Character Studies

As part of my 100 day program (I think it is going to take me longer than that) I am writing character studies. Starting with my protagonist (whom I haven't named yet) I wrote about appearance, attitudes, and abilities. As I did that an amazing thing happened -- I also somehow* learned about the character's back-story and how that changed them into the person he/she is now. As the character developed a history for the world developed too. I had to answer why a person was the way they were and the answers came more readily than I imagined they would.

Here is an example of what I mean. I learned that my protagonist's father is dead so she is living with her mother and step-father. How did he die? He died violently. Who killed him and why? Soldiers killed him durring a coup d'etat. Who is in power now forming what kind of goverment/society? You'll have to read the book.

*For a detailed discription about how books and characters are created refer to Jasper Fforde's Thursday Next in the Well of Lost Plots.