How to write a biography for a role-playing role. Emotional and behavioral reactions

How to come up with a character? This question is asked by almost every Author who strives to make his work as interesting, colorful, and believable as possible. After all, if the hero does not look real, then the whole work is perceived as fantasy or utopia.
To make it more convenient, we will first consider the creation of the main characters, and then the secondary ones, which some Authors deprive of their attention.

So, creating a main character is a painstaking process. It is necessary to cover all aspects, all facets, because main character- not a dummy that no one would write about. This is, first of all, a person, although invented, he has thoughts, feelings, as well as habits and principles. And often the Authors present to us only a small fraction of that inner world.

First, readers should have a rough idea of what a particular character looks like. After all, every Author, like an artist, draws pictures with words, and readers subconsciously imagine what is happening. Therefore, it is necessary to designate at least a silhouette - tall hero or short, thin or plump, or maybe stooped. It is not necessary to describe every centimeter of the body, it is enough to just describe the main external signs: hair and eye color, again, height and build. And to give the hero individuality in appearance (even if the character is blue-eyed blond athletic build, which all the girls run after) maybe a couple distinctive features. For example, a large mole on the neck that cannot be ignored, or a dragon tattoo, or a scar on the cheek. This is how the hero will be remembered.

Secondly, you need to describe the character. It is incorrect in a work where the narrative is told on behalf of this main character to write something like: “I am smart, kind, affectionate, brave...”. Even if a character calls himself smart or cowardly, for example, then he should do it differently. Eg:

"I've finally decided it complex equation with degrees, immediately jumped up from his seat and, under the admiring glances of his classmates, placed the solution on the teacher’s table. He looked at me in surprise - no one in our class could find the roots of the equation. I was incredibly proud, because now everyone knows how smart I am!”

But in this case, we should not forget that, having told in this way about the hero’s mind, the Author reveals other qualities: in my example, the character looks somewhat boastful, you can even imagine how he approaches the teacher’s table, proudly raising his head. If the work is written in the third person or the hero is described by another character, then the same concept applies: “An act is an assessment.” Such small descriptions must be present throughout the text, not only in the character’s thoughts, but also in his behavior and actions - after all, readers evaluate the hero precisely according to these criteria, classifying him as one of the more positive or more negative characters in the work.

It’s worth stopping at this point - negative and positive heroes. Unless the Author is truly writing a utopian work, then it should be remembered that there are no people who are good or bad in everything. This is where individuality lies - one person is brave, but a little stupid, so he gets into different troubles; the second is smart and cunning, therefore he cowardly avoids danger, caring only about himself; and the third is smart and brave, but at the same time extremely evil. Again, everything is the Author’s imagination, but more positive characters should have at least one bad habit(biting your nails out of excitement) or a nasty trait (slamming the door and being rude), despite the fact that such heroes most likely strive for perfection, while more negative ones have, for example, secret hobby kittens, when a selfish and arrogant teenager suddenly becomes moved and begins to care for an abandoned kitten.

Biography is not the most important part of character description in works small size, but the necessary part in big works. At least a mention, but it must be, since it is in childhood that the basic principles and " life scenarios" (certain plans for the development of events, patterns passed on by inheritance), and some an important event- the death of parents or the betrayal of a friend - can explain the appearance in character of such traits as distrust and disappointment in life.

The same applies to behavior. A gallant young man will not slam the door right in front of a girl’s nose, and a drunkard will not curtsey to his acquaintance. Again, the example is far-fetched, and in most cases the Author does not even think about how exactly his characters speak, but there should not be any discrepancies.

Thus, there were several main points for creating the main character:
1. Description of appearance. Against cliches - a certain “zest” that gives individuality.
2. Character description. Against cliches - a habit or trait that is diametrically opposed to character (worse or better).
3. Speech and behavior of the character.
Perhaps each Author will add another item to this list that will make his story special - my list serves as a framework, a basis. We move from the main character to the secondary character.

Minor characters- people who surround the main character. Classmates, acquaintances passing by, sometimes even parents. Secondary characters help create an atmosphere of reality of the work, despite the fact that they do not particularly influence the main one. storyline. Therefore, with their creation everything is much simpler - sometimes the reader does not even think about what he is like, the same Uncle Petya who was mentioned in the fifth chapter, in the third paragraph.

