My MC Interviews Me

Recently the MC of my WIP asked if we could have a powwow. She was a little concerned I’d been dancing around the outskirts of her personality, not getting to the heart of who she was. She indicated that by interviewing me I might learn a good deal about her character. Skeptical, I agreed.

MC: What led you to write me?
Me: Fun question. Well, for starters, you’re feisty. I like that about you and you have a specific memory weighing heavily on you. I find that relatable. Your past intrigues me. Heck, your present intrigues me. I want to know more.
MC: Aren’t you afraid they won’t believe I’m real?
Me: Um…how do I put this delicately? You’re not real. I just have to work insanely hard so you’ll come across authentically.
MC: I feel as though I communicate readily to you, why is it then that you only devote blocks of time to me?
Me: Wow, okay, how to explain this…I have a family and a boatload of pressing demands on me at any given moment. Take it as a compliment I carve out time for you.
MC: Do you already know how everything turns out with me? I mean, do you plot out my whole life before you even begin revealing my story?
Me: Kind of. I know a lot about you and what’s going to unravel, but there are still events and other characters in your life that surprise me as I write (much like how it is in my own life).
MC: How do you decide how badly you’ll hurt me and why do you pick the situations you do?
Me: I identify with them in some way. I haven’t experienced everything you have gone through or all the hardships I’m having you endure, but something about them resonates with me. It goes much deeper than outer circumstance. There’s an aspect of the experience that is innately identifiable and I’m trusting other women will feel it, too.
MC: Will people think I’m weird if you write me honestly?
Me: We’re all weird. I think it would be a sham, a dishonesty, to falsify you in any way.
MC: Do things end well for me?
Me: Well is a relative word. I actually don’t know exactly how this one will wrap up. I like it better that way. This way I feel like I can live the novel out with you. You don’t die, does that make you happy?
MC: Uh…but there are some pretty ugly alternatives you’ve been contemplating, aren’t there?
Me: Of course, but not for the ending. Those come first, then comes the resolve. I’m hoping that word gives you some comfort.
MC: I trust you. However, do you think you’ll ever pay me the respect to show up to write me in outerwear other than your pajamas or some getup you slept in?
Me: You know I love you, Hannah, but I just can’t make any promises on this one.

So glad I took the time to hear my MC out. Just this simple exercise reminded me of why I chose to write Hannah. Have you ever tried something out-of-the-box like this to get to know your characters better?

*lake photo from Flickr
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Wendy Paine Miller writes women’s fiction, crafting stories with the hope of poking brains and moving thoughts. She graduated with a BA in English from Wittenberg University, where she earned an Honor of Distinction for her accrued knowledge of literature. Wendy feels most alive when she’s speeding in a boat, reading, writing, refurbishing furniture, running, and trusting God. To interact with her, visit http://thoughtsthatmove.blogspot.com/