Friday, June 14, 2013

Character Interrogation

Often times when I hit a wall in my story it’s not because I run out of ideas, it’s because I’m trying to understand my character’s as if they are real people with tangled minds.

As I am their creator, you’d think I’d know exactly how they’d respond to the wrench I threw into the plot. How that horrible past I saddled them with would make them hesitant, or fearful, or recklessly driven.

But real people aren't always consistent in their actions. Our emotions can pinch on a certain nerve and suddenly we are not ourselves. Or maybe that’s when we show our true colors.

We are all familiar with the idea of a character sketch where you sort of plot out a cast member and their journey. Fears, motivations, backstory. Perhaps you have a file where you collected images, places they’d been, something they might wear.
Some authors have even come up with the incredibly bright idea of interviewing their characters. I have seen some done amazingly well, and they sucked me right in.

In an interview you offer up information you are comfortable giving. You paste on a smile, you might have even prepared some responses. In essence, this is a time when you put your best foot forward. Love it!

But sometimes our characters are too stubborn for a polite interview. The difference between and interview and an interrogation might seem subtle, but in truth couldn't be more vast.

Skilled interrogators are trained to catch you at a weak moment, push you to the brink, draw out your deepest, darkest secrets. They worm into your mind and untangle your psyche. The bust open the locked up places and flood them with harsh light.

There are instances when this is exactly what you need to do to peel back the layers of your character. Mine often feel so much like real people this is the only way I can get the answers I need to move forward with my story.

So how do you conduct a character interrogation?

  1. Ask the really tough questions. The ones that would make even you squirm.
  2. Push them to the brink. You have the advantage of having the complete cheat-sheet here. Put your self in their shoes and poke at that wound, figure out who they are when the pressure is on. Maybe take them on a path they don’t even need to travel for your story to prove what they’re made of.
  3. Make them sweat it out. Don’t let their refusal deter you. A good interrogator knows when to weaponize their silence.
  4. Raise the stakes. When we have something to lose, our priorities can change. Find out what triggers inspire their courage, or reduce them to fear. What will shake them and what will break them.
  5. Offer incentives. This can expose their hidden motivations. Are they looking for a way out or a clean conscience? Where is the line and how far will they go to reach their goal.
  6. Note their body language. Very often our actions will give us away before our words. Don’t take their confession at face value until you study up on your subject.
  7. Don’t be afraid to switch up your tactic. Good cop. Bad cop. If the hard edge won’t make them crack, muster up some compassion. Make it a safe place. Offer them refuge in exchange for the truth.

So go forth, terrorize your characters to uncover those layers even you didn't know existed. Happy interrogating!

Your turn: Has one of your characters ever surprised you? Even though you know them better than anyone, do you ever feel like they are hiding things from you? What methods do you use to get into your character’s head?


Julia M. Reffner said...

Wow, this is "gold" for writers, Amy! Love it!

This is inspiring me to watch an episode of Castle (a show that all you AC's introduced me to)and take notes as I believe I've seen Beckett and the guys use every one of these techniques.

Love this: Are they looking for a way out or a clean conscience? Good stuff. And the thought of weaponizing them brought out a chuckle. :)

Debbie Stehlick said...

Very interesting! I always wonder how you come up with such complex characters and plots:)

Jill Weatherholt said...

This is the first time I've heard of character interrogation and I work in the legal field. :) I've always used character interviews to develop my characters. This is great, Ashley ~ thanks! Congratulations to Writers Alley for the mention on Chip McGregor's blog....well deserved! I've learned so much from all of you.

Pepper said...

Cool post, Ames.
LOVE creating characters...and you do it so well.
I hit a wall when something gets off-balance with my characters. I'm working on a conversation right now and there is something about it that's not fitting my it's time to interrogate ;-)

Amy Leigh Simpson said...

Aww, thanks Jules! I do love Castle!!! Great inspiration in crime shows. They sure now how to make people talk ;)

Thanks Deb! Love that you always come by!

Amy Leigh Simpson said...

Thanks Jill! We were very excited! And I'd only ever heard of character interviews too! But the I got to thinking a different tactic would yield much more enlightening answers. ;) loved your Fred post today!

Amy Leigh Simpson said...

You have a way of writing characters I wanna know in real life! I guess it comes as no surprise that I like to torture my characters. Poor things! I do love them but I sure don't make their lives easy. Where's the fun on that though? ;) thanks for the share!

Jeanne Takenaka said...

What a great post, Amy! Especially as I"m trying to nail down a couple characters for my new story. And yes, right now especially, my characters are holding back on me! I might just have to make them suffer to find out who they REALLY are! :)