Firstly, if a minor character still appears throughout the story (for example, the same parents), then you can also describe their silhouette, create a vague image so that the reader does not forget who this person is, and more fully imagined what the Author himself wanted to convey to him. You can do this with this unobtrusive phrase:

“I walked past a very plump grandmother sitting on a bench near the entrance and said hello to her - she looked at me gloomily, but didn’t say anything, just grumbling something under her breath.”.
And the reader catches his eye on this “very plump grandmother,” remembering her.

Secondly, we can highlight some main feature character, which will help you remember the character after ten chapters, even if you forgot the name. For example, the brave Uncle Vanya, who defeated a bear in his youth; capricious Aunt Vika, always dissatisfied with those around her.

Thirdly, speech and behavior plays big role even among minor characters. For the same reasons as the main characters, because if social qualities and manners differ, the hero becomes unreal.

It's easiest to draw minor characters from friends. At least, you can associate them with them, so that the Author himself does not forget who is who. Secondary characters are described by the main characters or from the outside, and this is similar to thoughts about someone you know. You don't have to resort to this method, but still.

Therefore, there are a couple of points for creating secondary characters:
1. Creating an external and internal image with a phrase.
2. The character’s speech and behavior.
I repeat, this is much easier to do than to create a main character who will reveal more and more new facets of his inner world as the story progresses.

Even the most ordinary hero or a cliché hero can acquire individuality with the help of the Author. Creating a hero is not difficult, but it needs to be taken as seriously as possible. I hope my article will help you.

Whether you write for fun or are about to publish your book, characters are an essential part of any story and any story. To write interesting story or a novel, you need to think through the characters' personalities, but more importantly, you need to really get to know the personalities of those characters.

Steps

Think about what genre you are going to write in. It is fantastic? Historical novel? The genre of the work largely determines the personality of the characters. Even if your character travels through time, traversing the universe of your fiction, he will most likely have certain habits and will be unfamiliar due to the difference in cultures and times.

Determine the main qualities of your character. What's his name? What does he look like? How old is he? What is his education? What is his family like? How much does he weigh? What are his distinctive features? You need to clearly imagine the image of this character.

Of course, when coming up with the main characteristics of a character, you need to decide whether this character will be a person with disabilities or belong to a certain social group. However, when touching on these topics, you need to be very careful and careful, especially if you yourself have not had such experience. Before you create and write a character with a disability (or a character who belongs to a particular social group), you need to find enough information to avoid writing anything that might seem offensive or ignorant.
Make sure your character's appearance fits into their world and interests. For example, a professional fighter is unlikely to have loose long hair, because then he can easily be grabbed by this hair, dooming him to failure. IN real life A character cannot have red or purple eyes without certain genetic mutations (such as albinism) or contact lenses. Genetically this is impossible. And if your story takes place in real world, don't explain purple eyes your character's genetics.

Identify the main personal qualities your character. Is he a positive and cheerful character or is he always gloomy and gloomy? Is he closed? Excited? Diligent? Or soulless? Think through your character's core personality traits so you have a clear idea of how that character will develop in your story.
- You can also come up with main interests and hobbies for your character. He is a programmer? Violinist? Dancer? Writer? Chemist or mathematician?
Try to better describe the character's personality. Ask yourself a few situational questions that will help you decide on the character of the hero. For example: “What would this character do if his mother died? What would he do if he chanced upon a long-lost relative? What would he do if he encountered a bank robber? What would he do if someone put a gun to his head? These are examples of questions you can ask yourself. Write down the answers to these questions. After this, you should have a certain idea about your character's personality.

