smart, sassy, and not afraid to use her good looks to get what she wants…”
An example of subtle clues include the voice of your character, how they speak, and what words they use. For example, if your line is, “What the hell is this, coz? Get your dirty-ass feet off my damn coffee table!” it should indicate to you a big character difference than if your line was, “I would greatly appreciate you removing your dirt-encrusted feet from atop my table.”
You’re looking for everything you can possibly find to tell you what character qualities are non-negotiable—things we shouldn’t change when making our character choices. Beyond those non-negotiables, you get to create the rest of who this character is using your own essence and making choices, as long as they
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