TECH: Outlining Your Novel (Pt. 7)

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

Original Posting Aug. 22, 2016

So, here's another chapter from Outlining Your Novel by K.M. Weiland. This time, it's chapter 7, with the title Character Sketches, Pt. 2: Character Interviews. Here K recommends really drilling into each character, delving into who they are and why. Like many other descriptions of how to do this, K recommends a lengthy set of character questions. You can find the list in her free ebook Crafting Unforgettable Characters: A Hands-On Introduction to Bringing Your Characters to Life.

K suggests that you probably only want to delve into this depth for your main characters, protagonists and antagonists. Maybe one or two important minor characters -- major minor characters, if you like contradictions.

The list starts with the obvious, name, and then quickly delves into such the as background, friends, enemies, outlook on life, physical appearance, personality, and greatest success and biggest trauma. There's a lengthy list, but I'm not going to put it all in here. K recommends instead of just filling in the blanks, to do some freewriting and brainstorming about important questions.

And, if that doesn't seem to be doing the trick, K suggests a freehand interview. Put the questions away, and just talk with the character. Ask questions, and see what bubbles up!

Finally, K admits that she isn't a fan of psychological charting, such as the MBTI, but that if you want to, you might try the enneagram, with its nine categories and see if that works for you.

So. Another chapter in outlining that doesn't feel at all like the old English class outlines. Instead, we're delving into the main characters and their backstory, or even sitting down and talking with them. Good stuff, but... Where's the outline?

Relax. There is one more chapter delving into the setting, and then K is going to get back to the outline. Chapter 9 is about extended or in-depth outlines, while Chapter 10 is about short outlines. And Chapter 11 talks about using outlines. I think K is helping us to develop our story, even if it isn't quite the dive into an outline approach that I might expect from the title.

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