Blog updates: Character Pages

 

So a lot of my characters pages are outdated--not only in art as my style has changed but also in content. The most notable that I need to update are the ones from here and here. The characters in Dolls of Wax, Eyes of Glass had some developments, and the clothing of the characters from the Princess Arisias Mystery series has changed. The older pages will be kept up (I won't delete them), and you will be able to see them in the "old pages" place. 

And I have newer pages which will stay mostly the same, such as the one for The Haunted Sketchbook characters and a new page for a series I am working on (and going to be doing during NaNoWriMo this November) called The Heist of Dorian Gray.

There might be slight modifications on the Haunted Sketchbook page (that is, minor ones to Ferdinand's profile), but the most that will be done will be adding new characters into those pages, as I have not put Edith Porter's profile on the Haunted Sketchbook character page yet. And I am working to make profiles for the other characters from The Heist of Dorian Gray, as I have only put Dorian's character sheet up. 

Since I did not do this before, I will also be adding a section to the characters from Arisias's story page, including the gods and goddesses. Because the gods and goddesses are recurring characters on this blog, I thought making their own pages for them would make sense. And it would also make learning about the god characters easier if they had pages. For example, if you didn't know who Karleon or Salissah was, you could look them up. 

In terms of how quickly the changes will happen, I mostly have the new page ready for Felix Moore, though I am still working on Matilda's, so Felix's profile is likely to be one of the first to be changed. 

Also, this is a minor change, but its one you're likely to notice quickly: 

(the header that is soon to be changed) 

The header for my blog will be updated since my art style changed. I have no idea what I will change it to yet, but it will follow the story that Arcasia (the blog's mascot) is experiencing, moving her a step forward in her adventures. (You can see my previous headers here.)

Anyway, those are my updates. These are big changes, and I didn't want you to be confused, or wonder where the past character sheets went. My next post will be my usual style of post. 

-Quinley 

Introducing Some Characters: Super Villains

Greetings travelers, 

I had been busy so I didn't have time to blog for a little bit, but I am back! Some general updates before we begin the post. 

Firstly, Adventure Awaits finally has a Discord Server, which you can join by clicking here. 

It's Fantasy and Gothic themed like my blog, there are fun activities on it (such as book clubs, role-plays, discussion questions, etc.), and threads themed around different hobbies and interests. However, to clear up any possible worries this is not intended to replace my blog. It's merely another way to be in contact with me, along with my blog email or the comments section. 

  And secondly, I have made a page for the characters from my book, The Haunted Sketchbook, which you can check out. I don't have everyone up yet, but I have put Ferdinand Diggory's profile up.

 Anyway, back to this post, I thought it was time to introduce some of my super villains as I have introduced some of my super heroes before... 

Let's begin: 

Princess Rose

She had a strong obsession with an animation company that has a rodent as a mascot. (Hubert Hamster, in the case of her world). And in one of her trips to that "most cheerful place on earth," she miraculously received powers: meaning she can talk to animals, and do any number of things that a princess can do. But she is also able to warp reality to become the setting of any of those movies, brainwashing people and transforming them. So, she's a dangerous villain to come across. 

In her free time, when not destroying the city, she likes to collect figurines relating to characters from the animation company and to watch movies from them to get ideas for her evil plans.

Mr. Slime  

A former mad scientist, after an accident with experimenting he became Mr. Slime. He has covered the city in slime several times, and he likes trapping people in slime. Despite dripping with slime, he is usually well dressed and sometimes goes into battle wearing a suit and top-hat. There's a contest between him and Princess Rose about who is "the best dressed villain." 

(Voted on by their enemies the super heroes of course). 

He has a connection with Skunk Girl, and often fights her. But it seems that their connection runs a bit deeper than that of villain and super hero. No one else in the super hero team knows how they knew each other, and some of the team are looking for answers to this mystery. 

Baby Mastermind 

He wants to end the world but hides under the facade of being an innocent baby. He had formerly worked as a super hero, but he decided that he didn't want to be that anymore. So, he switched sides and became a villain. He has a rattle that contains a laser and a baby bottle of "milk" containing poison. Though he may be cute, he is not trustworthy and not someone to cuddle with. 

His super power when he was a good guy was being incredibly smart for his age. His smartness sometimes got him into trouble, however, for he would often overthink and be unable to save everyone in time. So, out of annoyance, he turned to villainy.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Which character is your favorite? Do you have another favorite fictional super villain in media that you like?

-Quinley

Let's Design a Character Together (Again)!

