15 Day Countdown – Day 07 – Write a Thumbnail

If many of the mini-tasks so far seem to involve character, it’s for a good reason: that’s where everything else begins.

What is story, or plot, if not the working-out of conflicts rooted in character?

Today’s mini-task: write a character thumbnail.
Pick a character from the story you have in mind for . If you don’t have a story in mind yet, pick a character anyway, one you’d find interesting enough to write about.

Make it brief – 50 words or so. It should contain these elements:

• First impression – what’s the first thing you see when this character walks through the door? How would you describe it as a character attribute? Strong and dominant? Shifty? Angelic? Depressed?

• Dominant attitude – what’s a word that captures this character’s way of meeting the world? Cocky? Superior? Self-effacing? Resentful?

• Need – name the need that causes this character to desire something powerfully enough to act.

• Block – what the countervailing inner force that must be overcome before action is possible? Fear? Shame?

Does that seem like a lot to pack into 50 words? It is. But have a go anyway.

If the pieces of your thumbnail don’t quite add up, that’s normal. Put it away and come back later.

Keep coming back–it will pay huge dividends later on.

Note: You can access all previous mini-tasks at Write a Better Novel Write a Better Novel Just mouse over the “15 Day Countdown to NaNoWriMo” navigation tab at the top right of any page.