Character Details

Okay, I lied about ch 3 being almost done. Now that I realize how much I can improve on my original story outline, I will probably not post until I finish all the beginning chapters (1-5). It seems there's always more things to add to a chapter, especially feelings and little details about the characters.

And that's what I've been testing my limits on, this week. Major characters need to have detail and hints at motivations, and secondary characters support the side plots, but the rules on minor characters are more ambiguous. Of course, not every Soldier #1 needs to have his dress ensemble spelled out, but beyond necessary descriptions to make the master recordkeeper, the captain of intelligence, and the housemother exist, what takes them out of the anonymity of their titles and transcends them into memorable characters?

After toying around with different descriptions and sentences, the imporant substance seems to be "characterization through action and detail" (The Portable MFA in Creative Writing).

I'll use Van as an example of what I've been trying to do.

We start off with the simple things:
Why does he wear loose shirt and slim pants? Why does he get to dress so informally when his staff wear armor of rank? Does he ever takes his gloves off?

Personal space gives character:
What's in his room? In his study? In his audience hall? Where does he place his sword when he's asleep?

And so does food:
What does he like to eat? What is his comfort food? What does he eat on traditional holidays? What foodstuffs are imported?

Then we can delve into motivations and feelings:
How does he feel about Hitomi's reappearance after ten years? What does he think his advisors feel? What does he think the other countries feel?


Today's sentence is: "She had never directly requested his presence, and had never asked as if she only expect acquiesce."