Add character to your character negative sides. If you make it too perfect, people will get bored reading your story. Therefore, you should not create a tall, thin, handsome, strong, honest and smart character if you want your story to be interesting and at least a little real. Add him weak sides, for example, drug addiction or excessive pride. Complicate his character!
- But be careful, you shouldn’t come up with negative aspects for your hero that will not affect the main conflict of your story. For example, if your character is shy and awkward, these flaws won't stand in his way if his goal is to fall into the arms of the person he loves. A true and interesting flaw would be something like this: “Clara is so shy that she can’t bring herself to say what she really thinks. This gets her into trouble because when her friends do something bad, she can't even say anything." Or this: “Fernando is so clumsy that he constantly gets himself into trouble. While he was on vacation, he accidentally set fire to a curtain with a candle in the hotel where he worked, causing a fire and causing serious harm to the health of those around him.”
- Don't attribute too many flaws to your character! If you describe your character like this: “His parents died when he was just a child, and this caused irreparable trauma to his psyche. His adoptive parents locked him in the closet for the slightest offense, he is completely ugly and socially inept, he hates everyone and is terrible at everything he does,” readers will not be able to accept your character and will simply find him annoying, whiny and uninteresting.
- Also be careful if you're going to give your character flaws such as drug or alcohol addiction, mental illness, or disabilities. Quite often there are problems with describing a character with such characteristics, for example, mentally ill people are often perceived as cruel and uncontrollable, people with disabilities - as completely not independent, relying on other people for everything, although in most cases this is not true (for example, if we we are talking about a person in wheelchair who has no communication problems and communicates easily with other people). These things require thorough study, otherwise you may offend readers.
  - Search the Internet to find more information on how to describe a person with mental illness, autism and so on.
Think about how you would talk to this character if you were next to him. Think about what he hopes for, what he dreams about, what he fears, about his memories. You can even try to imagine yourself in his place to understand what does it feel like- to be in his shoes. This The best way see the world through your character's eyes!
Describe a scene with your character. If you're struggling with an idea of what to write about, find an idea generator and pick the one that sounds best. Don't forget to show how your character reacts to different situations, rather than just describing them. This will help you better think through the character's personality, and, if necessary, slightly edit the description of this personality. If your characters react in a certain way to the situations that arise during the story, you are doing everything right.
- The difference between “show” and “tell” is that when you tell the reader about a character, you do not reinforce his personal qualities in any way (for example, “Dasha cares about people”). “Showing” a character to the reader means putting this character in a certain situation in which he will show himself in one way or another (for example, “Dasha reached out to hug the shaking, crying child, took him in her arms and gently muttered: “Everything is okay. Everything will be fine.” "). To make a story truly interesting and impressive, you need to try to “show” more than “tell”.
- Enjoy! It's no use developing a character if it's a tedious job for you, because if you don't like the character, will readers like him? It is unlikely that in this case you will get a good story.
- Don't try to make your character perfect in everything. For example, you shouldn’t make him the best swordsman who can shoot a bow, as well as an excellent climber, singer, universal idol, makeup artist, and so on. Don't attribute thousands of talents to him at once. There are no heroes who are good at “everything.” Choose several talents for your hero, think about which of them he will develop most, and just remain silent about the rest. Of course, you want to make your character awesome and interesting, but that doesn't mean he has to be the best at everything, because in reality, no one is the best at everything.
- On the Internet you can find characteristics that will help you create an interesting character. You can ask the following query in search engine: “a list of qualities of an interesting character” or “a description of an interesting character” (without quotes). These lists will help you create a character you might not have thought of before.
- If you just can’t find an image for your character, but have already thought well about his personal qualities (or vice versa), you can always think of the hero’s appearance based on his personality (and vice versa). For example, if your hero plays basketball, you can make him tall; if you have a twisted plot, you can make the hero short and not suitable for the basketball team.
- When you write your story or story, b O Most of the story should be shown by your characters, not by you. If you are driving plot twist, and you can imagine how the characters will react, each of whom has certain habits and personality traits that you created for them, you will have a great story.

The character is the main figure of any animation, so he should be given a lot of attention. a large number of attention. In this article, you'll find tips from the pros to help you create vibrant, believable characters, and you'll also get a look at how Pixar creates cartoon characters.

1. Focus on facial expressions

Tex Avery, the creator of Daffy Duck, Bugs Bunny and other beloved characters, never neglected facial expressions when developing his characters, and this made them popular.

Depending on the nature of the character, his emotions can be either pronounced or slightly hidden, therefore, when developing your hero, think about his personal qualities and, based on this, work on his facial expressions. A great example of the work of the legendary Tex Avery was a wolf whose eyes popped out of his skull when he was agitated. On the other hand you can put Droopy, who seems to have no emotions at all.

2. Make your characters special

When Matt Groening created The Simpsons, he knew that he had to offer viewers something special, something that would be different from other TV shows. Therefore, he decided that when the viewer was flipping through the channels and came across a cartoon with yellow-skinned characters, he could not help but become interested in them.

Whoever your character is, try to make him as little similar as possible to all the heroes who preceded him. It should have interesting visual qualities that will be unusual to the viewer. Like yellow skin and four fingers instead of five, for example.

3. Experiment

Rules are made to be broken. At least that's what Yuck thinks. When he creates his characters, he doesn't know who he's drawing. “I listen to music and draw the result, which depends on my mood: strange or cute characters. I always want to draw what interests me. Later I finalize the character,” he says.

