Lesson 2 activity: Creating character through stereotype combinations

This is a fun and effective activity for developing characters for fiction writing. I'm not sure where I got this activity from because it's not my idea, but unfortunately I've lost it - my bad. Apologies to the author out there...

It's useful for 

Anyway, it's a great activity which I've used in writing workshops .

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Character composition strategy 

In this activity you will use a strategy of combining stereotypes a tool for creating well rounded characters. At first it sounds like it would create two dimensional characters because it involves using stereotypes, but in combination they create a person that is interesting.

Here's an example:

Stereotype 1: Male surfer

Characteristics: young, blonde hair, toned, scruffy, laissez-faire, irreverent, personable.

Stereotype 2: Male undertaker (funeral director)

Characteristics: older, black suit, conservative, unemotional, impersonal, tall, skinny, pale.

In combination

Matt surfs at dawn, conducts funerals at midday, and parties hard all night, usually wearing the black and white suit from the funeral. He's tall and skinny, but with olive skin. His hair is constantly scruffy, even at funerals, and he jokes far too much at the wake. The friends and relatives of the deceased like his easy-going nature - it eases their grief; while the immediate family and spouse find him politically incorrect and his good-natured humour about life and death offensive. He doesn't know it, but he smells of sea salt and formaldehyde, making it terribly hard to find a girlfriend.

Activity

Working in pairs, choose one of the following character stereotypes to create a new character - or choose your own. Combining the stereotypes that contrast the most usually gives the best result. For each stereotype that you choose you need to list at least five characteristics then write three sentences that describe you character. Write your responses in your blog with a post title "Creating character through stereotype combinations". Make sure you include the name of your writing partner.

Stereotypes: Fighter pilot, cop, nurse, nun, house mum, high school principal, street kid, politician, doctor, priest, surfer, footy player, netball player, business person, author, absent father.