

Character Interviews (Mining for Agency)
Here’s a few ideas for character/s who need to take action.
Choose one of the characters and invite them to an interview.
A young boy who wants to visit his father in prison.
A woman in her mid-twenties who feels the need to hold up a grocery store.
An astronaut who wants to come back to earth earlier than scheduled.
A teenager who wants her strict parents to allow her to have a job.
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The Interview:
Take notes as your character responds to the following questions:
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What is your main objective? What do you want above all else?
Why do you want to achieve this? What’s your end game?
How will you achieve this objective?
What might go wrong for you in this scenario?
How will you deal with these possible obstacles and/or complications?
Do you trust anyone to help you? Is there someone you might confide? If so, who and why?
How might this other character/person react when informed of your intentions?
If you pursue this course of action, what’s the best possible outcome?
What’s the worst possible outcome?
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The Writing:
Write a one page scene with your character and their confidant that shows the moment
the character takes action to achieve (or not) their goal.
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Working with the image below, write a one page scene in first person, experimenting with voice.
How will the sound of your writing reflect the character’s age and mindset?
What language would best suit how this character thinks?
How do they see themselves in the world?
What attitude will your character display?

Image from Pixabay