4. Understand who you are drawing for

Think about your audience. For adults and children you need to choose completely different instruments interactions, colors, and characters.

“A custom character usually means there’s more space within which I need to fit it, but that doesn’t mean there’s less creativity involved. Clients have specific needs, but they also want me to do my thing. I usually start with the main characteristics and personality of the character. For example, if the eyes are important, then I will build the design around the face so that the main detail stands out,” says Nathan Jurevicius.

5. Explore

“Never work without materials, always look for something to build on. Take photographs of people that can be a good basis for your work. For example, their clothes, hairstyle, face. Even if your character is not human, think about where he got his DNA and go from there. Once you start working with examples, your work will become clearer and more engaging.” – Gal Shkedi.

6. Start simple

“Always start with simple shapes. Squares are good for strong and tough characters, while triangles are ideal if you want to make the character intimidating. Well, if you want a friendly character, then use smooth lines.” – Jorfe

It is worth remembering that no matter how complex a character is, he consists of simple elements. Starting simple, you will gradually layer elements and eventually get a complete image.

7. Technique is not the most important thing

Sketching skills will help you a lot if you want to represent a character in various poses and from different angles. And this skill requires practice. But to create a credible and atmospheric character, these skills are not so important.

“I try to get into the character, highlighting his quirks, combining them and working on them. I draw a lot different options one character until I'm happy with one of them.” – Nick Sheehy

8. Make up a story

“If you want your character to exist in more than just a cartoon or comic book, then you should take the time to come up with a story for him. Where he came from, how he appeared, what happened in his life - all this will help create integrity. Sometimes a character’s history is more interesting than his current adventures.” – Pixar

9. Hone your character

Interesting appearance doesn't always make the character interesting. His character is the key, the character must be consistent in his emotions and actions. Pixar believes that character should be strong unless you're deliberately making your character boring.

10. Environment

Another Pixar rule is to work on the character's environment.

“If you want your character to be believable, then make the world around him believable. Think through your environment and make it work to your advantage.”

And in this video you can follow the process of creating the characters of Karl and Ellie:

In Literature for the People (1983), Robert Peck gives the following advice: “Being a writer is not an easy job. If you approach the matter carelessly, the moment will very quickly come when you will have to pay the bills. Therefore, before you print at the top virgin clean slate“Chapter I” (and then sit for a week on this piece of paper, thinking about what to do next), it is necessary to prepare each character.”

The phrase “prepare the character” implies creating a background, a backdrop for each main character. In other words, the main characters need a biography. For most writers, and no doubt for all aspiring writers, writing character biographies is the first necessary preliminary step.

Let's say you decide to write a detective story about mysterious murder. You don’t have a well-thought-out plot yet, you only have an idea. First of all, once we're talking about about a murder mystery, you need a killer. It is he who will become the main villain, the main negative character your work. The villain's machinations set the narrative in motion, so in a sense, the villain is the "author" of your work. What other characters you have depends on the plans of the villain you create.

Let's say you want to write about a woman who killed her husband because he disgraced the family. He dealt drugs to make money. He always has no money because he squanders everything at the races. He's betting on the wrong horses. You have no idea who this woman is, what she is like. The only thing you know is that she is very smart (if not, then she won’t make a worthwhile villain). You know that she plans the crime with all the care and cunning. Moreover, the speed of solving the crime depends on her intelligence and cunning. Therefore, the smarter you have it, the better.

Now you need the main character, the hero, who will solve the crime. What if you don't have suitable candidates for the role?

In novels of this genre there are different types detective heroes. Positive hero or the heroine can be sophisticated professionals (Philip Marlowe, Sam Spade), intellectuals (Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot), gifted amateurs (Ellery Queen, Miss Marple) or random witnesses drawn into the thick of events by the plot (Mrs. de Winter in Daphne Du Maurier’s novel “Rebecca”).

Which type is preferable is up to you to decide. The choice depends on your imagination, which gives birth to the plot. The reader loves detective stories. Some people like to follow the train of thought of such an intellectual as Sherlock Holmes, who is busy investigating a mysterious crime. Some people like to tremble and feel horror along with an innocent victim caught in a network of bloody intrigues. Someone is delighted with the strong, courageous investigator walking through the mud and slush along dark dangerous alleys, breaking heads as he goes and dodging bullets.

