Your character’s job. When developing character traits, how important is your character’s job?
For many people, work defines aspects of their lives. The same is true of characters. Who would Jane Rizzoli (in Tess Gerritson
What your character does is an important piece of who he is. Character job is as closely tied to his character traits as anything about him.
Below are some writing prompts to help you dig into your character traits, his job, and find your story through your character. Answer these questions as the author, the narrator, or go into character and use his or her voice to reveal what is within. Use these prompts as exercises, basis for a discussion with your character, interview questions (to get the answers in your character’s voice) for entries into a character voice journal.
What is your character’s job?
What character traits led him to this career?
- Who is his employer? (Big corporation, small company, or is he his own boss?)
- What drew him into this line of work?
- Is this his chosen career?
- Did he need schooling for this career?
- What was that like for him?
- Was he happy learning the job?
- Were there challenges for a newbie? What were they?
- Is this his first job, or has he had others in this line of work?
- If others, why did he leave his last position? Was there trouble? Was he dissatisfied?
- Or is he climbing up the ladder?
Does he have career dreams and aspirations beyond this job?
Consider character traits that bring him success or failure.
- What does he do to that end?
- How is he thwarted? How is he successful?
- Or does he see himself here forever?
- Does he feel this job is a stepping stone? Or dead end?
Does he enjoy this work?
What character traits affect this?
- Why or why doesn’t he enjoy his work?
- What does he get (other than a salary) from his work?
- What need (or lack within) does this job fill?
- What does his work mean to him?
- Does he have a sense of accomplishment?
- Frustrations? Of what nature?
Is he good at this job?
Is there a character trait that makes him a stand out?
- Is he suited to this job? To this career?
- Why or why not?
- What skills does he have to make him suited for this job?
- What skills does he lack that cause him challenges?
How does he get along with his boss?
What do his interactions show about his character traits?
- Are their interactions satisfying? Conflicting? Why?
- Are all interactions candid and direct or are some parts surreptitious? Why?
- How does he respond to authority?
How does he get along with peers on his level?
What character traits pull others to him or repel them?
- Does he work well with others?
- How does he see them? As allies? Threats? Friends? Potential dates?
- Are his interactions with his peers satisfying? Conflicting?
- Are all interactions candid and direct or are some parts surreptitious? Why?
- Are there any power struggles between him and any others?
- Are any of these peers important to the story? How?
- How does he get along with underlings?
- How does he see them? As allies? Threats? Friends? Potential dates?
- Are his interactions with his underlings satisfying? Conflicting?
- Are all interactions candid and direct or are some parts surreptitious? Why?
- Are there any power struggles between him and others?
- Are any of these underlings important to the story? How?
Be sure to add your own questions to this list, and if you want to share, be sure to leave in the comments below. I’m always looking to expand my brainstorming!
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Award-winning novelist Kathy Steffen teaches fiction writing and speaks at writing programs across the country. Additionally, Kathy is also published in short fiction and pens a monthly writing column, Between the Lines. Her books, FIRST THERE IS A RIVER
Very helpful post, Kathy. I’m a fairly new writer, and one of the things I struggle with is making sure I know my characters well enough to write them. As I start writing, I feel like I know them in my head, but when I have them answer these types of questions, I realize I don’t know them as well as I thought. And that not knowing could lead to characters who aren’t fully developed, which could lead to a book that’s less than what I would want. So, thanks for the reminder! Sophia
You are welcome, Sophia. Developing characters is one of my favorite parts, and I find the more I dig into them with questions, the more ideas they give me which helps with the daily writing! Thanks for your comments:)
I never know what my characters do for a living, unless it’s integral to the plot. No idea why this is always such a black spot for me.
LOL–maybe because a job can feel like a black spot in real life? I have to force thinking about what they do for a living too, Louise, but it helps me round them out, plus gives me ideas for scenes. If I can see them at work, I can see the entirety of their lives. And I’m sure to give them way more interesting jobs than mine!
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