What's the best way to get into Character?

So, we discussed briefly in another thread the need to research characters, but maybe we could look into the subject in more depth.

First from the readers point of view, what makes a character pop of the page, come to life, and feel like a real person? (Or maybe a bigger and better than real person? Does Sherlock Holmes feel 'real'?)

And then from the writer's point of view, what do you do to try make characters that will work for your readers?

I want to try experimenting with character sheets: when you basically write a profile for the character before you write the story. Where they were born, under what circumstances to what family, where educated and in what, early career, romances, etc. Know their backstory, think about how it's affected them. Even if you don't share every detail in the story, you've got that solid grounding so that whatever the story establishes about them, it fits that big picture you've developed. I've actually never done this, and it leads to inconsistencies. Also, to late story realizations that I never pinned down the character's age, hair colour, or some other misc detail that escaped me.

>2 Cecrow:
I must admit I think that's a brilliant idea which I may adopt in the future. I often wonder how much detail and background to go into. Also, in my latest story the main character undergoes body modifications and I realised later in the process that a check list to refer to would have been handy.

Personally, with my reader's hat on rather then my writers, I've usually preferred to use my imagination rather then have the author detail too much about the character for me.

Then again, as an author, sticking too close to a check list could result in too stereotype a character. Removing surprising or redeeming features for instance that the writer might suddenly decide to throw in, making the subject more believable.

There is also a danger of being too self-indulgent, I'm trying to write entertaining fiction not great literature (not that I could).

For me, the main factors are consistency and plausibility. When my characters make (bad) decisions, it's usually because of how their past has shaped them. I don't tend to make character profiles in advance, but I note any details (physical, mention of family history etc) as I go along so as not to contradict myself later.

My characters tend to spring to life under my fingers as I write, particularly the minor characters.

For me, names are a big ordeal. These characters who just appear almost never bring a name along with them, and I have commented elsewhere on my habit of not bothering to name anyone while first-drafting, but just calling everyone ????.

Like Denscott, I have noticed that as a reader I don't really care for overly elaborate descrptions... just a few important features. It's possible that I over do this tendency a hair. I have a database in which I keep track of a characters vital statistics and background notes and relationships, etc., etc, .

But I am fascinated by the possibilities and drawbacks of a character sheet, as descibed by >2 Cecrow: . I have noted, just as >3 Denscott: described an occasional tendency to have character sheets lead to flatter characters instead of rounder ones...
... but maybe that's because the sheet focused on the wrong things?

What if one of the questions on the sheet was 'What fundamental contradiction is part of this characters makeup?" Or "List this characters top five life priorities in order." Those sorts of questions probably really would force us to think about who the character is as a person.

What other questions would be good to include?

(I am suddenly reminded of the Legend of the Five Rings system, where one of the questions asked at character creation is "How should this character die?" Clearly a system for creating over the top characters, rather than realistic ones.)

I have heard that Roger Zelazny would get to know his main characters by writing a key character-forming incident that happened o them before the start of the story he wanted to tell. That way, when he started his story, he would already know who they were, and what made them tick.

I like the idea of writing a key character-forming incident. that might be especially helpful for me one of my characters has had a rough past. I use character sheets as well and feel that i too might over describe my characters.

questions that might be good are:
is your character well liked?
does your character have good self confidence and why?

>6 vegetarianveggie:
Nice additions!

I heard from someone once, that they were reading a book about a vegetarian, and halfway through the character sat down and ate a steak dinner with gusto. I think this is what happens when we just list traits for our characters without thinking about how/why they gained those traits.

Questions inspired by another recent thread...
What rules does this character live by?
What would it take to convince this character to break one of their own rules?

I often talk to myself in the context of multiple characters in order to plan them out. It's a very good way of getting in tune with how they think as individuals. Another thing that helps is what feels like a realistic set of beliefs for each character, and taking time to detail those beliefs through action or dialogue.

>8 MythButton:
You talk out your character out loud, or you act out little dialogs between them?

I do dialogs in my head -- I din't think I've ever done any out loud.

Another thing I do (in my head!) Is enact little scenarios with different characters to see how they react differently to the same circumstances.

Do your characters ever end up getting into arguments?

>9 LShelby: I typically act out the dialogues in private. It all depends on where I want my story to go, or how I want to explore the characters. This usually works best when writing a comedy.

>10 MythButton:
Now that I have been introduced to the idea, acting seems like an excellent way to get in character. :)

I had the thought momentarily that doing comedic dialogue aloud would let you get the timing down, but then I realized that once you wrote it down the timing would evaporate anyway.

Or is there such a thing as comedic timing in written dialogue?

Anyway the book with the most comedic dialogue that I read recently was Scalzi's The Kaiju Preservation Society, and I can totally picture someone doing the dialogue in that aloud with voices. :)

>11 LShelby: I've had issues with written timing, too. Even when working on a potential comic, it gets hard, especially when you have to organize things between 3-6 panels.

>11 LShelby: Or is there such a thing as comedic timing in written dialogue?

Absolutely. Yes.

Timing can be communicated (and is important for comic effects) in plain prose, via word choice and punctuation--including paragraph breaks--even fonts and type styles.

There are even more devices for it in "sequential art" (i.e. comics and graphic novels).

>12 MythButton:
My limited experience is that you aim to have the punchline at the bottom of a page.

My completed graphic novel isn't particularly humorous, but the plot has that kind of a pacing... the page concludes with an oomph, moment.

>13 paradoxosalpha:
I know when my son reads my stuff he occasionally chuckles. Thus, I can safely conclude that it's not too terribly dry, and at least some of my attempts to be amusing are being appreciated.

But I don't think I ever tried to work out comedic timing on purpose. I just write it however feels right.

...But then I could probably say that about all my writing. ::rueful::

I checked out a P.G. Wodehouse book, to see if I could get a sense of this written comedic timing thingy, and mostly what I'm getting is a sense of build-up. (Which I suppose counts as a timing issue?)

The LOL lines are set up by a succession of previous lines. After the laugh, the dialogue changes direction, reverting from the humorous digression back to the plot -- but shortly afterward we segue into yet another digression.

I remember Steven Brust doing a dialog gag in Phoenix Guards, that was built up in a similar way.

I'd like to look in a few more books to compare. Maybe I'll try Terry Pratchett next.