create a colorful heroine any genre - romance … · create a colorful heroine any genre character...

Create a Colorful Heroine is copyrighted by Adrienne deWolfe.

For more help with characterization, visit WritingNovelsThatSell.com.

[email protected]

Create a Colorful Heroine

Any Genre Character Name: _________________________________________________ Novel’s Working Title: _____________________________________________ Interview Date: __________________________________________________

Introduction

A Heroine is also known as the female Protagonist. Your story doesn’t need to incorporate a female and a male protagonist.** However, this worksheet was based on the premise that women are often socialized differently than men; therefore, women tend to think and act differently than men. The purpose of this worksheet is to help you create a complex, compelling, and memorable female Protagonist who will “ring true” to your female readers. The Heroine may have strongly characterized sidekicks, who are major secondary characters; however, the story should clearly focus on the Heroine as she struggles to achieve her ultimate goal. If you have an ensemble cast (for example, you’re writing the genre-novel equivalent of Steel Magnolias), each Heroine much be fully fleshed out. At times, your Heroine may serve as an Antagonist (or Anti-Hero), interfering with the goals of the other Protagonists. While the Protagonists’ stories may overlap at times, each character must have her own goals, motivations, and conflicts. Since you are writing a category novel (Mystery, Fantasy, Thriller, Western, etc.), each Protagonist must triumph in the end. ** The exception to this rule is Romance. For help with this genre, see the special “Create Colorful Character” templates dedicated to writing Romance.



[email protected]

Instructions Allow at least 40 minutes of uninterrupted time to complete this worksheet. Before you begin writing, decide (if appropriate) which female Protagonist this exercise will focus upon. Then review the First Impressions section, as well as all of the Interview Questions. Next, find a place where you can sit without distractions. Close your eyes, and breathe Close your eyes, and breathe deeply to relax your body. When your mind is at peace, begin to daydream (or visualize) that you are walking into the Heroine’s favorite “cozy space” for entertaining. She greets you and invites you to sit down, so you can learn more about her. During your visualization, pay careful attention to her physical features, her mannerisms, speech patterns, clothing, and the surroundings (furnishings of the room, type of plants in the garden, etc.) Make this visualization as vivid as you can: create a 3-dimensional movie scene by utilizing your five senses (just as you would while writing fiction). As she talks to you, imagine she is a real woman, who is behaving in a “real way” with a stranger (you). When you have completed the visualization, open your eyes and begin to answer the questions on this worksheet. Use a “stream of consciousness” writing approach. In other words, write everything that pops into your mind, without worrying about its logic, punctuation, grammar, etc. Trust the process. Try not to get bogged down in “reasoning out” answers. If one of the questions doesn’t immediately pop into your head, skip it and go to the next one. That way, you won’t break the flow. Stream-of-consciousness writing is an intuitive process. It’s a wonderful exercise for accessing your subconscious mind – or Muse. Each time you practice stream-of-consciousness writing, your Muse will speak more strongly through you, and you’ll receive all kinds of wonderful story ideas for your novel. Remember: you can always go back to the worksheet later to add information. But for now, plow through to the end, writing as much as you can without stopping. The First Impressions section begins on the next page . . .



[email protected]

First Impressions

Even though you are a complete stranger, the Heroine has agreed to let you interview her. She has allowed you to meet her in a place where she feels the most relaxed and at ease. . . So where are you? Describe your surroundings (plants, furnishings, wall hangings, amount of lighting, musty air, dusty books, embroidered ticking, mechanic shop, corporate board room, etc.) In as much detail as you can, describe this woman. Age, hair style & color, eye color, shape of nose, skin tone, teeth/smile/breath (does she smoke?), sound of her laughter, hands, perfume, height, build; sense of humor; personality; physical imperfections and/or quirks (prematurely gray, unruly curls, laugh lines, moles, space between front teeth, tattoos, body piercings, boob job, pacemaker, etc.)



[email protected]

First Impressions (cont.)