So, I did a survey back in 2021, to see what people wanted me to do again. One of the responses was a request for me to have the viewers collaborate together in creating a character for me to draw again. I had plans to, but hadn't gotten around to doing this until now. As in the past, I will use the majority vote and various answers from you, the readers, to the questions below to create a character through drawing and art. I will post a video or videos, detailing the creation of said character. You can see the previous character I made from everyone's responses back in 2020 here. 

 The character could end up being anything: a magical dryad, a detective, a magical elf detective, or literally anything you can imagine! It's all up to you, the viewers. This is because the collaboration (your response and/or responses) helps create the description, that I will use as an outline to create a character through my art. 

 This time around I gave more freedom for you, the reader, to not only answer questions, but you can also include things like name, theme song, and personality (if you wish) in your answers. 

Since my blog's anniversary is coming up in March, I thought this would be the perfect thing to do. I love when you, the readers, are involved in with me in creating things. 

So if you'd like to participate, fill out the form (it is anonymous, it won't record your email address or Google account, so you can leave answers to the questions and I can't tell who left it):

-Quinley 

Introducing Some Characters: Super Heroes

Hello everyone, 

I figured it was time to do another Introducing Some Characters post. But this time I decided do it with characters I introduced in this post and expand upon their backstories in this one. 

These characters I came up with when I was younger, so I want to revisit them and use them in a story again some day. I may also share some of the old comics that I wrote about them in future posts. 

 Let's begin: 

 Cheetah Girl 

Cheetah Girl is a girl who has the ability to run as fast as a Cheetah, as well as turn into one. She has an alternate ego called Christina Williams. In order to disguise herself she has to wear contacts to cover her eyes which resemble a Cheetah's.

 She came from another world, where people can shape-shift into animals of their choosing. Upon arriving on Earth, she realized it was her duty to be a super hero and protect the world from villains. 

Ocean Guy 

Ocean Guy got his powers from Trickle (his mentor), a neriad who has a connection to the Greek gods. She gained her powers from Poseidon and gave some of them to Ocean Guy.

He has ocean related powers, which means he can conjure up a giant wave, control water, and even talk to ocean life. His cape is made out of actual water, and if he wishes to he can make it water again and use it in battle. When he is not a super hero, he is a swimming teacher by the name of Ethan Triton, and teaches people how to swim in the ocean. 

Skunk Girl 

While it would seem Skunk Girl came from the same world as Cheetah Girl, but she didn't. In fact, she used to be a normal girl before an experiment went wrong and turned her into Skunk Girl. A scientist had intended to figure out how to extract the powers from Cheetah Girl's alien race, only for it to go horribly wrong. 

Instead of discovering the force required to fully control the ability to morph into an animal, Skunk Girl became a half-human half-animal and turned into a skunk-human hybrid. Even though she became a super hero, she longs to prevent something like this from happening to other people in the future. However, she covers up her difficult emotions about her past with humor and is one of the happiest super heroes you will meet. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Which character is your favorite? Which of their powers would you rather have? 

-Quinley 

Introducing Some Characters: Ghosts (P.1)

Here are some ghostly spectres, who I think deserve a proper introduction, since I didn't really give them one before. I am working on my novel, Dolls of Wax, Eyes of Glass this month, and I thought getting into the spooky mood was appropriate. And also I must add, I may or may not have been influenced by Debra's post to be in a "Summerween" mood. 😉

Since this is part of a series (that I started in 2017), you can check out the other installments of it here. (It will be under the "Introducing Some Characters" section). 

Here are the ghosts, the stories of these ghosts are not for the faint of heart: 

                                            The Solitary Violinist 

The Solitary Violinist is a performer, who was murdered. She performs while waiting for her killer to come back, so she can make him dance to death. However, he has yet to return. Many people watch her perform from a distance and hear the sound of her violin playing next to the tree where she died. 

She will often ask passersby, if they know where her killer went. The answer is important. For if you give the wrong answer (that is, if you answer "no" or "yes"), the ghost will be unhappy with you, because you will have either given her false hope or no hope. And you don't want to know what she will do--it is said many have met their demise or been lost forever in the woods. So, it is advised that you don't stop and listen to the music, and don't answer her question, but instead carry on as if you never heard it. 

                                  The "Painted" Devil 

The "devil" is a doll sewn from a woven bag that has the face of a devil embroidered (not painted) on it and a strange marking in red. The doll is possessed by a vengeful spirit which someone summoned into the doll for their own selfish reasons. 

