When I was a teacher of drama, in a high school in New Zealand, we would frequently devise characters for improvised plays. One of the exercises, when we were devising, was called Take your Character for a Walk. Everyone in the classroom would assume his or her favourite character, then the students would move about the room discovering physical quirks about their character that might show in their walk, or their face. Next I would call out and they would turn to someone close by, introduce themselves as that character, and ask and answer two or three open ended questions. The characters would have a conversation with each other. It was endlessly entertaining.
This was not to promote their storyline, particularly, but it did help to develop a little of the back story and the predominant emotion of the character on this particular day. From our improvised plays we wrote scripts. Scripts do not always elaborate on everything about that character. In fact if you did that it would end up being the most boring work in the world. So unless someone’s back-story comes up in conversation or is part of the story, it is not used in any way other than being known. And that little bit of knowing is wonderful when writing.
So is a little Lamb Curry.
Now, obviously, I am working alone on the story that I will begin writing on Thursday during the NaNoWriMo challenge. So, how do I get my characters up out of their chairs and talking to people, discovering their personal stories, without actually beginning to write.
I thought maybe YOU could mingle with them and find out what you can. Whether you are writing a novel or not, it is a fun exercise in imagination. If you are also writing a novel, in November, maybe you could ask questions of My characters as one of Your characters.
We need a location. Let’s see: the road that runs along the beach. You are driving, you see one of my characters standing on the side of the road with a red petrol can, he or she needs to get to the garage and you, being the charming and neighbourly person I know you to be, will offer them a ride. Rain is coming. The ride is short, what will your first question be?
Here are four of my characters. Take your pick.
So there is Salty whose real name is Roger. Salty is about 70 something, very, very bright, taciturn, and active. He wears polyester pants, gloves and a big red tartan jacket. It is early summer. He has lived in this area most of his life.
Jennifer is in her late 30’s. She has short, straight, dark hair and green eyes. She is tall and too thin. She has three children and has just started working part time at the gas station. She is also Salty’s daughter in law. She has recently come to live with Salty, and look after him, while she writes a book.
Michael is the local undertaker. He is stocky, cheerful, balding, not terribly tall, leads with his stomach and his hearse is painted sea green with a very discreet seahorse on the drivers door. I do hope there is no-one in the hearse if he is walking down the road with an empty gas can.
Alfie. Alfie is 12. Alfie is Jennifer’s eldest son and should be in his new school. Now why is he walking down the road with a gas can? Or is he on a skate board? He had better not be getting into cars with strangers either, so maybe you have already been introduced.
So, if you want to play, and we can play all day if you like, (especially if you are locked inside with the storm raging outside and still have power) – your question might go something like this. “Hi Alfie. Remember me? I’m your neighbour from across the gully. Your Mum told me to look out for you. What’s with the gas can, honey?”
And Alfie will answer you.
And if you don’t feel up to playing today, leave a message anyway and I will send one of my characters to visit you at your place!! One answer leads to another question. Everyone can steal each other’s threads. All characters welcome.
Good morning. Is this crazy or what!? It’s going to be great. Jump in!
While you do that I am off out into the freezing wind to milk the cow and feed the animals. We are not in the way of the big storm, but it looks like fingertips of high winds are reaching all the way over here and the temps are at freezing. Which is nothing compared to what many of you are enduring. I hope you are ok.
Love celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
65 responses to “NaNoWriMo – Let’s Take our Characters for a Walk: Everyone can Play!”
I hope to learn a few things about writing as I follow your adventure with NaNoWriMo. I read your blog immediately before I leave for work. Don’t have a minute to play, so may have to decide to read it again in the evening when I can. Wonderful idea to get others involved in what you are about in November, Cecilia. Have an amazing day.
See you later on Sabra. c
Mared – Stunning. I’m a swedish expat myslef, born and raised in the deep woods of Darlecarlia, not far from Sve4rdsjf6. Your photos of this amazing wedding shows all the beauty that i try to transmit to my non-swedish friends, thank you for providing me with a perfect image of my Sweden. Love your work. Keep it up! XXX
Hmm…I’l take your characters with me while I do a damage recon this morning…maybe there’s a little girl in the back seat of my car, and we come upon Young Alfie and his gas can…
Have a good day, C. Yesterday’s 4 o’clock is up…today’s will be depressing, I fear.
I hope it is not too bad, I do love your trees. I shall go and look at yesterdays.. take care.. c
Hi, you’re Salty’s daughter in law aren’t you? I’m annie, I live down there..
