Character Speeches?

no but sounds like an interesting exercise. give it a go.

Taylor Harbin said:

Heard about this technique in an author interview. Basically, the gist is this: "Write a speech for your characters. Make it the same speech for each one, but think about how each person would say things. This way you'll know how characters of different education, background, ethnicity, etc. talk and you won't confuse them when writing."

I'm experimenting with this approach, as I have a wide array of characters for my next novel. Has anyone else tried it?

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I think it might work for those kinds of characters that would actually be inclined to give a speech. For example, my main character is more of a doer than a talker, how would writing a speech through her perspective help me better understand her?

I'm not knocking the exercise, I just don't think it would apply to all characters.

I love this sort of writing exercise. It sounds like a wonderful idea.

You might also try an exercise I have used a few times and that is writing journal entries for your characters. Ignore the likelihood or availability of the character actually being able to make a journal entry at the time (hat tip to Star Trek) and write the journal as the character just before or following a major event in their story.

It gives you a chance to really dive into the character's head and shape their reactions. Just remember that most journal-writers write with the assumption that no one else will ever read what is written (or listen to what was magically or digitally recorded and stored...pick your flavor.)

I don't want to know any of those things about a character. If such things are needed in a story, they'll come up as I write. If they aren't needed, there's no need to spend time worrying about them.

Jamesaritchie said:

I don't want to know any of those things about a character. If such things are needed in a story, they'll come up as I write. If they aren't needed, there's no need to spend time worrying about them.

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By Jove, am I agreeing with JAR?!

Jamesaritchie said:

I don't want to know any of those things about a character. If such things are needed in a story, they'll come up as I write. If they aren't needed, there's no need to spend time worrying about them.

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My MC informs me that if I want a damn speech, I can bloody well write it myself.

It sounds useful for when you're having trouble distinguishing characters, sort of a training exercise for the author.

Taylor Harbin said:

That's kinda what I meant, patterns of speech.

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Ah, that could indeed be useful practice, especially if you're not naturally imitative.