How many times have you heard an interview with a writer where they say the characters tell them the stories, not the other way around? How do you find characters who will write your stories for you? What is the secret?
Get to know them. One of the best ways to have characters to whom you can trust the outcome of your story is to start with their story. Rather than focusing on your plot straight out of the gate - or if you are having trouble pulling your plot together - have girl-talk, a cup of coffee, a cigarette on the balcony, whatever bonding method works best for you with your M. C. (main character). Talk with her about her childhood. Who was her best friend? Are they still close? What kind of house did she live in growing up? Talk with him about his fears, dreams, goals… Whatever information you think you would know about someone with whom you have a close relationship.
Once you have had a good long heart to heart with your M. C. start writing from their point of view. You may choose to change P.O.V. when you get into writing the actual story but begin by writing in first person. Tell the story from your M. C.’s view, how they see the action unfolding, what they feel about it - are they frightened, excited, angry - their involvement in the action - did they cause it or are they just along for the ride? - and before long you will start to notice him taking over, telling the story to you.
Continue this relationship throughout the course of creating the story. If you feel like yourself getting stuck, pour a cup of coffee and catch up with your M. C. You could even go so far as discussing things in her life that have nothing to do with the story. I am currently working on a story with a main character who works in a bar. The menagerie of interesting or unusual customers that come through on a nightly basis may not have anything to do with the story but it could help me to reconnect with her to have her tell you about some of them.
Stephen King has several of these moments throughout his writing, where the characters his characters meet throughout their lives become characters in other stories. Take the Different Seasons collection, for example. In Apt Pupil (Summer of Corruption) Arthur Denker tells young Todd Bowden the story of his personal banker who was sent to prison for murdering his wife, his personal banker Andy Dufresne, who readers became acquainted with in the previous story, Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption (Hope Springs Eternal). The connection between Denker and Dufresne had nothing to do with furthering the action of the story, but may have been an attempt on King’s part to reconnect with Denker (or perhaps to reconnect with Andy Dufresne) by listening to him tell a story from life outside the events of the story King was writing.
The best way to get your characters to tell you their stories is to get them to trust you and the best way to achieve that is by getting to know them on a personal and intimate level. Treat them as if they were your real life, flesh and blood best friends and the rest should come together with no trouble.
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