TECH: What's My Line?

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 Original Posting 2 August 2009

Writer's Digest, August 2006, pages 70 to 73, have an article about professions for characters by Michael J. Vaughn. The title is, "What's My Line?"

I wonder just how many people recognize that as the name of the contest, with three subjects who tried to convince the contestants that they were the real deal. Or have I got my TV shows confused?

Anyway, Michael's article points out that at a party, after the exchange of names, the next thing that we often ask about is what someone does. What's their work? Jobs are a big part of everyone's life. Even if your story doesn't really involve work, figuring out occupations for your characters can help. Some of the ways that this does this include:

1. Framing the point of view. A character's occupation helps determine how they look at things and react to them. A surgeon and a brick layer have different reactions to disease.
2. Making the story work. Often work and jobs are not just background and reference, but part of the central conflict. What the character does, who they see, what they are trying to achieve often revolves around work.
3. Establishing character. Dealing with work and stories about what happened at work are part and parcel of how we all look at each other. Your characters can tell stories about what happened in their works too!
4. Painting a canvas. Some jobs let the characters -- or even make characters -- show us the background. A policeman walking a beat, a newspaper reporter chasing stories, even a house painter going door to door through the neighborhood all give us opportunities to show the setting.

A key part of all of these is authenticity. Realistic details of that particular kind of work. So how do you find out about different kinds of work?

1. First and foremost, what do you do? Don't forget summer jobs and other opportunities that you've had for real experience.
2. Upgrade a hobby. If you did it as a hobby, someone probably does it professionally. You might even have met them.
3. Be a journalist. Go out and talk to people, do the research. Most people are very happy to tell you about their work. You may even get invited to take a walk through the factory, or spend some time on that fishing boat. Go backstage with the people and find out what it really is like, then add it to your story.
4. Try it out. When you have chances to do things, give it a shot. Keep your eyes open, and soak those memories away. You might be surprised where they'll turn up in your writing.

Look at your characters. Ask each one, "What's your line?" Listen to the answers. Asks more questions, check out how they deal with that, listen to their jokes. Then use that as part of who they are in your story.

Write?