The doll has been found at different antique shops and purchased by different owners over the years. Whoever owns the doll always reports strange ghostly activity and sudden unexplainable deaths. However, no one who has had these experiences has owned the doll for long, for it always mysteriously vanishes. Then it seemingly reappears in another shop. No one is safe, are you next?                                                

                                        The Ghost Bride 

"The Ghost Bride," as she is called, was a woman who died on the day of her wedding. She is seen walking around wearing a wedding dress and veil. How she died is unknown, but it is speculated she died of a sudden illness. 

She won't stop her haunts until her dying wish is granted. She is said to even go as far as possession to achieve this--which is why young women who are to marry are advised not to stop by her grave. And those who aren't getting married but want to appease her, often leave little presents or "wedding gifts" for her, so that she feels less restless. 

However, it is unclear whether this will actually stop the spirit. For she has plans...

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Which character is your favorite? And, which of their backstories scared you the most? 

-Quinley 

I Need YOUR QUESTIONS About My Novel!

 Greetings Travelers, 

So that my post about The Mystery of the Body Thief this NaNoWrimo is not a repetition of what I have said before, I will be answering your questions about it in an upcoming blog post. Here are some examples of questions you might want to ask: questions about the characters themselves, the story, the setting (as I am world-building it), my inspiration behind the novel, my writing progress, or even fun questions, like if my novel was a movie who I would cast to play the characters? 

 If you don't know what The Mystery of the Body Thief is about, here is a quick synopsis and a link to my most recent post about it: 

Horatio wakes up from being in a coma, but he doesn't remember anything that happened before he fell into unconsciousness. All that he remembers is a name, "Annabelle!" 

Also... Detective Inspector Time finds himself having to solve a case without Lady Annabelle.
Murders have been happening throughout many different kingdoms, and no one knows who exactly is behind it all. 

You can either ask the questions you have about it down in the comments down below, or ask it in this Google form (I will be mentioning who left the questions hence the name and blog part of the form, but if you would like to be Anonymous, you can just enter "Anonymous" and entering your blog is optional (since not everyone has one)): 

-Quinley 

Introducing Some Characters: My Dungeons and Dragons Characters (P.1)

Hello everyone, 

It's been a while since I've done my "Introducing Some Characters..." series, so I decided to revive it. I thought it was time to introduce you to my Dungeons and Dragons characters. I do have some other D&D  characters, but at the moment I am going to introduce you to the ones that I've actually played in campaigns: 

                                            Jinx Jekyll 

Bio: Jinx (which is his alias) is a half elf rogue, and he somehow manages to get a whole following of people who believe he is a god. Unfortunately for them, he has stolen most of their money, but fortunately, they  eventually find out he is not really a god and is conning them. (And the real gods weren't so happy about that either...) Jinx was orphaned and grew up on the street having to fend for himself. He doesn't know who his parents are, but if they are still alive he hopes they didn't abandon him. 

Playing history: I've only played Jinx in one campaign, I intend to play him again if I get a chance to and maybe expand on his character more than I have already, and maybe develop him to see where he goes.

                                      Aurinda Van Visser 

  

Bio: Aurinda is an elven Druid. She comes from Sleepy Hollow and is something of a story teller. For reasons the townsfolk are unsure of Aurinda has a bit of a grudge against Katrina Van Tassel. Aurinda really enjoys nature, and tends to use a spell often to turn herself into different animals, horses being her favorite to turn into. She is a firm believer in ghosts and the supernatural. Aurinda went on a journey for a while to explore other parts of the world, and then came back to Sleepy Hollow only to find out the Headless Horseman was terrorizing it. 

Playing history: I ended up creating Aurinda for a Legend of Sleepy Hollow themed campaign. Aurinda was the first character I've done a full campaign with.  I would like to use her again in the future, but I will have to find a way to seperate her from the story and/or put her in another Gothic-themed Campaign. At the moment I am using her in a Legend of Sleepy Hollow retelling.          

                 Elvin (pronounced AL-vin) The Silver 

Bio: Elvin is a human wizard, who worked for a king a very long time ago and gave him wise advice. However one day upon giving a young man advice about how to treat the King, he then decided maybe it was best not to follow his own advice and insulted the King. He was thrown out of the kingdom and became a wandering wizard giving advice to anyone who would listen. Elvin is very impulsive and uses the spell FireBolt whenever he can. This spell can lead to dangerous situations, but it can also be very useful. 

