I’m back with another Book Bite. In this scene my hero is struggling with negative thoughts that haunt her from her past.
“All she could think to do was try to escape the crowd and give herself some breathing room, but she was unable to move, frozen in a panic attack. “God help me, please!” She screamed at Him in her thoughts and slowly shuffled along the steps toward the creek on the other side of the gazebo. There weren’t as many people there and she spotted a bench near the water where she hoped she could sit alone and undisturbed. Gathering what little strength she had remaining in her legs, she made it to the bench before she lost her balance and slumped down, leaning on the armrest.”
In this scene I added more description of her body language to express her anxiety. I’m actually having fun with my first revision. Many more to come, I’m sure! I’ll be back soon to catch you up on another scene. Thanks for reading 🙂
Do you know the personalities of these people who live in your head?
Have you spent enough time with them to know how they’d feel about what’s going on in their story?
Would their reactions to certain events or a flippant statement lead to a fight scene?
If they saw a mouse in the kitchen would they scream and jump up on the couch?
How would your character react?
How to get to know your characters
Knowing your characters well enough to be able to use their personality traits to your advantage as you write your novel will make the writing flow easier and create logical and organic story arcs.
For example, who is your protagonist likely to befriend?
Who may hate your protagonist?
What drives your protagonist’s passion?
What may drive a particular character crazy?
How would your antagonist behave in an argument?
As I study the next steps in writing my novel, I realize I can’t answer some of the questions I need to ask to plot my story. The reason being, I don’t know what my character would do in any given situation. So, I need to take the time to get to know who these people are and what their responses would be to the events I want in my story. I need to be able to walk through this story with my characters and see, hear, touch, smell and taste what they experience and how they respond to the circumstances I set before them.
Personality Types
We need to take time to get to know everyone in our story. It’s fascinating and fruitful. Once we know our main characters well we’ll be better able to write an accurate and believable story. It may come in handy with a few of those friends who’re giving us a hard time. If we understand people better we may just be able to get along better.
What’s Your Personality?
How about you? If you’d like to dig a little deeper or find your own personality type, you can check out a blog post I wrote for my mini-course, Your Write Voice For His Kingdom.
Once we know our characters’ personalities we can go on to discovering their backstories and why they responded to events in their past based on those personality traits.
Have fun discovering the ways we were all made so differently by our Heavenly Father.
Til next time, know you are loved by the One who made you in His image.
Lynne
Resources for digging deeper:
There are several personality tests online but, in my opinion, these three are the best. Each one brings a different perspective to a developing character.
Answer each question and tally the results for each section. Try to answer as truthfully as you can. If you’re unsure, ask someone who knows you well. At the bottom of each section choose the definition that you scored the highest with. At the end of the assessment, you will have 4 letters which will serve as your abbreviated personality type definition.
Extroverts
Have natural high energy
Are outwardly expressive
Social
Talk more than listen
Think out loud
Are spontaneous
Prefer a public role
May be easily distracted
Can multi-task
Are outgoing
Enthusiastic
Introverts
Have quiet energy
Are reserved
Comfortable being alone
Listen more than talk
Keep most thoughts to themselves
Think before acting
Prefer to work behind the scenes
Have good concentration
Focus on one task at a time
Are quiet in crowds
Calm
If you chose mostly ‘Extrovert’ answers, put E as the first letter of your personality type.
If you chose mostly ‘Introvert’ answers, put I as the first letter of your personality type.
Sensory
Focus on specifics and details
Like practical solutions
Remember facts
See what is
Live In the moment
Trust actual experiences
Use established skills
Like step-by-step instructions
Work at a steady pace
Intuitive
Focus on the big picture
Appreciate creative ideas
Notice anything new or different
See possibilities
Think of future implications
Trust their own instincts
Like to learn new skills
Figure things out on their own
Work in bursts of energy
If you chose mostly ‘Sensory’ answers, put S as the second letter of your personality type.
If you chose mostly ‘Intuitive’ answers, put N as the second letter of your personality type.
You now have 2 letters as your personality type. 2 more to go…
Thinkers
Make objective decisions
Appear cool and reserved
Are convinced by rational arguments
Are truthful and direct
Value honesty and fairness
Don’t usually take things personally
Are quick to see flaws
Motivated by achievement
Enjoy arguing or debating
Feelers
Make decisions based on their values and feelings
Are warm and friendly
Convinced by how they feel
Are diplomatic and tactful
Value harmony and compassion
Usually take things personally
Are quick to compliment others
Motivated by appreciation
Try to avoid arguments and conflict
If you chose mostly ‘Thinker’ answers, put T as the third letter of your personality type.
If you chose mostly ‘Feeler’ answers, put F as the third letter of your personality type.
You now have 3 letters as your personality type. One more time…
Judgers
Like a sense of being settled
Take responsibility seriously
Are usually prompt
Like to finish what they start
Work before they play
Need closure
Prefer to work with rules and boundaries
Stick with a plan
Like schedules
Perceivers
Like to keep their options open
Are playful and casual
Usually run late
Often have multiple unfinished projects
Play before work
Are often indecisive
Don’t like rules and order
Like to work with flexible plans
Are spontaneous
If you chose mostly ‘Judger’ answers, put J as the fourth letter of your personality type.
If you chose mostly ‘Perceiver’ answers, put P as the fourth letter of your personality type.
You now have your 4 basic personality type letters!
Introvert v Extrovert Sensory v Intuitive Thinker v Feeler Judger v Perceiver
Place them in order: I or E, S or N, T or F, J or P
For example: an Introvert, Sensory, Thinker, Judger = ISTJ
The 4 letters describe your personality as one of 16 basic personality types.
Want to find out more about personalities and character development? Visit my Pinterest board for Writing Personality Types.
Note from Lynne: This assessment has been compiled from several sources online.