I heard you’re working at the gas station – how could YOU run out of gas?? ha ha ha
Annie? Hi. Nice to meet you. Is that your house by the beach with the driftwood fence? It is lovely. Don’t tell anyone I ran out of gas! What a laugh. I have a feeling that my father in law siphoned some out of my old car for his cherry picker. cheeky bugger (laughter) J
Oh thank you, yes that’s it. Well now that we’ve finally met you should drop by sometime and have a proper look..
I’d never have believed that of the old Salt!!
Hey Jennifer, I am Michael the undertakers partner, I think he told me you just started at the gas station, I guess you’re heading back that way? Can I give you a lift? it looks like rain. Michael said you had kids, tell me about your kids?
Michael, Hi, boy am I glad you picked me up. It’s spitting already. Nice to meet you. My kids? Bunch of monkeys the whole lot of them. Alfie, that’s my eldest, his Dad was Salty’s son. Did you know him? Ed? Are you from round here? And the other two are five and three. They are sweet but in a very naughty way. Oh here. You can drop me here. Thanks for the ride! J
For Michael: Don’t you ever get, well, for lack of a better word, grossed out by dealing with dead bodies?
Ah. Yes. (sigh) I get that question a lot. No. No. I don’t get grossed out. This is kind of hard to explain, but I don’t actually think of them as dead. I think of them as my clients. They just don’t talk much. Well if they did talk then we would be in trouble (ha ah aha ).. M
I think you would have been the best drama teacher and I bet your students still talk about you. My husband and my son have both trained as actors and have told me a lot about improv classes so I can relate well to your post. I think I would have to go for Alfie seeing I have an Alfie of my own xx
I have to admit that I stole Alfie’s name from you.. hope you don’t mind.. c
Good morning Celi … Sandy provided Cincinnati with a light layer of snow this morning.
The S word! We are not supposed to introduce the S word this early in the season! morning frank.. c
No kidding! 😉
Dee-licious looking curry!
Actually it looks better than it tasted this is why there is no recipe! Morning rosemary.. c
I love this character-walking idea!
Already i have been led into some important decision making.. it is great!! c
“Hi there, put up your hands and give me your wallet” …..I love the lamb curry by the way.
Salty puts down his gas can, strikes a match and holds it to his pipe, puff, puff. “You do realise,” he says, holding the lit match in one hand and reaching down for gas can, “that there is still a little petrol in this.”
“Well look what the tide dragged in.” Betty yelled out the window as she slowed her Chevy wagon. “Salty, you pathetic fool. I knew you’d be late again for our date.” Salty looked at Betty and both winced, hands over their ears. “BANG” the wagon backfired and Salty looking straight into Betty’s still blue eyes, “damn you woman when you gonna let me fix that thing.”
“Honey, I don’t mix business with pleasure.” She winked. “Now get in this car. You are buyin me lunch. And don’t think runnin outta gas is gonna make me feel sorry for you.”
Ok not a question… Just a little fun
PS – check out the movie Bernie, great undertaker material.
A little fun is great! Betty sounds like someone I would like to meet in a book. Excellent play. Morning Wendy, I shall find that movie! c
That Michael – leading with his stomach – great phrase for a beer-belly – I just saw him heading your way on foot with a gas can. I couldn’t pick him up – our Jimbo here bites anyone who comes near our car. Maybe you could get your help to go rescue him? The Lord alone know how far back he’s left the hearse! I think it was old Norm Haslett who was being buried today. I hope Mike’s coming back, not going! Couldn’t he do with going on a diet? Oh sorry, I didn’t mean to keep you. See you around…
Norm Haslett, that old fella? He’s DEAD! When did that happen? I just saw him the other day at the petrol station chewing the fat with the new girl. Well I’ll be. c
“Salty?!! Is that you? Hi, I’m Ally and I live just around the corner. May I give you and your petrol can a lift? I cannot imagine how YOU, the most organized man in town since the beginning of time, ran out of gas! Do tell.”
Ally my dear, this looks like a gas can but really it is for storing my gin. Seems I have to bring my own container. That stuff is so bad it tastes like petroleum anyway. If you wanna drive me to the liquor store round the back of the gas station I will tell you all about it. S
Jennifer slowed her car.. ,careful not to squeek the lousy brakes and draw attention, ” who is driving that old heep” ..sqinting she spotted her father-in-law opening the passenger door “he’s getting in !”
Well, well she thought, is that his friend Betty’s, Chevy? Hmm. The plot thickens. J
Oh this is so fun Celi! And you must have been the most magnificant Drama Teacher. I took Drama, even did a little acting back in the day… many, many years ago. I’m not much of a fictional writer, although there are days that if I ever wrote my life story, or even a day in my life no one would believe me. Hahahaha! My clients would make excellent characters for a book. 🙂
truth is stranger than fiction they say.. maybe you should write it.. morning karista c