Getting Into Character: Fiction Writing Exercises

Writers are not actors, but sometimes we need to get into character.

To truly understand the nature of a character, a writer must step into that character’s shoes. All the character sketches and descriptions that you develop will be two dimensional until you can get into your character’s head and understand what makes him tick.

This is not an easy thing to do. Your first impulse might be to act like a puppet master, pulling your character’s strings and controlling his actions. But what you really need to do is scoot over and get in the passenger’s seat. Let your character do the driving and ride along as an observer. And that’s exactly what these fiction writing exercises can help you do.

Tips for Getting Into Character

Many artists and creative people talk about entering “the zone.” This is a state of mind in which you’re running on automatic pilot. Your right (creative) brain is fully engaged and your left (logical) brain is snoozing with one eye open. It is in this state that people often get lost in an activity, lose track of time, and produce some of their best creative work.

When you’re getting into character, it’s best to be in the zone. Approach these fiction writing exercises when you’re calm and relaxed and willing to let your imagination override your logical thinking.

How do you do this? Before sitting down to tackle these exercises, try exercising. Take a walk, do some yoga, or go for a swim. You can also meditate or simply take a few minutes to lie down and relax and clear your mind of all the clutter. Listening to classical music or jazz is another effective way for getting into the zone. Once your mind is calmed, you’ll be ready to get into character and try the fiction writing exercises below.

Fiction Writing Exercises for Getting Into Character

Exercise #1: Chat

Launch your word processing software and start up a conversation with your character. Most of us have engaged in online chat or instant messaging. This is the same idea. If chat is not a comfortable medium for you, then try composing emails back and forth between you and your character.

Before you start, you might want to come up with a list of questions to ask your character. Also, this is a great exercise to use when you get stuck in a story that doesn’t want to move forward. Simply chat with your character to try and find out what’s holding him back from taking the next step.

Your chat might look something like this:

ME: So, you’re hearing voices in your head and you’re not sure whether you’ve gone crazy or are telepathic.

CHARACTER: Obviously, I’m telepathic. Don’t tell me you don’t believe in telepathy. I know you do.

ME: How could you possibly know something like that?

CHARACTER: Because I am reading your mind right now.

Exercise #2: Stand-in Situation

Put your character in a situation and see how he handles it. If you’re already working on a story, then try removing your character from it and placing him a completely different setting. Think of riveting scenes from books you’ve read or movies that you’ve seen, or use scenes from your own life.

A few quick ideas for scenes that will reveal how your character handles a situation:

• Your character is standing on the corner trying to hail a taxi when there’s a sudden distraction. This could be an accident in the street, a beautiful man or woman walking by, or an emergency phone call from a desperate friend or family member. Does your character hop in the cab and go about his day?
• Your character’s arch-enemy is is grave peril and the only person around who can save him is your character. Does he let his enemy die or save his life?
• Your character has been grossly betrayed by a close friend or family member. Is your character able to forgive? Does he seek revenge? Will he go on with his life, simply removing the betrayer from it?

Notice that all these scenarios test the character’s integrity. This is a great way to get a handle on what kinds of choices your character makes. Keep in mind as you work through this exercise that people are not perfect and characters needn’t be either. The most interesting characters are easy to relate to, and that means they are flawed in some way.

Exercise #3: Monologue

Monologues are a great way to get inside your character’s head, especially if the story you’re writing will be in third person. This is your chance to let your character’s voice be heard.

Write a piece in first person, from your character’s perspective. Choose a general theme for the monologue and start writing in the character’s voice. Some ideas for themes:

• Character is relating a significant event from his past – loss of a loved one, major life transition, or one of those everyday moments that change everything or stay with you forever.
• Character is faced with a serious challenge or decision and is discussing his options and what the effects of either choice might be.
• Character is in the middle of an emotional crisis and is overcome by grief, rage, envy, or some other intense feelings.

In a monologue, you can include action cues, but try to write them into the dialogue. For instance, if the character starts crying, make that evident through the narrative. If you’re feeling really brave (or if you’re an actor at heart), try recording yourself reading and playing out the monologue. That will add another dimension and allow your character’s speech, intonation, and inflection to come through.

How to Use These Exercises

Once you’ve completed the exercises, you can revisit the material you’ve written to gain a better understanding of your character.

Try to pinpoint any areas where you’ve stepped in and taken over. Maybe your character said something that you normally or frequently say. Or perhaps he did something that is just – well – out of character. You can edit and revise until you feel that your piece has truly captured your character’s behavior and personality.

Later, when you’re working on your story, you can pull out these fiction writing exercises to see if there are any clues about your character that you want to use. You may also use these exercises as you’re writing a story to help you get a better grasp on your character or learn his secrets.

As always, the most important thing when working through creative writing exercises is to have fun.

And keep on writing.

If you have any fiction writing exercises to share, feel free to post them in the comments or send them in as a guest post.