Describe her posture. Examples: Does she choose to sit on the floor, in a chair, or on a comfy couch? Does she cross her ankles or her legs while she’s sitting on furniture? Does she sit with her chest facing the chair’s back (a “dominatrix” pose)? Conversely, does she sit in the normal direction on the chair, but in rigid erectness with her spine separated from the chair’s back? Does she tap her foot or wring her hands (signs of nervousness or impatience)? If she chooses to sit on the floor, does she sit cross-legged (the “lotus” position), with her legs flung out, or with her heels tucked under her buttocks? Does she appear to be comfortable talking about herself to a stranger? As the Heroine answers your questions, do you get the sense that she is forthright? Or does she seem to gauge your reaction, supplying answers that she thinks you want to hear? Is she motherly / nurturing, childlike / playful, cool / professional? Does she giggle or smile a lot?



[email protected]

First Impressions (cont.)

According to statistical research, women multi-task better than men. Does the Heroine give you her complete attention, or is she occupying herself with other things: tinkering under the hood of her car, kickboxing a punching bag, scanning the stock market news, filing her fingernails, plumping pillows, measuring ingredients for a recipe, etc. Do you sense that she engages in these distractions because she’s busy and feels like your interview is an imposition, or do you sense that she’s so comfortable with herself that she doesn’t care whether you think she’s a “flawed hostess”? What are some of her habitual physical gestures? (Examples: cups her chin in her hand; knots her fingers in her lap; wraps a strand of hair around her finger; leans forward in her chair; touches your hand or your knee or your sleeve; fiddles with her skirt or her jewelry; waves her arms; slumps in her chair, etc.)



[email protected]

Instructions for the rest of this document:

Imagine you are asking the Heroine the following Interview Questions. Allow her to answer through you, using the stream-of-consciousness writing approach.

Interview Questions: Part I What Makes Her Tick?

Do you like and respect yourself? Why? Do you trust yourself to make decisions? Or do you constantly second-guess yourself (especially during big, life-changing decisions)? Do you feel stronger (more comfortable) when you are taking charge, or when you are nurturing others? What do you like the most about your body? What do you dislike?



[email protected]

What Makes Her Tick? (cont.) Are you practical or are you a dreamer? When does your preferred choice bring you pain? (Examples: you studied to pass your graduate admissions exam while everyone else in the sorority participated in Greek Week; you tried to help the financially underprivileged, and one of them robbed your home.) What do you consider to be your greatest innate talent and / or learned skill? Describe at least 3 that may impact your story goal or your relationship with the Antagonist (Villain). Assuming that “happiness is an attitude” (rather than some “purchase” or an external circumstance that you could change) what belief would you need to change, right now, to be happy about your life?



[email protected]

What Makes Her Tick? (cont.)

What person has had the greatest influence on your life? Why? Let’s talk about your birth family. (Note: if the Heroine’s relatives are important catalysts to the story, be sure to make them as three-dimensional as possible. Develop them by working through the “Build a Sidekick” worksheet.) Describe your relationship with your: Mother: Father: Siblings (who are important to the story): Extended Family (who are important to the story):

(Note: If family members are important to your story, complete the “Family History Chart,” which follows the Interview Questions.)



[email protected]

What Makes Her Tick? (cont.) Are each of your parents and siblings alive? If not, how did they die? How did their death impact you? Where did you grow up? What was the general atmosphere in your home? Was your family wealthy? Were you healthy and happy? Did your mother and father have a warm, loving relationship? Were you the caretaker of your siblings? Were you the parental favorite? The rebel? Do you behave differently with your family than with your friends? If so, why? Describe your relationship with your children and/or pets. (If children and/or pets are

important catalysts to the story, be sure to make them as three-dimensional as possible.

You can develop them more fully with the “Build a Sidekick” worksheet.)



[email protected]


Are you comfortable in the society of men (or in the company of numerous men who are not bloodkin / relatives)? What major memories from your past have shaped your opinions about men, romance, and marriage? Do you walk your talk, or do you give advice that you, yourself, are afraid to follow? (Examples: you tell your kid sister she needs to be more positive in her outlook, but you, yourself, are constantly worrying about the future.) Describe other scenarios in which you might not follow your own advice. Do you live in denial about your personality quirks and / or shortcomings (examples: you don’t follow your own advice; you often blame other people for the choices you’ve made; you’re a poor time manager; etc.); or do you try your best to engage in self-awareness, self-growth, and self-improvement?



