More than you ever wanted to hear from Jenny Crusie.

Mare 4: Characters, Sharing Of

Saturday, January 7th, 2006 | Category: The Twelve Days of . . ., Writing

I worked on Agnes all day today and I’m about to go back to her, but we’re doing something with Mare that’s really different from anything I’ve done before: Eileen wants character charts, lists of things so that we know each other’s characters better. I don’t do character charts when I write alone because I discover that stuff as I write, and I don’t do them with Bob because he doesn’t care (”That’s back story,” he says, “Do not create any more back story, we’ve got too much back story already”), but Eileen and Krissie are female and they want character. Go figure.

So here are some of things Eileen asked for:
Hair
Eyes
Height
Favorite Food
Favorite Music
favorite attire choices
what their room looks like (something as a place setter, even, if you
don’t know yet)
idiosyncracies(besides the obvious)(bite nails? pick nose?)
methods of transport

And then I added:
Sun Sign?
Rising Sign?
Tarot signifier card?
Political party?
Magazine subscriptions?
Favorite Book?
Favorite TV Show?
Favorite Movie Genre?
Expression? (Jeez.)
Movie star crush? As in, I”ll go see anything with . . .
Pet? Familiar?
Creative outlet (Dee’s is painting . . .)
“In a previous life, I was . . . ”
Favorite Muppet?
Favorite Buffy character?
Favorite ice cream? Dessert?
Favorite food? Favorite meal?
The thing she’d never do?
The thing she’s always wanted to do?
Childhood toy that’s still in her room?

I don’t know how much help it’s going to be, but it’ll definitely spark discussions over dinner in New York.

And now, back to Agnes . . .

7 Comments so far

  1. Eileen on January 8th, 2006 at 2:24 pm

    Beeker was my favorite muppet. Later I would go on to date geeky smart boy types after I got over my guys in the band period. Go figure.

  2. ZaZa on January 8th, 2006 at 2:26 pm

    That’s like the personality inventory I give my coaching clients when they’re having trouble with characterization. Those of us, like you, who know those things instinctively are the lucky ones.

  3. Cherry Wench on January 8th, 2006 at 2:26 pm

    Ok,
    Now I’m really curious. Are you going to post the filled in chart, or do we suffer until publication?? :)

  4. Camy on January 8th, 2006 at 2:27 pm

    LOLOLOL I just found your blog, and that is hilarious. You forgot her favorite barbeque meat and whether she’s a thong girl or a bikini chick. ;)

    Camy

  5. Brandy on January 8th, 2006 at 2:28 pm

    Those are things even we have trouble identifying!!

  6. wapakwoman on January 8th, 2006 at 2:29 pm

    Does she like drinks with umbrellas in them, or is she a martini type? (Not that you can’t do both, but not usually at the same time!)

  7. Aka Batgirl on January 8th, 2006 at 2:29 pm

    I like Animal he never contributes or helps the story he just screams.

Leave a reply