Playing History: This was the first time I played a human and the first time I've played a wizard in a D&D campaign. It was a very different experience, but a fun one because I created a different character than I usually do. (Most of my characters are elves). 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Which character is your favorite? And have you ever played Dungeons and Dragons? 

-Quinley 

Running Wild in Impractical Outfits Tag

(Images used are from Pixabay, I normally use my own photos but I didn't have a picture of a closet). 

 I was tagged by McKayla at Tales of a Triple Threat. Thank you so much, McKayla. This tag sounds so fun, it actually reminds me a bit of a conversation I had with a friend once about something somewhat similar to this. 

The Rules

-Put a link to her blog, Autumn Ink

-Put a link to your post in the comments section of the original post

-Tag people if you want to

-Have fun with this tag, and feel free to add things, change locations, or whatever you want

-The outfits you choose can be from anywhere you like [movies, books, TV shows, real life, etc.], and they can be as practical or as impractical as you want. Choose with as much flagrant disregard or custom for the rules as you choose. 

-You have to bring a different fictional character of your choosing to each location.

                                                              At The Beach 

(Image from Disney Wiki, https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/Ariel/Gallery?file=Little_mermaid_large.jpg)

I would wear this mermaid tail, given that it would be fun to wear on the beach.

While I don't know if it is water proof, I could always create one that is.

(Image from Davonna Juroe,https://www.davonnajuroe.com/the-little-mermaid-ariels-purple-dress/)

Once I've dried off, I would wear the dress that Ariel wears at the end of The Little Mermaid. 

I would invite Diana Prince (Wonder Woman) to come with me and maybe train on the beach with her. 

                                                             Car Wash

(Image from wiki, https://tangled.fandom.com/wiki/Varian%27s_Outfits?file=Varian_Vertical.jpg)

I'm going to assume that I'd be the one washing the cars, so I would wear what Varian wears in Tangled: The Series. Given that he wears it when he does alchemy, it wouldn't get messed up while washing cars. And I would bring Pippi Longstocking with me, because I'm sure she would find a way to make the car wash really really fun. 

                                                        University of Glasglow

(Image from BBC, https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zxhf82p/revision/2)

This outfit from the play Frankenstein is in essence what I wear often (well sort of: I wear modern clothes with, 18th-19th century looking  jackets, so not exactly the same). But either way, this would be something I would totally wear to the University of Glasglow.

I would bring either Victor or the Creature with me to the college, given that Victor Frankenstein is a college dropout.

                                                          Abandoned Castle

I am writing a story that is set in a castle that had previously been abandoned, so I really like this question...particularly because it makes me think of something from a Gothic book.... 

So I have two different clothing pieces that I would wear: 

                                                        

(Image from IMdb, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053925/mediaviewer/rm409376768/)

This is from The Fall of the House of Usher. I really like the jacket and the vest and everything in this outfit, and it would be fun to wear in an abandoned castle. 

(Image from IMDb, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1229822/mediaviewer/rm1726462464/) 

                                                         

I would wear this outfit from Jane Eyre and just alternate between wearing both those outfits while I stay in this abandoned (probably haunted) castle.

 And I would bring Dorian Gray and Basil Hallward with me from The Picture of Dorian Gray. I feel it would be very fitting given the overall mood of their book. 

                                                       Summer Picnic

(Image from wiki fandom, https://anne-with-an-e.fandom.com/wiki/Anne_Shirley_Cuthbert?file=3x03-04-Anne.jpg#Season_3)

I would wear Anne's outfit from Anne with an E. It seems perfect for a summer picnic. I would invite Igraine from Igraine the Brave to come with me, since it would be fun to talk to her. 

                                                     Summer Roadtrip

                                   

(Image from BBC America, https://www.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2011/07/how-to-dress-like-the-eleventh-doctor)

                                                            

I would be in the car for a long time I assume, so I would wear something comfortable. I would choose the 11th Doctor's outfit. I would invite Crowley and Aziraphale from Good Omens to come with me. They would make the road trip extra fun. (And we would probably ride in Crowley's Bentley). 

                                                             In The Woods

(Image from Twitter, https://twitter.com/LindseyStirling/status/1176908608438599680/photo/2)

I love Lindsey Stirling's take on the Greek goddess, Artemis. Artemis is the goddess of the hunt and wild-life, so of course I would wear this outfit. It would be so cool to walk around the woods wearing this, because it's so pretty. 💚  And I would invite Kira and Jen from The Dark Crystal to come with me. I think Kira would be a good choice because she knows how to talk to animals. 