[email protected]


If a casual acquaintance were to describe your personality, what would he/she say? Is this description accurate? If not, what’s the truth? Do you have personal enemies / rivals? Or would you never dream of describing another Human Being as an “enemy”? How would your rival (or enemy) describe you? Do you have a profession? If so, are you good at it? Did you settle for your job / career, or does it feed your soul? Do you work for money and acclaim, or are you the altruistic, world-saving type? Speaking of money, do you feel like you are well-paid and well-valued for the work that you do? Why or why not? If you feel under-paid / under-valued, what steps are you willing to take to change the situation?



[email protected]


If you interrupted your profession to take care of children and / or aging parents, or to convalesce from illness, do you intend to work again? If so, what do you intend to do to earn money? Is this job-choice a new undertaking for you (example: you need to be retrained) or are you re-entering the workforce in the same profession?

How does your work impact your relationship with the Antagonist (Villain)? What do you do to relax? (Bubble baths, massage, chocolate binge, long talks with girlfriends by phone, etc.) What books, art, and music do you prefer? What hobbies do you enjoy? Do your hobbies create additional friction between you and the Antagonist (Villain)?



[email protected]

What Makes Her Tick? (cont.) What is your relationship with a Divine Power? Do you attend church regularly? How do your morals and/or religious viewpoints affect your relationship with the Antagonist? If you break rules, do you go so gleefully or do you flagellate yourself with guilt? Which rules do you break (or are you likely to break when you’re under duress)? What is your greatest treasure? Where do you keep it? Who else knows about it? How are you most likely to behave when you’re: Angry: Jealous: Frustrated: Hurt:



[email protected]


What is your favorite: Main Course: Weapon: Alcohol: Gadget/Plaything: Dessert: Getaway: Romantic Gesture: Fashion Accessory: Social Outing: Transportation (color/breed): Saying (or Philosophy on Life): Childhood Memory: Residence (describe:) What is your saddest childhood memory?



[email protected]


Have you seen the world? If not, what would be your top three travel destinations, and why? If you only dream of traveling, what’s keeping you from making that dream a reality? If money was no object, describe your ideal shopping spree. If money was no object, describe your ideal night on the town. Do you keep your female friends close? Do you participate in “girls’ night out” on a regular basis? Why or why not?



[email protected]


Who is your best friend in the whole world? Tell me about this person. How did you meet? What makes this person such a good friend? Does your best friend know everything there is to know about you? Or do you keep some things secret, even from him / her? If you keep secrets, what are they? Describe the contents of your wardrobe closet: Are your clothes stylish, outdated, mismatched? Are the colors bright or somber? Do all the outfits fit you? (If not, why do you keep clothes that no longer fit? To punish yourself? To use the fabric for crafts? To give the suits to your kid sister who will need a professional wardrobe after she graduates from college? Etc.)



[email protected]


Do you know how to accessorize, or does someone (an abigail, a “personal organizer”) have to do it for you? Do you enjoy accessorizing?

Are you a shoe junkie? A scarf junkie? A hat junkie? Do you collect anything else related to clothing? Why did you develop this quirk? Do you prefer real gold and silver, real gems and semi-precious stones? Or do you prefer costume jewelry? What has influenced this preference?



[email protected]


Do you like to cook or are you a Microwave Maven? If you do like to cook, what is your specialty? Describe the recipe. If calories were no object, what would you eat everyday? Are you fussy about nutrition? For instance, do you read labels? Do you buy fresh/organic food instead of frozen foods? Do you take vitamin supplements? Do you mix your own holistic pet food? Do you make time regularly to exercise? If not, what’s your pet excuse? When someone challenges your pet excuse, how do you feel / react?



[email protected]


If you do exercise regularly, what are your preferred method(s) of exercise? (Group sports, like sand volleyball, a bowling league, double’s tennis, aerobics class; or solo sports: jogging, swimming, walking/hiking/backpacking, kayaking, etc.) What was the favorite house/home you ever lived in? Why? (Examples: Lots of kids in the neighborhood, big yard, happy home-life, quiet surroundings with wildlife, best friend lived next door, etc.)