If you're an avid fan of one type of novel or another, sit down and pick up the pen. Write the kind of books that you yourself enjoy reading. True, there is one exception: a novel written from the perspective of a strong, courageous detective. In such a work, the narrative style will be very specific. Maintaining this style is very difficult, especially for a beginning writer. If you fail, expect accusations of imitation. However, if your detective novel turns into a parody, it will be even worse.

You can choose any type of novel. However, regardless of your choice, you will have to create within the framework of a certain tradition, the rules and canons of which you have already become familiar with if you have read a lot. Famous author is free to depart from traditions and break the canon, readers will forgive him. A novice author is deprived of such a privilege, so he is strongly advised not to go beyond the traditional.

Let's imagine that you decide to write a novel about professional detectives. You enjoy novels by Stanley Gardner, Ed McBain, Ross MacDonald, John Dickenson Carr, and Robert Parker. The professional detective type is your favorite. But the trouble is that you don’t know what kind of professional detective you will be. Start with a name. This will help you draw in your imagination appearance character.

Avoid names that are often given to detectives in novels. No Rockfords, Harpers, Archers or Marlowes. You need something special, something fresh. There is no need to go beyond the bounds of reason. If you give the main character the pretentious name Stempski Schazax, you can scare off the reader. The point is that you should create within generally accepted frameworks. The architect can change the size of the corners, the number of columns and the slope of the roof of the house, but inside this house there should be exactly as many rooms, bathrooms and toilets as the clients require.

Let's give our detective a name that detectives don't usually have, say Boyer. Boyer Mitchell, how are you? Sounds good? The most common name. If you can't come up with a name yourself, take phone book- there is an abyss of names.

The vast majority of detectives are always middle-aged, gray-haired, experienced, and have a tough character. Let Boyer be young and inexperienced for a change. Outwardly, he should not look like a detective. Detectives in novels are always daring, tall, and stand out as stern male beauty. Let Boyer be of average height, clumsy, stooped, of a fragile build, intelligent in appearance, with large, dark, attentive eyes. He moves slowly. He believes in being greeted by his clothes, so he is neat, and he also has sparkling white teeth, pleasant manners, and is quiet and thoughtful. Many people mistake him for a scientist. He is twenty-six and still single.

Where did the image of Boyer Mitchell come from? Out of nowhere, it was woven out of thin air by the author of the book you are reading. He chose traits that were the opposite of those usually characteristic of detectives in novels, traits that had long since become stereotypical. Boyer might as well have been old, fat, and a bitter drinker. The description of the characters is based on two pillars - breaking stereotypes and harmony.

Harmony, according to Egri, is the art of creation bright characters, acting like “instruments in an orchestra, giving birth to a harmonious melody.” In other words, there is no need to make all the heroes greedy or ambitious. Characters should contrast with each other. If one character is hardworking and diligent, make the other a slacker. Hamlet was indecisive, he lacked willpower, he was more inclined to think than to act. He wandered around gloomy, lost in thought, filled with self-pity. Laertes is a character brought out to contrast Hamlet, exclusively a man of action.

There is one more important point, which is worth mentioning when it comes to character creation. You, the writer, will have to settle into the heads of your characters for quite a long time. Seriously think about whether you want to work with these characters? Are they interesting to you? Maybe you don't want to work on the young, intelligent and fragile Boyer Mitchell, you need him to be old, fat and a drinker? Do as you wish, you are writing the novel. If you are fascinated by your characters, if you like them, then most likely your readers will like them too.

So, we have approximately determined physiological Boyer's edge and lightly touched it sociological edge. The image has become clearer, but is still blurry. He main character our novel, so we must penetrate its soul, understand it to the marrow of its bones.

Boyer doesn't look like typical detective, so, first, let's ask ourselves why Boyer suddenly decided to catch criminals. Maybe his motivation coincided with the motivation of many young people choosing their path in life - he wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps? It's time to let your imagination run wild. Let's pretend his father was "Big Jake" Mitchell, the man Dashiell Hammett based Sam Spade on. Big Jake is tough, tough, shrewd, and will stop at nothing to protect his client's interests. More than once or twice he had to clench his jaw in the service of what he calls “higher justice.” Boyer thinks "Big Jake" Mitchell is a bully, but that doesn't stop him from simultaneously admiring his father. He believes in justice as sincerely as his father, but he also believes that social order is based on the observance of laws.

