Have you ever interviewed your characters?

England, 1152: After seventeen years of civil war, things are about to change...

I always thought it was a silly little exercise that would never work for me.  Then, a long time ago, when I was stuck while writing on my debut book, THE CONQUEROR, I did a little interview with the hero, and he clarified in my mind like he’d turned into crystal, with nooks and crannies of personality that amazed me. (I put the interview, exactly as it unraveled, down below, for those with more time to waste.) It was quite amazing.

With my son, not so great results.  You know, less clarity.

“What’d you think of that movie/game/etc?”

“Good.”

“Did you have fun doing movie/game/etc?”

“Yea.”

And so on.

Now, I admit, my son loves to talk, and we chat constantly.  And even if he’s feeling reticent, I can usually get some good ‘stuff’ from him (‘Good Stuff” in the Mommy sense, i.e. information &/or genuine emotion) But I usually get the good stuff when I’m fully focused on him (you know, like I want him to be on me) and when I ask better questions.

Kinda like my characters.

So, when I’m talking with my son, “What the funniest/a funny thing that happened with so-and-so today?” yields better results than “What did you do today?”

When I’m talking to my protagonists, “What are you most afraid of?” gets better replies than “Why do you like Suzy Heroine?”

So, I’m paying more attention to the quality of the questions I ask, because I care about the quality of the answers I receive.

*  *  *  *  *  *

Here is that interview with the hero of THE CONQUEROR, Griffyn ‘Pagan’ Sauvage.  It was ‘conducted’ as if the story had not yet opened, pre-Page 1.  I put in some descriptive, staging, and interactive sorts of notes, because that’s how it came out.  It was as if I was truly interviewing him.

1) Do you like yourself?
Stared at me, then “I don’t know. It doesn’t matter. I do what needs ot be done.” Smiles suddenly. “I like you.”
I ignore his attempt at charm.

2) What are your plans?
“To get my home back. You know that.”
I nod.

3) Why?
Look of pain, turns away slightly and shrugs. “It’s my home,” he says, looking back at me. “I remember how it smells. It’s in my bones.”

4) What is your greatest fear?
Pauses, inhales, stares at wall “To be like my father.”
(Before this interview, I’d had no idea that was an issue.)

5) Why?
He was cruel, and heartless, and dishonest. He was a betrayer. He betrayed every promse he ever made, implied or spoken, to my mother, to his friends, to his king.
I ask “To you?”
He turns his head and looks at me in silence.

5a) What would be different if you were not like your father?
He continues his silence for a moment. “I would like a puppy, you know. Renny is getting old.”
I wait.
“I might get on the floor and play with him.”

6) What is your deepest dream?
“To go home. To govern Everoot well.”
I ask, “With a woman?”
He smiles crookedly and looks over my head.  Distant look comes into eye. “There’s no one I can think of.” Drops gaze. “Yes, with a woman, of course. I will marry as my king commands.”

7) How do you plan to achieve getting back Everoot?
Looks at me as if I’m stupid. “Spy on Stephen, then go with Henri and take the country back.” Pauses and cocks one eyebrow. “You know that.”
I get slightly impatient. “Remember, you’re not allowed to scare me.”
He smiled and shrugs. “Remember this–I like you.”
I laugh.

What secret are you keeping from the world?
Laughter dies. He drops gaze, then looks back quickly. “There’s the treasure, of course.”
I nod. “I know. I meant inside of you.”
Another pause, then in a flat, dead voice, “That I am like my father.”

9) Why don’t you want anyone to know?
Just looks at me.

10) Someone told me that you stole yourself a squire?
He smiles back without confirming or denying.

11) Why?
Face hardens briefly, then mask of calm detached comes over. He shrugs. “Because his lord was a cruel, heartless–” words suddenly stop. I would swear he’s about to curl his hand into a fist, then he resumes. “Edmund did not deserve that, and he did not belong there.”
(Note: This character Edmund had a larger part in previous versions of the story)

12) Why are you so adamant about that? Many people are mistreated–why do you care so much? Why does it make you so angry?
“I’m not angry, and you know it.” I nod. He leans forward in seat. “I’m furious,” he goes on in low-pitched voice, “that someone with so much power would mistreat one with so little.”
“And you know what it feels like,” I add quietly.
He leans back suddenly in chair and smiles, the mask. “I know what a lot of things feel like. I do not fight them all.” Smile deepens, turns rougish and, if superficial,  at least genuine. “Some I embrace.”
I smile back.

13) Who the heck is Alex?
Big smile. No, a grin. “My friend.”
I wait, then, “You trust him.”
“With everything.”
“With Everoot?” I ask.
“With my life.”
(This is when I realized Alex must, of course, be untrustworthy.)

14) Has anyone ever loved you?
He laughs loudly, carefree and unself-consciously. Wow.  “Edmund [his squire] does,” he finally replies, still laughing. “My men do, I suppose.” Thinks a moment, then answers more surely. “Yes, my men do.”
At this point Edmund enters, smiling at both of us, and says eagerly “Renny [the dog] loves you.”
Griffyn smiles and looks at Edmund. “I suppose he does.”
“All the servants and the merchants all like to deal with you.”
“That’s not love, Edmund,” Griffyn says tolerantly.
He turns to me to explain, in case I’m missing this. “Even the bishop,” he says in a solemn tone, “loves Griffyn.”
“How do you know?” I ask, amused, and exchange a glance with Griffyn.
Edmund considers this. “Well, for one thing, he hasn’t been frowned at.”
“Ahhh,” I say.
“That matters,” Edmund insists. He swings to Griffyn. “Doesn’t it?”
“Bishop Auger does frown quite a bit,” Griffyn admits, and then gestures to his squire. “We’re talking, Edmund.”
Edmund drifts over to sit on a bench near Griffyn.
(Note: I have absolutely no idea who Bishop Auger is. He just showed up in this interview.  But apparently he frowns quite a lot.  )

15) So, all these people love you–even the bishop. How do you feel about that?
Edmund leans forward, drawing a breath, but Griffyn’s glance silences him.
“I will pay them back,”he says quietly

16) What do you believe in?
“I believe in Everoot.”
I nod. “And?” I ask, pushing him.
He seems to know this by the look he gives me. He glances at Edmund, then looks away, going into his own thoughts.
“I believe in keeping my promises.”

England, 1152: After seventeen years of civil war, things are about to change...

17) How far would you go to keep anyone from taking away that belief, reneging on a promise?
“I wouldn’t,” he says quickly.
“But, say someone you loved were going to be badly hurt if you honored a promise, then what?”
He looks at me and pushes his splayed fingers through his hair, shaking his head and smiling faintly. “That would be hard,” he admits. “It would depend on the situation.”
“Say if your wife would die.”
His eyes harden. “We’re speaking hypothetically here, right?”
I don’t reply.
“That’s a line,” he says finally says, very slowly.

18) And if you had to cross it?
“You want to know what I would do,” he said.
I nod. “And she’s betrayed you,” I say, twisting the blade, and watch his face contort. “And you love her.”
“I would die,” he whispers hoarsely.
“And what would you do?”
He drops his head. “Her bidding.”

So, how about you? Have you ever interviewed any of of your characters?  What did you find out?  About them?  About you.

Do you have any  character interview questions you especially like? Great, provoking questions for your protagonists?