Interview Questions: Part II Secrets and Dreams

What do you secretly love about yourself? What are your weaknesses and/or personality flaws? Do you make friends easily? In what social situations are you uncomfortable?



[email protected]

Secrets and Dreams (cont.)

Do you trust easily? How do you decide when to trust someone? (First impression? Prior experience? Secret tests?) Name a time when someone destroyed your trust. How did your hurt impact your outlook on life? How did it affect your perception of romance, men and/or people? When are you most afraid? How do you behave in situations when you don’t feel safe? What do you do to protect yourself? Are you comfortable with emotional intimacy? Where do you draw the line?



[email protected]


Are you comfortable with physical intimacy? Are you burdened by guilt or shame when you experience lust? If so, why? Describe your secret fantasy about your lover. What secret are you keeping from the rest of the world? What are you lying about if only to protect yourself?



[email protected]


If you had 10 minutes to re-live some period of your life, what experience would you choose and why? Would you do anything differently? If so, what?

In what situation are you most likely to doubt yourself? In what situation(s) are you brave?



[email protected]

Interview Questions: Part III

The Quest What do you want to achieve, obtain, or become by the end of the book? Why? What in the outside world (external obstacle) is keeping you from accomplishing this “story goal?” What beliefs, self-judgments, fears, prejudices, or other value conflicts are the internal obstacles that keep you from your “story goal?”



[email protected]

The Quest (cont.)

What must happen before you can overcome these obstacles and achieve your “story goal?”

Interview Questions: Part IV

World View Do you judge the world primarily through your senses (example: kinesthetic touch or vision), or do you rely upon your gut instinct to form impressions of a situation? Do you see the world as a set of problems to be solved? Do you need to conquer and control everything in your path? Or do you adopt an attitude of live-and-let-live, everything-happens-for-a-reason, let’s-wait-and-see?



[email protected]

World View (cont.)

When you walk into a party, what do you notice first? (Examples: the people, an alternate escape route, the “vibe,” the decorating, your own jitters, etc.)

Interview Questions: Part V Planning for Chapter One

(Note: these questions can help you develop scene conflicts.)

It has been said, “Life happens when you’re making other plans.” When was the last time your best-laid plans got sidetracked? Did this disappointment have something to do with meeting the Antagonist (Villain) for the first time? Describe.

What were you doing 5-10 minutes before you appear “on scene” for the first time in the book? Where were you?



[email protected]

Planning for Chapter One (cont.)

Who were you with? What were you thinking about? What was your mood? How does meeting the Antagonist change your scene goal or alter your mood?



[email protected]


What do you first notice about the Antagonist (Villain)? Explain. What fascinates you about the Antagonist (Villain)? Explain.



[email protected]


What annoys you about the Antagonist (Villain)? Explain. What is your general impression of the Antagonist (Villain) when the scene ends? How does the Antagonist (or your feelings about the Antagonist) thwart your professional and/or personal goals?

Family History Chart follows.



[email protected]

Interview Questions: Part V

Family History Chart Mother: Name Ethnic Origin Distinguishing Characteristics Attitude toward Pertinent Characters Profession Education Social/Economic Status Religious Viewpoint/Ethics Marital Relationship(s) Hobbies Age & Health Status (or Cause of Death) Other Pertinent Story Details



[email protected]

Family History Chart (cont.) Father: Name Ethnic Origin Distinguishing Characteristics Attitude toward Pertinent Characters Profession Education Social/Economic Status Religious Viewpoint/Ethics Marital Relationship(s) Hobbies Age & Health Status (or Cause of Death) Other Pertinent Story Details



[email protected]

Family History Chart (cont.) Siblings/Close Relatives Name Age (or Cause of Death) Relationship to other Characters Ethnic Origin Distinguishing Characteristics Attitude toward Pertinent Characters Profession Education Social/Economic Status Religious Viewpoint/Ethics Marital Relationship(s) Hobbies Other Pertinent Story Details

Feel free to make copies for additional relatives, as needed.

create a colorful heroine any genre - romance … · create a colorful heroine any genre character...

Documents