                   

                                                   Dancing In The Rain

(Image from Retro Fairy, https://www.retro-fairy.com/products/cottagecore-prairie-lace-up-vintage-green-dress?variant=39302054051895&currency=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic)

The issue with dancing in the rain is that your clothes are likely to get really really wet. So I wouldn't want to wear something too layered or from a movie I really like. Instead I would wear this pretty dress. Even though I like it I would be fine with it getting wet. 

I would invite Katara to come with me from Avatar: The Last Airbender. Given that she is a water bender I think she would be the perfect person to invite with me to dance out in the rain. 

                                                                          Paris

(Images from Rotten tomatoes, https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/phantom_of_the_opera/pictures)

I would alternate between wearing Christine's dress from "Think of Me" and Raul's jacket from "Masquerade." I think if anything I would wear Christine's dress for festive celebrations and Raul's jacket while I am casually walking around Paris. (I have a jacket similar to Raul's minus the gold embroidery that I wear casually).  

I would invite Lady Pole, Jonathon Strange, and John Segundus from Jonathon Strange and Mr. Norrell to come with me. I'm sure the trip to Paris would be magical if they came. 

                                

                                              In a cottage with a garden

(Image from Rotten Tomatoes, https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_hobbit_an_unexpected_journey/pictures)

Since it is a cottage, I would wear something comfortable and that at the same time feels “cottage-y." I'd wear what Bilbo Baggins wears in the first Hobbit movie. And I would invite Newt Scamander from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them over, (I don't like the author's recent problematic behavior, but I like the character).  It would be fun to hang out with Newt in the garden. 

                                                        Circus or Masquerade

I'm going to assume it's a historical masquerade (just to be more fun) and that it goes on for several nights. In those several nights I would wear...

(Image from Rotten Tomatoes, https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/william_shakespeares_romeo_and_juliet#&gid=1&pid=19)

This really cool knight costume that Romeo wears in Romeo and Juliet. I think it would be really cool to wear for a masquerade. 

(Image from IMDb, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120631/mediaviewer/rm3426499840/)

Next, I would this dress from Ever After: A Cinderella Story, because it is so pretty looking and also perfect for a masquerade. And I would invite Sonora from Princess Sonora and the Long Sleep to come with me, because why not? 

                                                             On the Moor

(Image from IMDb, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1238834/mediaviewer/rm2811567872/)

This question reminds me so much of Kate Bush's Wuthering Heights .  So I would wear an outfit from a movie version of Wuthering Heights, and I would walk around the moor at night wearing it and holding a single lit candle and imagine myself in a Gothic setting. Then the second outfit I would wear would be...

(Image from IMDb, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0347149/mediaviewer/rm2714125056/)

...the outfit Howl wears in Howl's Moving Castle when he rescues Sophie. And walk around the moor wearing it with the jacket just on my shoulders blowing in the wind. Just to be dramatic. 

And during this trip to the moor (which I am going to assume is near a haunted location of some kind), I'd bring Catherine Morland with me from Northhanger Abbey.  I think she would really enjoy the Gothic setting. 

It's the '20s [or some other era], and your husband's been mysteriously murdered. What's your outfit?

 Why do I feel like I would be the one behind the murder?  I mean my husband "mysteriously" died it seems like you're hinting that I'm behind it. *wink* 

(Image from Cluedo wiki fandom, https://cluedo.fandom.com/wiki/Mrs._Peacock?file=Peacock+Mobile.jpg)

This question reminded me of the board game Clue, which I have played a lot of times and while there is a movie version I feel Miss Peacock's outfits don't capture what I'm trying to get with this one. I would instead wear Miss Peacock's outfit from the board game for when I'm not talking to the detective and am just free from the marriage. 

(Image from IMDB, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3402236/mediaviewer/rm1844531712/)

And then I would wear this outfit from The Murder on the Orient Express when I'm talking to the detective. And I would bring Vera Claythorne from And Then Were None with me. If I am going to be suspicious I may as well be suspicious with someone who is more suspicious than me.

I tag: 

Maith at Maith's Musings 

Maeve at Books By Maeve 

Vanya at Chirps of a Forest Bird 

Gauri at Brighter Alleys 

Peachy at Just Peachy 

Natalie at Natalie Can't Write 

Annika at Annika Larriane 

And anyone who wants to do it. 