If we choose such a father for Boyer, then our hero will have to reach the level of Big Jake. People always compare themselves to their fathers. Old enemies, whose hatred is still burning, turn their sons' lives into a nightmare. Big Jake, even after death, will remain a cross that Boyer will carry with him throughout his life. When creating a character's biography, look for details that may influence his actions and emotions in the novel. Multidimensional characters, like real people, have a past. This past is always with them.

Yet so far we have only a rough sketch of Boyer Mitchell. We need to breathe life into it. How? Let's write his biography either from the first or third person. The biography below contains sketches of relationships that have not yet been revealed, hints at some events that are not narrated in detail, etc. The biography does not at all require a detailed and comprehensive description of the character. It's simple short story about his life, which can help the writer better understand his main character. The writer creates a character biography only for himself and no one else. Here is a biography of Boyer, written in the first person.

“My name is Boyer Bennington Mitchell. I was born on the first of January. I'm twenty-six. I'm not just young, I also look young. With such an appearance, it is difficult to gain respect in my profession, but I have learned to deal with it.

For me, the most important thing is to finish the job. As my father said: if you take money, work for every cent.

My father is “Big Jake” Mitchell. This is another problem of mine. It's not easy to reach the level of a legendary person.

My mother named me Boyer Bennington. She was born into a family belonging to high society, she's from the Bennington family in Vermont. This is a very ancient family in New England. It so happened that in 1955 her uncle was murdered here in San Francisco, and the police never found the criminal.

Let's go to Big Jake. A day later he caught the killer, and a day later he married his mother. She just lost her head. And no wonder: my father knew how to treat women. They're all macho mad. Mom, at least. True, in marriage the parents were as happy as prisoners in a punishment cell.

The reason for all the troubles lay in the fact that the father insisted that one must live on what he earned, although the mother had so much money that it would be enough to buy all of Monaco. Big Jake made good money. But what is “not bad” when you’re used to driving Rolls-Royces and spending the winter in the Bahamas? What a childhood I had! My mother wanted me to play the violin. And this is when complete absence hearing and sense of rhythm. I have had nine teachers. My mother blamed them for my failures. But I never intended to become a musician. When I was about fifteen, I was finally released from music lessons. Now my mother wanted to make me a banker. I didn't even want to hear about it. No, gentlemen, since childhood I wanted to become a private detective. And even as a child I was stubborn as a donkey. If I wanted something, I always tried to achieve what I wanted, no matter the cost.

My mother said that nothing would work out for me - I am not at all like my father. She fought me with the desperation of the Boers fighting the British. But, believe it or not, you don't have to be like Big Jake Mitchell to be a good private eye. His style is not my style. If I had behaved like him, I would have been torn to pieces in the first six months.

I believe that a good private investigator should first of all have excellent training in the field of scientific forensics, and not molded muscles and big fists. In college, I took more courses in chemistry, physics, mathematics, law, criminology, and programming. I can say with confidence: I am an expert in crime investigation. When Big Jake was killed in 1982, I was finishing graduate school. Everything in life went topsy-turvy, I was just about to get married, I had just had surgery, I wanted to buy a house and even looked at some options. Everything had to be abandoned. I took my father’s business into my own hands...”

We now have an idea of how Boyer's life began. For such important characters, like Boyer, such a biographical sketch should be between ten and fifty pages. In it, you outline the events of the hero’s life from the moment he was born until the beginning of the action of your novel.

So, why did we reflect in the biography exactly these specific events in Boyer's life? As already said, we need elements that will influence the behavior and feelings of the character in the novel. Boyer is young and therefore shy. Some other characters do not take him seriously due to his appearance. This means that Boyer will definitely face additional difficulties. Always look for and create obstacles for your heroes. Disdainful attitude Some characters to Boyer will prevent him from reaching his father's level. Boyer's mother, who is still alive, will try to persuade him to change his profession - here's another obstacle for you. But he, gritting his teeth, will rush towards the goal. To compensate for external data that does not correspond, according to the stereotype, to the chosen profession, we will reward him with something else: intelligence and hard work. The death of his father not only forced our hero to take up the matter when he was not yet fully ready for work. The death of Big Jake forced Boyer to change his plans for personal life, refuse the wedding. Here's another obstacle for you.

