Let Your Characters Speak for Themselves (article) by Mac McConnell on AuthorsDen

It is much more important than just a clever way to capture the audience; it changes the impact on the performer. It was beyond pretending. It is that acting magic when you feel like the person you want the audience to believe you are. The clincher is this. When you feel it-chances are the audience will too. I was astounded when I first witnessed a one-man drama and the dramatist literally took on other characters in his own play. I will give you this-he was really good, but it totally caught me off guard. Not only did he capture me with the main "speaker" of the play, the Apostle Mark, but the other personalities were as believable. I was hooked. I was captivated. He portrayed Mark as I said. Then he was Jesus, then a madman, then a Pharisee, then a leper, then a blind man, then--I can't remember them all. But what I do remember is, that performance changed my approach to my fledgling little play even the way I read the Bible. It is much more important than just a clever way to capture the audience; it changes the impact on the performer. It was beyond pretending. It is that acting magic when you feel like the person you want the audience to believe you are. The clincher is this. When you feel it-chances are the audience will too. The "secret" to this process is to sincerely rehearse in each persona. Don't say, "Mr. Rogers said -- Actually speak for Mr. Rogers in complete character even if you made the whole thing up. The best practice is to mimic commercial personalities-I have said this before-but you may have missed it. You might be amazed at how well you can impersonate commercial characters on the fly, even the Geiko gecko. "That would be lovely now wouldn't it." What does this have to do with writing? Same thing applies. Don't write for your characters-let your characters write for themselves. "Hey, who-do-you think you are, you jerk?" Or something like that. Your writing will soar, and your characters will thank you. Well at least your readers will. This simple technique is what will keep your readers coming back for more. The most delicious comment I receive from my little novella is, "I felt like I was there. I felt like I was in Bozra's sandals." That my friends, is all you can ask for. What does this have to do with writing? Same thing applies. Don't write for your characters-let your characters write for themselves. "Hey, who-do-you think you are, you jerk?" Or something like that. Your writing will soar, and your characters will thank you. Well at least your readers will. This simple technique is what will keep your readers coming back for more. The most delicious comment I receive from my little novella is, "I felt like I was there. I felt like I was in Bozra's sandals." That my friends is all you can ask for. What does this have to do with writing? Same thing applies. Don't write for your characters-let your characters write for themselves. "Hey, who-do-you think you are, you jerk?" Or something like that. Your writing will soar, and your characters will thank you. Well at least your readers will. This simple technique is what will keep your readers coming back for more. The most delicious comment I receive from my little novella is, "I felt like I was there. I felt like I was in Bozra's sandals." That my friends is all you can ask for.
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