The questions (for copy and pasting purposes): 

                                    At The Beach

                                     Car Wash

                                 University of Glasglow

                                     

                                     Abandoned Castle

                                    Summer Picnic

                                  Summer Roadtrip

                                      In The Woods

                               Dancing In The Rain

                                   

                                      Paris

                              In a cottage with a garden

                            Circus or Masquerade

                                 On the Moor

Bonus question: It's the '20s [or some other era], and your husband's been mysteriously murdered. What's your outfit?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Which of the outfits I chose is your favorite? And which location would you like to visit? 

-Quinley 

The Importance of Character in Acting

  

I have found that acting itself has helped my writing, and writing has helped my acting and characters in general. While this post isn't about characters in writing (it is about characters in acting and theatre), I do want to show that there is a connection between the two. I have found that I got to know my characters better in acting and writing using these techniques. 

There are many different ways to act, and not all of them fit everyone. I have found that these techniques have helped me greatly with getting into character in acting, but not everyone finds every technique helpful, so think about which ones would work for you.

I even ended up teaching a workshop about this. So, I thought it was time to get some of the things I taught in that class into a blog post. While in that workshop we weren't developing characters from monologues, (we were developing original characters we had created on the spot (and wrote monologues for later)), I still believe these techniques can apply to characters from monologues.  I learned most of the character building questions and tips involved in this post from different acting (or writing) classes I took over the years; so I would like to thank my teachers for teaching these to me. 

Character sheets 

Like with writing, in acting I end up creating sheets for my characters. I find they help me understand the character better. In filling out a character sheet, I feel I have to start with the information I'm given from the source material. This can be done by scanning and annotating the script or monologue.

Once I'm done with everything that is apparent from the monologue or the script itself, I start adding on my own details, making the character mine within the realm of the script. This is where making the character in acting is very different from writing your own character because you aren't fully in control, and you aren't the creator; instead, you're the one interpreting the character. And while in some cases you may be confined within what the director wants the character to be, you can still be free to interpret stuff, like "what happened in the moment before?", "what is my character's family-life like?",  or "what is my character's favorite color?" (assuming none of these appear in the monologue or script).

(Side note: if the character is from a play/movie/TV show where there is a performance done by another actor, I try not to take the choices they made, because otherwise I am copying their character and not creating my own version of that character). 

(Image from wiki, https://dragonshavern.fandom.com/wiki/Benjy_Woodbush?file=Benjyw.jpg)

Just like with writing characters, I have found it helpful to search for a painting or picture that reminds me of what I think my character looks like. I find it easier to get into their mindset if I know what they look like. Above is a picture I used to get into the mindset of Puck from A Midsummer Night's Dream when I played him in a monologue. 

 I also sometimes find a single song or create a playlist that reminds me of the character, and I listen to the song before filming/performing because then I feel more energized. These are both things you can include on your character sheets.  For example, here are some playlists I created for characters I have been working on: 

 

 You can also, if you wish, include things like what your character's archetype is, or what their Hogwarts House or Camp Half Blood cabin is, if you think those things will help you understand the character even more. 

Character interview 

If you have anyone in your family or friends that can particape in a character interview with you then that may help. This one activity both writers and actors can do. Basically you sit down and ask questions to your character and respond in character to them. It is not only a good way to get to know your character, but it also helps you figure out stuff you may not have noticed before. 

One of the resources I used for the workshop I taught was this video/list of questions by Ginny Di, in which she lists of a number of questions to ask your (D&D) character to help expand on their personality and backstory:  

You can also watch it here

While it was originally intended for D&D characters, I do believe it works for any characters regardless of the genre. All you need to do is change "tavern" to "bar" or anything else if your character isn't from the Fantasy genre. There's also a text version of it if you need it. 

In my workshop, I had participants respond to the questions given in the video/doc. I suggested they choose some at random (taking turns being the character and interviewer). The person playing the character would improvise on the spot to answer the questions. 

I didn't use the following POV RP videos in the workshop (though I mentioned them to the participants). I have found that if you don't have anyone around you (or you don't feel comfortable doing interviews with family members and/or friends) that these are really helpful: 

   

If you don't have someone around you can still basically play the game with a person (Ginny Di), and think about how your character would respond not only to the questions but the various situations they are put in. (You can also make your own response video, if you feel excited about it).

Also, you should keep in mind that there may be some questions your character may not answer (or answer fully), because of discomfort around the question or a desire to be secretive about themselves. Your character could end up answering a question with another question, if they wanted to.  

 If anyone wants questions beyond those that Ginny Di created, I have included my own list of questions to ask your character at the end of this post. 

Status 

Statuses aren't just about class in society, though they can play into that. They are about knowing your character's status in a scene:  How much control do they have in the scene? And how does their status change? 

