Getting to Know Your Characters through Monologue
Written by MVWG Member Tracy Helixon
A few years ago, on a family summer road trip, we passed a section of rolling hills along a country road. Sunlight cast a glow on the hillside, highlighting several soft and vivid shades of green. I told the kids to take note. It felt as if we were driving through a painting.
I glanced over at my husband in the driver’s seat. “Jonathan would love this,” I said.
Jonathan is not a real person. He is the protagonist in my debut novel, Fields of Promise, which had yet to be finished or published on the day of that road trip.
Realizing what I had just said, I shook my head and grinned. I had spent a lot of time on my manuscript that summer. Clearly, Jonathan had come to life for me during that process. Hopefully, he would someday come to life for readers too.
One of the best pieces of advice I’ve heard as a writer comes from writer and historian David McCullough, who says to “marinate your head in character research.” Read the books your characters would read. Listen to their music. Eat the foods they would eat, and walk where they would walk.
Inspired by this advice, I gave my Creative Writing students a new assignment this spring. I asked them to write, perform, and record a brief character monologue. In the process, they spoke in their characters’ voices and walked in their characters’ shoes. I had a blast reviewing their final projects.
Sound intriguing? Here’s how to make it happen:
1) Brainstorm a situation your character might experience that would result in the character speaking for 45 to 90 seconds (approximately 250 to 500 words).
Maybe you already have a scenario in mind. If not, these ideas might help:
giving a toast at a wedding
reacting to bad news
reacting to good news
sharing part of a news report
accepting an award
speaking at a press conference
demonstrating how to shoot a basketball
auditioning for a part
responding to someone on the phone
2) Write a short script that includes the setting, as well as the character’s lines, gestures, and optional sound effects. See the sample script at the end of this list for more details.
3) Include at least three gestures that help to reveal character. Indicate gestures with [SQUARE BRACKETS AND ALL CAPS] within the script.
4) Optional: Consider including a recorded sound effect to show how the character reacts to the sound, or props to show how the character interacts with the objects. Indicate sound effects with [SFX: Type of Sound] within the script.
Depending on your setting, sound effects might include a honking horn, barking dog, knock at the door, footsteps, or anything along those lines.
You can find many sounds effects on YouTube by typing Footsteps Sound Effects, for example, in YouTube’s search bar.
5) Practice the monologue at least three times to help capture your character’s personality. Memorizing the monologue is not required. Give some thought not only to the specific words your character might use, but also how your character would say those words, including elements like posture, gestures, and facial expressions.
6) From here, you have a couple of options. As a solo activity, you could record the video and then watch it back to gain insights. Or, this could be a fun activity for a critique group to explore together.
Sample Script Format
Always the Bridesmaid
A Character Monologue by Jill Martinez
Setting: Modern day wedding reception. Sarah grabs a microphone and begins to speak.
Sarah: [TAPS MICROPHONE] Hello! Is this thing on?
[SFX: Feedback from microphone]
[GLARES AT MICROPHONE]
Well, you don’t have to be that way about it! [LOOKS AT CEILING AND CLEARS THROAT] Anyway, hello, everyone! I guess I’m supposed to give a toast or something.
The monologue would continue here.
Looking for inspiration? Try searching for “one-minute monologues” on YouTube for a variety of ideas and examples. Next, consider how this exercise could make its way to the page. These reflection questions might help:
What did you learn about your character?
How can you use these lessons to add descriptive character details to your writing?
Finally, try revising or writing a scene with these new insights in mind.
I’m only guessing, but I think Jonathan would approve of this exercise. What about your characters? Do they have monologues to share with you? If so, I hope you’ll give it a try. Keep writing!
Tracy Schuldt Helixon is an author, teacher, wife, and mom who seeks out creativity, goodness, and chocolate, and can’t stop smiling each time she finds it. Her debut novel, Fields of Promise, was released by Winged Publications in 2021, followed by a sequel novella, Merry Christmas, Indeed, that same year. She is also the author of two children’s books and several short stories and poems. Recently, Tracy learned about character monologues while completing an online graduate certificate in Creative Teaching through Drama at The Catholic University of America. You can connect with Tracy and learn more about her and her work on her website.