Start the Story
10
Creating Characters
Five Tips For...
Issue 1 , June 201 2
If You Like...
1.
Cut photographs of people from newspapers and magazines (avoid
pictures of celebrities) and use them as the starting point for creating a
new character. Ask yourself who the person in the picture is and what
they do for a job. Are they married? Do they have pets? What would be
their ultimate dream come true, and what would be their absolute worst
nightmare?
2.
Speaking of nightmares, a good way to create an evil, scary character is to think
of some of the things that frighten you, then exaggerate them to make them
much worse. Scared of spiders? What about a villain who's a giant spider? Or a
man who tiptoes up to your house each night and posts deadly spiders through
your letterbox? Let your imagination run wild!
3.
Write down the letters in your name, and juggle them around to create a
new name. This character is now your alter-ego - the exact opposite of
you! If you're shy, they are out-going and extrovert. If you play sport,
they are lazy and unfit. How do they deal with the things you have to
cope with in your life? Who would win in an argument between the two of
you?
4.
Get to know your character's quirks and habits. Do they pronounce words
strangely? Do they pick their nose? Bite their nails? Scratch their bottom in
public? When they eat do they scoff down their food or pick at little pieces? Do
they have hobbies, and if so, what are they? The more you know about the little
quirks that make up your character, the more real they will become to your
readers.
5.
Choose an object at random (a toy car, a cup, a pen, etc.) and write a
paragraph about a character who might own that object. How old is the
character? Where do they live? Where did they get the object, and what
do they use it for? How would they feel if the object were stolen, lost or
broken? It's a good idea to keep a box of small objects in class for pupils
to dip into for inspiration.
HOMEWORK EXERCISE
Have your pupils think of the most disgusting
meal they can, then write about what it
would be like to eat it. Make sure they use
plenty of adjectives to describe how truly
horrific the meal looks, feels, smells, tastes
and even sounds. Is it squidgy and soggy, or
crunchy and crisp? Is it sickly sweet or eyewateringly sour? This exercise gets pupils
thinking about their five senses and using
them in descriptive writing.
Why Not Try...
I AM NOT A LOSER
Barry Loser
Egmont UK
978-1 40526031 2
£5.99
BIG NATE GOES
FOR BROKE
Lincoln Peirce
HarperCollins
978-0007462704
£5.99
BRILLIANT WORLD
OF TOM GATES
L. Pichon
Scholastic
978-1 4071 20690
£6.99
WORLD OF NORM
:
MAY CONTAIN NUTS
Jonathan Meres
Orchard
978-1 40831 3039
£5.99
THE DONUT DIARIES
Anthony McGowan
Corgi
978-0552564373
£5.99