Every character I write starts with a question, not a backstory. What does she want so badly she’d embarrass herself for it? What would she never admit to her best friend? The backstory comes later, once I know what the character is hiding.
Start with the want
A character who wants something is already moving. The want doesn’t have to be big; it has to be specific. A promotion, a phone call returned, one honest conversation with her mother.
The best characters are the ones who surprise you halfway through the first draft.
Then make it complicated
Perfect is boring. I give every character at least one belief that’s wrong, one habit that gets in the way, and one thing they’re quietly brilliant at. Then I put them in a room with someone who sees straight through them.
- What does she want?
- What is she afraid people will find out?
- Who in the story knows the truth?
That’s usually enough to start writing. The rest, I find out on the page.