The status of your character is often affected by those around them. If a (bad) rumor is spread about your character, they could go down in status. If they are popular, they will have a high status. There is also middle ground between the two, which would be middle status. They can also be a high status person pretending to have low status, or a low status person fighting to get high status or pretending to have it. It all depends on the situation.

 Also, their status can be affected by their religious beliefs, general beliefs, gender, race, etc, and they can have a low or high status in any given situation based on any of those. Some people may treat them differently (and make it low) because of their identity, but if they are around people like them it may become high again. If their status stays the same all the time then there is a lack of a sense of realism, because no one's status is ever low or high the entire time.  

One way to experiment with status, is to randomize it, and try the scene with that status. Use a random number generator with 1 being low status, 5 being middle status, and 10 being high status.  Then see how that status affects your character's actions and how they walk or even talk. While the status you are playing around with may not be the one you ultimately use in the scene or monologue, it is still a way to see how your character's status affects your character. 

Stakes and Goals

There is a reason why your character is saying these things in the scene, and it isn't just to say it. There is a goal behind it. Maybe your character wants to get a reaction out of whoever they're talking to. And also they're probably fighting for something related to their long term goal in the rest of the play and/or movie. 

The stakes might depend on interpersonal conflicts, the plot, the characters, etc. This makes you want to say whatever you're saying more, because there are consequences if you do say it and consequences if you don't. And in doing this monologue and/or scene are you ready to face these consequences? Good or bad? 

Object work 

The premise of this activity is that you take five minutes or so to find an object that reminds you of your character. Once you do, wear the object, hold the object, or figure out why the object is important to your character. (It can be as important as something they need or something they cherish.) Some questions to consider are, how often they carry the object around with them, is it something they keep in their pocket or something they wear, or do they hide it in a bag? Can it be hidden or it something everyone would be able to see? Do they like it or is it just a necessity? Continue asking questions like this and you will figure out your character even more. 

One random object I grabbed in this exercise was a sheep tea cozy. This ended up creating a character that was a possessed librarian, interestingly. 

This same exercise can also be used to create a character as well as develop one. If you have a piece of clothing, an accessory, or an object that you pick at random, you can try and figure out what type of character would have that object, and what the character's liking or disliking of that object says about the character. 

Finding a personal experience (from your life) to associate with the monologue/scene  

If you find a common experience between you and the character (it doesn't have to be the exact same thing as the character has experienced), you can use it to relate to your character even more. Let's say you are performing Hamlet and are playing the lead role of Hamlet. 

One major life event Hamlet experiences is finding out that his uncle murdered his father in order to marry his mother. Now, you don't need to have experienced the exact same thing in order to understand or relate to him as a character. You could have experienced loss (of anyone: a pet, a friend, or a family member) and relate to Hamlet that way or have experienced betrayal and relate to Hamlet's discovery of what his uncle did that way. 

Walking like your character

In this exercise you walk around the room as your character, and you try to figure out how they walk. Do they walk with a slow pace or a fast pace? Do they walk with their head held high, or do they look towards the ground? Do they have a straight back, or do they walk with a slouch? As you walk around the room do that, and try different ways to walk. Keep trying: you're not likely to get the walk the way your character walks the first time. 

Dressing up as your character

I would say this is the last thing to do, given that you go through several performances before you get around to filming or performing the monologue (assuming you're performing it on stage). Knowing what your character wears can be useful in understanding their personality too, but unless you're filming it yourself, you may not be fully in control of what you wear in character. You can still figure out the importance of the clothing to your character, though. There was one show I acted in where I wore a green scarf, and as I was performing in the show I began associating it with one of the characters I was playing, Hortensio (from The Taming of the Shrew). Often I used the scarf as a way to get into character before the scene I acted in. I would fiddle with the scarf before acting in the scene, because I saw that as something Hortensio would do with it. And for my other characters, I tried associating different costumes pieces with what they'd wear. For Maria (from Twelfth Night), I remember associating the leather bracelet I was wearing with her, because it seemed like something she would like. So, even if you don't have full control over the costumes, you can still make character choices. 

This is a costume I wear for a monologue I am working on filming. 
The character pictured is Sherlock Holmes, and this is my take on him.
I decided he would choose to wear this normally (through character development). 

But if you are in full control (because you're filming it or for another reason), you can have a lot of fun in designing your character's outfit and finding wigs to match their hair color, supposing their hair is a different color or style than yours. You can also figure specifics involving these clothes, other than just that they wear them. Does your character set up clothes they wear each night? Do they match? Or do they wake up and just put on whatever they can find? If so, is it mismatched? 

