: Re: What are some ways to get to know your characters? For example, I have recently taken to analyzing all my characters within the scope of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. I already had my

@Tiffany377

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Firstly, it is important to keep in mind that different methods work for different writers, so it might be a process of trying a few to see what works for you personally.

Me, I opt for the minimum amount of force. Let me explain. With a lot of exercises, I feel I am still forcing the character out, as a writer, sculpting them by racking my brain - so, what did he/she do when he was eight?

What I like to do is a method I learned from John August, I place the character in an interesting situation and then just follow it as it evolves. I try not to push it, only to go with the flow of it, and hopefully I will discover something new about the character - Oh, so that is what he/she would do!

The situation you set up can be one that is completely unrelated to the actual story, whether it be a short story, novel or script of any kind. It can be a banal situation - the character goes out to buy milk, travels to work and meets someone on the subway, anything. Even these ordinary situations can bring amazing characteristics to light and they help flesh out the characters as just people, what they do when they aren't chasing after that treasure or evil wizard. The purpose is to observe the behavior of the character as a third party, and you will often find that what you discovered plays well into and influences the main story as well.

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