One of the most useful tools I have taken from my course is from the semester on writing plays. The short form biography – which isn’t always that short – comes from this book:
- The Playwright’s Process: Learning the Craft from Today’s Leading Dramatists by Buzz McLaughlin
It takes you through headings that go beyond simply what a character looks like and how old they are. It considers the external world; their family situation, their place in the community and their leisure activities. It also asks you to think about their internal world; their intelligence, personality type and sense of self. It asks you to identify one major secret that they keep from the world, one major disappointment they have suffered, their personal goals and any special qualities and talents they have.
It can take a while to get it all down on paper or on computer but it really helps to keep the continuity right. For example, on starting the edit I realised I had got muddled up with Judith’s age in comparison with her younger sister and her sister’s daughter who was seventeen and planning to go to university the next year. By having all the short form biogs handy, I could easily make comparisons and get everybody’s ages right in one go.
There is another system I use alongside that one to get to know my characters which I will share with you next time.
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