So I've been to G-d only knows how many classes and workshops on getting into and/or fleshing out your character(s). There are the lists, and the charts, and the in-character journals, and . . . .
It just keeps getting better the more the Internet progresses, though. Once or twice I've had a lot of luck starting a blog as one of my characters, just to get into the swing of the voice and get a little random feedback. But what I've become addicted to this time around is a combination of MySpace and Project Playlist.
*Yes, I know it's probably against MySpace policy to start profiles for people that don't corporeally exist, but my Top Friends include Whiskey and Brock Sampson, so I don't think they enforce that too heavily ;)*
Filling out a complete profile, compiling a playlist of music your character would want to represent them, choosing a layout if you want to get all fancy . . . all of these are great for getting down to the small hairs of your character's . . . well, character.
But paying attention to the kinds of "friends" your character's profile attracts . . . that's the real fun. Especially when you get into the hard-core procrastination and start making E-Harmony and other matchmaking site profiles/personality reviews for or as your character.
Hey, it'll help kill the next 28 days, at least . . .
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Medical tests have shown that despite my drastically increased consumption of bourbon during the month of November, my liver copes with it remarkably well. Maybe one of these years I'll write a novel about how freaking amazing the human body is, instead
50,254 / 50,000
Okt 3, 2007 - 21 55
I'm moving this over from Q&A to Reaching 50,000 - as the Q&A forums are for research purposes, not strategy.
----------NaNoWriMo & ScriptFrenzy Staff
65,882 / 50,000
Okt 4, 2007 - 03 42
I've had my three primary characters in a live journal ~ and writing community for almost a year. And then I've got three other journals that have developed over the course of that time ~ covering 4 characters that relate with main character number 3 for my novel. And then there's Razi ~ who one of my friends actually wrote during the year but she's said I can have him for my novel because he's so integral to all three of my main characters. :)
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Jun 28, 2008 - 01 15
Dumb little surveys ('favorite color/oldest memory/nicknames/etc') are fun to fill out too. Sometimes you learn the most interesting things, like a strange affinity for mustard. And doing several characters at a time is an awesome procrastination technique.
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What am I doing still awake?
...Oh wait.
0 / 50,000
Jun 29, 2008 - 05 39
I find those surveys useful too. If you get one that's a bit longer it can help you get to know even the most random details, as Raquelin said.
I'll have to try out the whole myspace thing sometime, sounds like a good detailed idea for when I am, err, procrastinating, aha.
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