Over the past 2 weeks, we've helped establish two key elements of storytelling from the scratch. The 8 key points in story telling as well as incorporating them into the Three-Act Structure. With that done, its time to fill in the spaces left.

Today, I'd be talking "Knowing Your Character".

Writing isn't just about picking a pen or turning on your laptop and letting words out. It's a bit more than that, especially when it's Fiction with characters in them. When working with characters, you see them as real life people and not just some figure that you're trying to paint.

On that note, the importance of keeping Character Templates can't be overemphasized. So what does this template involve, I'd give you a clue...how much do you know about your friends?

I'll split this in two parts;

1.BASIC PROFILE

*Basics

Their Name

Nickname (How did such name come about and does he/she likes it?)

Birthday

Place of birth

Ethnic background

Religion

*On a Bigger Screen!!

Attitude

Hallmark characteristics

Habits

IQ

Emotional reaction-to sadness, death, change, fear, judgments, being polite or rude

What annoys him/her and what is often the reaction

What s/he's a sucker for

Extent of spiritual practice(Religion)

His/her Residence

Degree of commitment to relationships

Blah blah blah

Now the knowledge of these things lets you know your character a bit more intimately. It brings them to life as their actions and emotions play in your head. You might be wondering how this template affects a story, how it involves us-your readers.

2. ROLE PLAY

Often times, this part of character development is overlooked-even when its very crucial.

The other side to your Character template should be about what these characters role are in the whole story. It should have your main Character and also other characters and how they relate to each other over the course of the whole novel. It's more like a blurb on each character.

Example:

Krishna Guptra (Main Character): First class A+Graduate of Yale University who returns to India in search of greener pasture after spending 4 years of post-graduate years in Texas with nothing to show for it. He meets Aliu Mustapha who has been through worse things in his long walk of life and they go through life together until they find out the truth that none of them was ever supposed to know.

Aliu Mustapha (M.C's Friend): Second Class upper Graduate of University of Ibadan who was orphaned at the age of 9. After 8 unproductive post-graduate years, decides to take a bold step to relocate to Lagos without knowing anybody. He stumbles upon the MC and they become best friends, which only lasted for a short period before the truth brings a sudden turn of things between him and the MC

Juliet Mustapha (M.C's girlfriend): (Describe this characters relationship with the MC and how it ends over the course of the story).

Note: The descriptions about other characters should be in relation to the main Character.

These are the Genesis of a story, it's more like the first time you met your Boy/Girlfriend when you didn't know this person and look how much the both of you have influenced each other (Both positively and negatively)- now that's how a story is.

In creating templates, you could also add i the What If parts to drive your characterization forward. Here's where the next part of knowing your character comes in, The "What-if?" part- a quite logical part of knowing our character. Just before you approach a person, there's that "what if" moment;

What if he doesn't like me- how would he show it in his actions?

***

What If this character never cries but just lost a parent-what will he do?

What if this character gets bullied- what would he do? Cry or fight back or just remain quite?

What if this Character is an atheist-what would be his daily routine?

What if this character had god-like powers- What would he do with it?

These questions could be as much as you'd want, think of as many 'what-ifs' that you think would fit into your story idea.

MAKE A CHARACTER TEMPLATE ON THE M.C FOR YOUR CURRENT WORK IN PROGRESS.

It's that's simple eh! Comment on here and let's see how it looks.

I'm off now and there sure is more coming your way.

Credits go to E.J. Runyon -I learnt this one from her ;)