Two more costumes from my two other video projects. While Phoenix (left), Gletta (right), are original characters of mine (and not from any monologue), the characters are from Fantasy novels, so there is world-building behind what they wear. 

Also depending on the genre they're from you may also have creativity with the clothes. If it is historical, you can find clothes that match with the time period. But if they are from Fantasy or Science fiction world, there is a reason world-building wise behind what they're wearing, and it may be made of materials that we wouldn't be able to access in our world, like dragon scales or phoenix feathers. 

Here is a character sheet to use when keeping track of your character: 

You can add on as much as you want or take stuff away, but this is just a starting point for you. 

Name: 

Gender: 

Age: 

Status: 

Religion/beliefs: 

Personality: 

Likes: 

Dislikes: 

Prized possession(s): 

Goal(s) in scene/play/monologue: 

The stakes: 

Who are they talking to?: 

What happened before this monologue/scene?: 

Favorite color: 

Least favorite color: 

Clothing style: 

How they walk: 

Other: 

Image that reminds you of them/what they look like: 

Questions to ask your character during an interview: 

Here is a list of questions I created for a character interview, so you can ask them to your character during the interview: 

1. What is your name? 
2. Do you like your name? Would you change it if you could? 
3. What is your family life like? Do you have a good or bad relationship with your parents or siblings, if you have any?  
4. What’s your dream job? Is there anything you’ve wanted to be for a long time? 
5. What’s your current job? Do you like it? 
6. Do you have many friends? 
7. Do you believe in magic or the supernatural?
8. If not, why don’t you? What experiences shaped your not believing in it? 
9. If so, why do you? What experiences have shaped your belief in it? 
10. Are you religious? 
11. Do you have any hobbies? 
12. Do you listen to music? 
13. Can you play any music? 
14. Is there anything in the world you want to change? 
15. What was your childhood like? 
16. Do you have any fond memories from your childhood? 
17. If you could have any magical power, what would you have? 
18. If you were stranded on a desert island what item would you take with you? 
19. Do you read? If so, what is your favorite book? 
20. If you could visit any fictional world, where would you visit? 
21. What is one thing about yourself, you don’t want anyone to know? 
22. What is one thing about yourself, you want anyone to know? 
23. Do you want to be famous or would you prefer to remain unknown? 
24. If you had a blog or YouTube channel, what would you post/blog about? 
25. What would your Hogwarts house be? 
26. If you went to Camp Half blood, who would your godly parent be? 
27. Who is one person whom you confide in, if you’re upset or angry? 
28. What’s one thing that really upsets you? 
29. What’s one thing that really makes you happy? 
30. What is a book or movie that you turn to when you’re upset? 
31. What is one song you play when you’re sad? 
32. What is one song you play when you’re happy? 
33. If you came across a ghost, how would you react? 
34. If you came across a dragon, how would you react? 
35. Do you have any pets? If not, do you want any? 
36. If you were a mythical creature what type of creature would you be and why? 
37. How old are you? Do you care about your age or does it not bother you? 
38. Do you like birthdays? Or do you just try to ignore them? 
39. What is your worst nightmare? And why? 
40. What is something you really want to happen to you? 
41. Do you dream at night? Or do you sleep without dreams? 
42. What is one goal you want to achieve? And why? 
43. What would you do if you achieved that goal? 
44. What would you do if you failed to reach that goal? 
45. Is anyone or anything trying to stop you from reaching said goal? 
46. Do you have any enemies? And if so, why are you enemies with them? 
47. If you were a D&D character, what class(es) would you be? 
48. What subjects in school are you (or were you) interested in? 
49. What styles of clothing do you like to wear? And why? 
50. What types of clothes would you never wear? And why? 
51. Do you like make-up? And if not, why? 
52. Is your hair long or short? And do you like styling it? 
53. Do you like going to the theatre to see a show or a play? Why or why not? 
54. What song(s) would you say best describe your personality? 
55. Is there anything you would change about your appearance?
56. How well do you sleep? Are you a light or heavy sleeper? 
57. How do other people feel about you? Do they like you, dislike you, or are their feelings toward you somewhere in the middle? 
58. What is the worst thing anyone has ever said to you? 
59. What is the best thing anyone has ever said to you? 
60. Are you good at trusting people? Why or why not? 
    
61. How would you describe yourself in three words? 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------If you do acting what is your favorite part of it? And how do you get into character? 

-Quinley