We could very well have created a completely different biography. In this case, the character of Boyer Bennington Mitchell would change radically. You could make Boyer's father a corrupt cop. Then our hero will have to defend his good name. We might decide that it is not the scientific approach that helps him in solving crimes, but his intuition. We could write that Boyer has an old, poor, sick mother and he has to pay her bills. How the character appears to the reader depends entirely on the author. Shuffle the options in your imagination, there are an infinite number of them. Yours the main task- create a bright, believable multidimensional character who will brilliantly play the role assigned to him in the novel.

If you work carefully on the biographies of your characters, you will know them as well as your brothers, sisters or best friends before the novel begins. It is impossible to list everything that needs to be included in a character bio. It's up to you to decide. The biographical sketch must include those events that will affect the feelings and behavior of your character in the novel. Tell us about everything that shaped his habits, beliefs, views, inclinations, attachments, superstitions - in short, everything on which a person’s behavior depends, his decision-making in a given situation. You must clearly understand your character's political and religious views, what he thinks about friendship and family. You need to know what he dreams about, what he is interested in, what he is interested in, what he studied at school, what subjects he loved and what he hated. Does he have prejudices? Which? What will he hide when he comes to see a psychoanalyst? What will he hide from himself? If the character is truly close to you, you will be able to answer any question about him.

It may be that you have written a biography of your character, but some questions still remain unanswered. Let's say your character finds a wallet, and there is $10,000 in it. What will he do with it? Will he take it to the police or keep it for himself? Or let's say your hero finds out that he is terminally ill. What will he do? Will he commit suicide? Let's imagine that there is a fire in his apartment and he can only save one thing from the fire. What kind of thing will this be? Can't answer these questions? This means further study of the character is required. This must be done before you begin the novel.

Let's start creating a character: let's come up with a biography for him

In Literature for the People (1983), Robert Peck gives the following advice: “Being a writer is not an easy job. If you approach the matter carelessly, the moment will very quickly come when you will have to pay the bills. Therefore, before you print “Chapter I” at the top of a pristine blank sheet (and then sit for a week on this piece of paper, thinking about what to do next), it is necessary to prepare each character.”

Let's say you decide to write a detective story about a mysterious murder. You don’t have a well-thought-out plot yet, you only have an idea. First of all, since it's a murder mystery, you need a killer. It is he who will become the main villain, the main negative character of your work. The villain's machinations set the narrative in motion, so in a sense, the villain is the "author" of your work. What other characters you have depends on the plans of the villain you create.

Now you need the main character, the hero, who will solve the crime. What if you don't have suitable candidates for the role?

In novels of this genre, there are different types of detective heroes. A positive hero or heroine can be sophisticated professionals (Philip Marlowe, Sam Spade), intellectuals (Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot), gifted amateurs (Ellery Queen, Miss Marple) or random witnesses drawn into the thick of events by the plot (Mrs. de Winter in Daphne Du Maurier "Rebecca").

You can choose any type of novel. However, regardless of your choice, you will have to create within the framework of a certain tradition, the rules and canons of which you have already become familiar with if you have read a lot. A famous author is free to deviate from tradition and break the canon; readers will forgive him. A novice author is deprived of such a privilege, so he is strongly advised not to go beyond the traditional.

Let's give our detective a name that detectives don't usually have, say Boyer. Boyer Mitchell, how are you? Sounds good? The most common name. If you can’t come up with a name yourself, take a phone book - there’s an abyss of names there.

The vast majority of detectives are always middle-aged, gray-haired, experienced, and have a tough character. Let Boyer be young and inexperienced for a change. Outwardly, he should not look like a detective. Detectives in novels are always daring, tall, and stand out for their stern masculine beauty. Let Boyer be of average height, clumsy, stooped, of a fragile build, intelligent in appearance, with large, dark, attentive eyes. He moves slowly. He believes in being greeted by his clothes, so he is neat, and he also has sparkling white teeth, pleasant manners, and is quiet and thoughtful. Many people mistake him for a scientist. He is twenty-six and still single.

Harmony, according to Egri, is the art of creating vivid characters who act like “instruments in an orchestra, giving birth to a harmonious melody.” In other words, there is no need to make all the heroes greedy or ambitious. Characters should contrast with each other. If one character is hardworking and diligent, make the other a slacker. Hamlet was indecisive, he lacked willpower, he was more inclined to think than to act. He wandered around gloomy, lost in thought, filled with self-pity. Laertes is a character brought out to contrast Hamlet, exclusively a man of action.

