If you were to ask me (and since this is my little booklet, we are going to assume that you are) characters are one of the most important aspects of writing and one of the most difficult. So in the next few entries, I will be addressing how to create characters and most importantly, how to create believable characters.

Okay, so in Part One of this series, I am going to start at the very beginning, because after all, it's a very good place to start. (On a side note, anyone else hearing Julie Andrews singing that in their heads? Just me? Okay moving along.)

The beginning in simple, to create a character, first and foremost you must know them. But Jamie, some might be crying, what about them do we need to know? Well dear Padwan, the answer is simple and complex-you must know everything about that character. Every detail. The big ones such as their past and their motivations in the conflict to the minor things such as how they feel about the color red.

Now before you can panic, take a deep breath and breathe Padwans. Inhale, exhale and listen. These are things you must know in time, I do not expect you to know them all right away. Even I don't when I first begin! But I do have a good idea of what they are like. Because even at the start there are things you simply have to know about the character and they include:

The role in the story-who are they supposed to be? Your lead? Your love interest? The comic relief? The villain? Determine their role-this is something you have to know before you begin.

Their past-you must know this or at least enough of it to determine their motivations. As people, the past shapes up, our experiences, how we were raised and where shape our outlooks on life. You need the past to determine what it is that drives your characters actions, at least in part. The other part comes later.

The basic info-the name, the age, the basic description of them in short. You need to describe them right? As discussed in a previous bit, your job as a writer is to paint a picture for your reader. You cannot do that without knowing first how you picture them.

And lastly-the skills they need to fulfil their role in the story and you need to know what skills they already have, and the ones they need to obtain. Are they natural born leaders? Are they street smart? Clever? Do they need to learn how to fight? Do they need to learn to read? Wield magic? Point is, you have to know what they have and what they do not have to fulfil their purpose in the story.

I know that seems like a lot but here are several ways you can figure all of this out and below are a list of some of those things and brief descriptions of what each entail.

1. Role Play The Character

Yay Google, it laid out what this means for us! "The acting out or performance of a particular role" In this case the role is your character. You slip into them, dealing with situations or scenes in a way that they would and as you do that, you learn more things about them because you sort of catch yourself second guessing an action as you go such as "no, they wouldn't do this" or "that doesn't sound like them" etc. Disclaimer: This is not a trick have tried personally.

2. Interview The Character

Ever played a getting to know you game in school? Well that is sort of what this is like!

Q: What is your name?

A: *insert character's name here*

Q: What is your current profession?

Get a questionnaire, whether you make it yourself or Google it and ask away! Speak aloud if you need to, write it out so you have the answers. Answer in their voice, talk how they would and you get an idea of them even better. I have done this a few times and it is an interesting exercise.

3. Fill Out A Character Template

I do this most often when beginning a story and it looks something like this usually. Please note while this is similar to the above interview, it is not the same because you are not answering in your character's voice and manner.

Name:

Age:

Height:

Basic Appearance:

Family:

Friends:

Skills/Talents:

Summary of Past:

Hobbies:

Unique Fact:

Favorite Food:

Favorite Color:

Sometimes there are even longer-and mine usually are, but this gives you a direct way to fill out your character without having to find their narrative voice just yet.

4. Write Scenes

A day in a the life? A diary entry? Just some one-shots for your eyes only? All are fine, but even just writing in the character's point of view helps you get into their head and understand them. If you're stuck on ideas, Google some prompts and trust me, you will find something. I have done this exercise as well when preparing for difficult scenes to get an idea of how my characters would react beforehand.

Okay now there are more than four ways to start building characters, but these are just the ones that I feel work best. Before I close out part one, I want to state a few more things.

This stuff listed above is just a starting point. No more. No less. You are not expected to know each and every single detail about your characters the moment you decide to write them. As the story goes, if you have done them justice, they will grow and change in ways that surprise you. Ray Bradbury said it best, Plot is no more than footprints left in the snow after your characters have run by on their way to incredible destinations." And as I stated before, if you do them justice, run by you they will and though frustrating, this is the mark of a good character.

This first part is soley about the roots of the character. This is the first step on the journey. Your foundation for them. Whichever metaphor you prefer the fact remains; this bit is one step, not the first and only one. Knowing all those odd and ends about your characters, tons of bits that do not make it into the books come later. This part is all about the things that you need to know in order to begin. Okay, say it with me. This is about what you have to know to begin. Part Two is going to deal with how to develop characters from this first step-got it? Good! Until next time,

Write on! :D