{"id":8924,"date":"2013-06-25T03:00:05","date_gmt":"2013-06-25T10:00:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/?p=8924"},"modified":"2013-06-23T23:42:36","modified_gmt":"2013-06-24T06:42:36","slug":"roleplaying-the-protagonist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2013\/06\/25\/roleplaying-the-protagonist\/","title":{"rendered":"Roleplaying the Protagonist by Wyatt Bessing"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Welcome back to another one of Writer\u2019s Fun Zone\u2019s monthly columnists:\u00a0Wyatt Bessing<\/a>. A writing coach and teacher, author,\u00a0Wyatt Bessing<\/a>\u00a0shares his fun take on games, play, and how they help our writing. This month Wyatt helps us develop the backstory by roleplaying the protagonist. Enjoy!<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

You are going to interview your protagonist about an incident in his or her backstory. \u00a0What happened in the past that may have shaped the way your main character deals with the present? \u00a0As always, you will need a couple of dice for this exercise. \u00a0If the number you rolled doesn\u2019t make sense in the context of your story, feel free to change it or choose your own scenario.<\/p>\n

Step One: The Incident<\/strong><\/p>\n

First, you\u2019ll need to know what happened to your main character.<\/strong> \u00a0To find out, roll two dice and consult this chart:<\/p>\n

2: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Witnessed a kidnapping
\n3: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Witnessed a wildfire
\n4: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 A friend called him\/her for help
\n5: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Witnessed a cat stuck up a tree
\n6: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Received reports of a peeping tom in his\/her neighborhood
\n7: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 In a crowded plaza, hears a woman yelling about a purse snatcher
\n8: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 A burglar broke into his\/her house
\n9: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He\/she found a valuable treasure
\n10: \u00a0\u00a0 He\/she witnessed an automobile accident
\n11: \u00a0\u00a0 He\/she gave money to support a cause
\n12: \u00a0\u00a0 He\/she is being sued for something<\/p>\n

Step Two: \u00a0The Interview Setup<\/strong><\/p>\n

Where will the interview take place? \u00a0Again, grab your dice.<\/strong><\/p>\n

2: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 In prison
\n3: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 In a cave
\n4: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 At the protagonist\u2019s house
\n5: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 On a movie set
\n6: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 At a coffee shop
\n7: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 In a forest
\n8: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 On an airplane
\n9: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 At an art show\/event
\n10: \u00a0\u00a0 In a bookstore
\n11: \u00a0\u00a0 At the scene of the incident
\n12: \u00a0\u00a0 By phone\/internet<\/p>\n

I roll my dice on the above tables. \u00a0A 10 and a 7\u2026. \u00a0My character witnessed an auto accident and the interview takes place in the forest. \u00a0Interesting, since my protagonist is a former filmmaker turned professor in trouble for improper relations with a student. \u00a0This gives me a good background idea.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Write ten questions to ask your character. \u00a0<\/strong>Remember to use all those good journalistic queries, all the \u201cW Questions:\u201d Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How.<\/p>\n

Step Three: Conducting the Interview<\/strong><\/p>\n

Now, think of how the character reacts to the interview.<\/strong> \u00a0Put his\/her emotions into action. \u00a0Will he\/she be defensive, evasive, even angry? \u00a0Fully imagine the setting of the interview, using all of your senses \u2013 taste, smell, sight, touch, and sound (especially sound!).<\/p>\n

You will now act out the interview.<\/strong> \u00a0Read your questions and act out your character\u2019s answers aloud as he\/she would, using body language and putting yourself into the scene. \u00a0You are creating an embodied moment, discovering some of the hidden tics and mannerisms of your character as well as his\/her backstory.<\/p>\n

This is my interview:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Q: \u00a0Who were you with on the night of the accident?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Stanley stares fixedly into my eyes, then clinks the ice in his highball glass.<\/em>
\n \u201cA student, Marisa Montenez,\u201d he answers finally.<\/em><\/p>\n

Q: \u00a0What was the nature of your relationship with her?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Stanley peers down his nose at me, sniffing. \u00a0\u201cShe was a student. \u00a0I was mentoring her as she undertook some filmmaking about gang life.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Q: Why didn\u2019t you race to the scene of the crash when you saw it?<\/strong><\/p>\n

His eyes shift, and he stares up at the ceiling before answering. \u00a0\u201cI thought someone should stay with the car. \u00a0And I saw that it was being taken care of.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Q: What did you do when Marisa ran out to help the victims?<\/strong><\/p>\n

He looks at me and scratches his nose, frowning. \u00a0\u201cI stayed with the car, and I was there in case she needed help. \u00a0She was really amazing out there.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Q: Where were you going when the crash occurred?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWe were looking for documentary subjects, gang activities.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Q: How did the accident happen?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Stanley opens the curtains and slides open the window over our table to gaze out across the redwood grove. \u00a0The fresh scent of the air seems to invigorate him as he answers, \u201cWe heard shots, saw these cars barreling down the street. One of them hit the median and rolled into the other.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Q: When did you start going out on the film shoots with her?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cA few months into class. I saw that she was really talented and wanted to help her polish her stuff.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Q: Were you worried about her getting hurt?<\/strong><\/p>\n

He twirls his napkin a little in his fingers. \u201cYes. That was the reason I was out with her.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Q: Why did you want to stay hidden from the media?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I thought she deserved the attention. \u00a0She was the hero, and she doesn\u2019t need me meddling in her film career.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Q: \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What about your own? Were you worried that being seen with a young, attractive student might affect your filmmaking or teaching career?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cNot at all.\u201d \u00a0At that point, Stanley abruptly excuses himself, saying he has a lunch appointment in the lounge.<\/em><\/p>\n

Read the whole story, \u201cUntil Marisa,\u201d at my website, wyattgbessing.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Wyatt Bessing\u00a0is a writer, writing coach, and learning specialist. His stories and essays have appeared in\u00a0Bedtime-Story.com<\/a>, Outsider Ink, national educational assessment materials, and in the anthology\u00a0Dance, Human Rights, and Social Justice<\/em>. Through his workshops, website, and blog at\u00a0wyattgbessing.com<\/a>, he guides new and experienced writers in crafting more effective, expressive, and striking work. During the day, he works at Star Academy in San Rafael, teaching reading and comprehension skills to students with learning differences in elementary through high school. He lives in Santa Rosa, CA with his wonderful fiance and co-creator, Sarah Laugtug.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Welcome back to another one of Writer\u2019s Fun Zone\u2019s monthly columnists:\u00a0Wyatt Bessing. A writing coach and teacher, author,\u00a0Wyatt Bessing\u00a0shares his fun take on games, play, and how they help our writing. This month Wyatt...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":8926,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[1874,1891,1641,1892],"class_list":["post-8924","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-writing-tips","tag-protagonist","tag-roleplaying","tag-wyatt-bessing","tag-wyatt-g-bessing"],"yoast_head":"\nRoleplaying the Protagonist by Wyatt Bessing · Writer's Fun Zone<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Welcome back to another one of Writer\u2019s Fun Zone\u2019s monthly columnists: Wyatt Bessing. A writing coach and teacher, author, Wyatt Bessing shares his fun take on games, play, and how they help our writing. 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