To get to know my characters I like to have them draw a sef-portrait. Even if it doesn't fit into the novel it always says a lot about them, how they see themselves, and how they think others view them. You could also write a short story or paragraph from another's point of view who sees your character. What do they notice? Where are they? Basically, if you were sitting on the bus and your character was sitting a few seats down what would they be doing?
The second is a trick I found in a book in a chapter about getting to know your characters, you riddle through their things. Take their jewelry box or their wallet or whatever, what do they have in them? What do they carry around with them? Grocery lists, photos, nothing? Hope this helps.
↧