Personality is, basically, what makes you different enough from other people that we don't all act the same. As humans, we all have the same base instincts and drives, though in some people they're more developed or underdeveloped. Right there is where personality starts to happen. It's quite easy to differentiate between someone who's mostly concerned about where their next meal is coming from and someone who wants 400 babies.
Humans have evolved past caring about nothing but food and sex, though. There are other things we care about, too, and that's where most major personality traits come from. When I say "traits", I'm talking about those habitual things you do and the way you act, think, and feel. Wikipedia actually has a nice article on trait theory, if you're interested.
These traits define who we are, as people. And characters, as people, are built around their traits. All you need are a few core traits, and everything else will stem from them. We'll take, for an example, a character I'm working on solidifying right now. The story she's in takes place in a post-apocalyptic kind of place, but for convenience's sake, we'll pretend she's in the present. It's so much easier that way.
She goes by the name Risnaan Toutál*, and is a massive wad of pure snark. That's a trait right there; she's snarky. She's also coldly logical, straightforward, confrontational, and awkwardly easy to trust. Which, for a diplomat is a good thing. The confrontational snark, however, is not. And that, my friend, is what makes things interesting.
Just from knowing her core traits; snarky, logical, blunt, confrontational, and trustworthy, you can probably assume quite a few other things about her. Like she probably has a boatload of self-confidence, and usually wins arguments. It's also likely she has very few friends, because you'd have to be very laid-back to deal with someone like her. And she's got to have some redeeming qualities, else she wouldn't be so easy to trust. Things like that tend to develop through writing the character and having them interact with other people, which is a whole 'nother post altogether.
Oddly enough, Rizzie's the main character of her story. It's gonna be weird to have such an abrasive character fill that position; the MC is usually an easy person for the reader to relate to. It's important to remember that people will always subconsciously try to relate to a character; if said character is a rude jerk, readers probably won't relate well. Keep in mind what role your character will be filling before you turn your MC into a sociopath no one will connect to (unless that's your plan, you crafty little thing).
I think it goes without saying that the best way to really get to know your character, per se, is to write them. Once you have your core personality traits set, figure out your character's physical appearance (though I've done this backwards; that's fine, too), background, mannerisms, quirks, and other such important things I'll have to go over, then drop them into a random situation and see what happens. Put them in situations with other characters and let them bounce off each other. Your goal here is to establish a believable person and become so comfortable with them that you could effortlessly write them in any situation.
It's all a long process of trial and error, so keep plugging away at it and you're bound to get somewhere. Ask questions and such if you want to (I love questions.). SO! Now I've gotta figure out the next topic for this mess... but first comes sleep. Goodnight and good luck!
*I was so excited when I figured out accent marks. Alt-E on a Mac!
**Probably some will be old and scary; I sort of have a character in mind for that one.
Yeah, I totally quoted Ed Murrow.
A good read, it's nice to see someone care about character personalities rather than just playing off cliches.
ReplyDeleteWe should talk on this sometime, it's an interesting little blog you have here.
- B. Richmond
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