Vivid characters are an essential part to any story. Without strong characters, the story can seem uninteresting and fall apart.
Understanding your characters is a good way to develop them. One creative way to explore your characters is to find songs that describe them.
For example, I have a character named Victoria who’s fighting on the bad side but has a good heart. She wants to protect her family, so she’s on the side that she believes will win no matter how wrong it seems.
Daughters of Darkness by Halestorm fits her. The lyrics “We came to battle baby / We came to win the war / We won’t surrender / Till we get what we’re lookin’ for” and “We stand together / No we’re not afraid / We’ll live forever / Daughters of darkness” explains her well.
Another example would be For You by Demi Lovato. The lyrics “For you / I’d do anything for you / Nail my heart to the ceiling / I’d put my fist through a wall” describes how she feels toward her family.
From these songs, I can understand Victoria more. Her feelings and actions become more clear in my head and my story.
Exploring your characters through music helps you understand who your characters are. The more you understand them, the better they’ll be written.
Robin LeeAnn 