Novel Kicks Writing Room: 10 Week Character Challenge – Meet You Character

Welcome back to the Novel Kicks Writing Room.

Following on from the plot challenge we did, today is the beginning of a 10 week character challenge. If you’d like to take a look at the plot challenge, click here.

Over the next ten weeks, we’ll take a character from a simple idea and gradually develop them into someone with a personality, history, relationships, flaws, fears and a meaningful character arc.

You don’t need to be writing a novel to take part. Your character can be created specifically for these exercises, or you can use a character from a story you’re already working on.

WEEK 1 — Meet Your Character

The task this week is to create a character who wants something very badly.

First, answer these questions:

• What’s their name?
• How old are they?
• What do they do?
• What do they look like?
• What do they love?
• What annoys them?
• What do they want more than anything?
• What are they afraid of?
• What’s their biggest flaw?
• What secret are they keeping?

Now, write 500 words introducing your character without simply listing their characteristics.

Show us who they are through their behaviour, thoughts and dialogue.

If you’d like to add another element, give your character a surprising contradiction.

Reflection – 

Ask the following questions:

What surprised me about this character

What I still want to discover about them:

As always, have fun.

by

Laura

I'm Laura. I started Novel Kicks back in 2009 as I wanted a place to discuss books and writing - two loves of my life. As someone who has anxiety, these two things give me, and I am sure countless others, a much needed escape.
There is a monthly book club, writing exercises, prompts, reviews, author interviews, competitions and guest posts. I cover many genres and I hope there is something for everyone.
I grew up by the sea in Dorset and currently live in Poole with my husband, Chris and three cats. I love writing and have a BA (Hons) in Creative Writing from Falmouth University. I am writing my first book. If only I could stop pressing delete. Chris has threatened to stop it from working. Haha.
I have always loved creative writing since I was in first school and would very much like to meet my teacher, Miss Sayers, to say thank you for all the encouragement she gave me then.
When not writing, I love reading, cats, Disney, singing (I can't sing but this doesn't stop me,) and falling into a good TV show or film. If I could step into any fictional world, it would be amongst the characters in ABC's Once Upon a Time.
I love reading many genres and discovering new authors.