Character Analysis

To write or work out? My writing and exercise compete daily, as I do both in the wee hours of the morning. And it’s especially tough when I wake up with new ideas and dive first into my WIP, Echoes of Ballard House. I have to pull myself away from the laptop because the longer I wait to exercise, the greater the chance I’ll put it off until the next day. Though exercise gets me through most days, those feel-good endorphins and creative juices flow, allowing for better writing sessions. Passionate about both, I feel guilty when I don’t get my daily fix. Well, I guess this gives you a little clue about my personality. I’m internally driven by goals I set every day.

Ok, that’s another post altogether. 😆

Character Analysis

Today I will quickly discuss character analysis. I’m at a point in my WIP where Simone, my main character, has to confront a challenge alone in a home with a gory history. Before advancing with the story, I need to reevaluate her disposition. Simone has progressed somewhat since book one but hasn’t attained full self-actualization. She’s perpetually second-guessing her choices. Will low confidence prevent her from meeting the present challenge? Can she confront the unknown by herself? What skills and attributes will help her face a new challenge?

Personality
Behavior
Traits
Motivators

To understand Simone better, I’ve created a chart of her strengths and weaknesses and areas of her character needing improvement. I keep this handy to develop Simone’s reactions and responses to other characters and the story’s main conflict – a conflict that’s both internal (personal struggles to overcome) and external (confronting the antagonists- unseen spiritual elements inside Ballard House, and another unknown threat).

Character traits and motivation play a crucial role in a character’s choices. What drives Simone? Are motivators external (monetary rewards, acknowledgment of others, fear) or intrinsic (internal drive)?

What drives characters to do what they do?
What is their greatest dream?
Their greatest fear?

Conflict and Character’s Transformation

The protagonist and main character of the story, Simone, plays a crucial role in facing a paranormal and natural conflict inside Ballard House. How does this conflict transform her, a conflict that is both external and internal? Her decisions will guide the plot, determining her failure or the growth of her character.

There are other aspects of character analysis I didn’t mention, but the video below provides a summary.