There is another important point worth mentioning when it comes to character creation. You, the writer, will have to settle into the heads of your characters for quite a long time. Seriously think about whether you want to work with these characters? Are they interesting to you? Maybe you don't want to work on the young, intelligent and fragile Boyer Mitchell, you need him to be old, fat and a drinker? Do as you wish, you are writing the novel. If you are fascinated by your characters, if you like them, then most likely your readers will like them too.

So, we have approximately determined physiological Boyer's edge and lightly touched it sociological edge. The image has become clearer, but is still blurry. He is the main character of our novel, so we must penetrate his soul, understand him to the core.

Boyer doesn't look like your typical detective, so first let's ask ourselves why Boyer suddenly decided to catch criminals. Maybe his motivation coincided with the motivation of many young people choosing their path in life - he wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps? It's time to let your imagination run wild. Let's pretend his father was "Big Jake" Mitchell, the man Dashiell Hammett based Sam Spade on. Big Jake is tough, tough, shrewd, and will stop at nothing to protect his client's interests. More than once or twice he had to clench his jaw in the service of what he calls “higher justice.” Boyer thinks "Big Jake" Mitchell is a bully, but that doesn't stop him from simultaneously admiring his father. He believes in justice as sincerely as his father, but he also believes that social order is based on the observance of laws.

Yet so far we have only a rough sketch of Boyer Mitchell. We need to breathe life into it. How? Let's write his biography either from the first or third person. The biography below contains sketches of relationships that have not yet been revealed, hints at some events that are not narrated in detail, etc. The biography does not at all require a detailed and comprehensive description of the character. This is just a short story about his life that can help the writer understand his main character better. The writer creates a character biography only for himself and no one else. Here is a biography of Boyer, written in the first person.

For me, the most important thing is to finish the job. As my father said: if you take money, work for every cent.

My father is “Big Jake” Mitchell. This is another problem of mine. It's not easy to reach the level of a legendary person.

My mother named me Boyer Bennington. She was born into a family belonging to high society, she is from the Bennington family in Vermont. This is a very ancient family in New England. It so happened that in 1955 her uncle was murdered here in San Francisco, and the police never found the criminal.

The reason for all the troubles lay in the fact that the father insisted that one must live on what he earned, although the mother had so much money that it would be enough to buy all of Monaco. Big Jake made good money. But what is “not bad” when you’re used to driving Rolls-Royces and spending the winter in the Bahamas? What a childhood I had! My mother wanted me to play the violin. And this is with a complete lack of hearing and sense of rhythm. I have had nine teachers. My mother blamed them for my failures. But I never intended to become a musician. When I was about fifteen, I was finally released from music lessons. Now my mother wanted to make me a banker. I didn't even want to hear about it. No, gentlemen, since childhood I wanted to become a private detective. And even as a child I was stubborn as a donkey. If I wanted something, I always tried to achieve what I wanted, no matter the cost.

We now have an idea of how Boyer's life began. For an important character like Boyer, a biographical sketch like this should range from ten to fifty pages. In it, you outline the events of the hero’s life from the moment he was born until the beginning of the action of your novel.

So, why did we reflect in the biography exactly these specific events in Boyer's life? As already said, we need elements that will influence the behavior and feelings of the character in the novel. Boyer is young and therefore shy. Some other characters do not take him seriously due to his appearance. This means that Boyer will definitely face additional difficulties. Always look for and create obstacles for your heroes. The disdainful attitude of some characters towards Boyer will prevent him from reaching his father's level. Boyer's mother, who is still alive, will try to persuade him to change his profession - here's another obstacle for you. But he, gritting his teeth, will rush towards the goal. To compensate for external data that does not correspond, according to the stereotype, to the chosen profession, we will reward him with something else: intelligence and hard work. The death of his father not only forced our hero to take up the matter when he was not yet fully ready for work. The death of Big Jake forced Boyer to make changes to his plans for his personal life and abandon the wedding. Here's another obstacle for you.

We could very well have created a completely different biography. In this case, the character of Boyer Bennington Mitchell would change radically. You could make Boyer's father a corrupt cop. Then our hero will have to defend his good name. We might decide that it is not the scientific approach that helps him in solving crimes, but his intuition. We could write that Boyer has an old, poor, sick mother and he has to pay her bills. How the character appears to the reader depends entirely on the author. Shuffle the options in your imagination, there are an infinite number of them. Your main task is to create a bright, believable, multidimensional character who will brilliantly play the role assigned to him in the novel.

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