While doodling with the kids this past week I focused on character creation.  So often (for me anyway) a character emerges as a sketch before I know what her story is.  Usually as I am sketching away, spending time with the character, the story begins to reveal itself to me – some of it anyway.  That has not been the case with the most recent story I’ve been working on.  I conceptualized the story.  I figured out my structure.  I even wrote my first draft, but I still hadn’t met my main character face to face (visually at least).  Now most writers wouldn’t think twice about this I suppose, but as a storyteller who approaches the craft from the visual perspective, well, that just has not been my modus operandi.  It left me feeling uncomfortable.

So what better way to work out this problem than surrounded by 8 elementary students. I let the kids know what I was up to.  I previewed the story for them.  I started to dig in.  I received on the fly feedback throughout the week.  It was invaluable.

The kids “liked” this boy the best, but felt that this was not the main character.  “He looks a little too calm.”  Agreed.

The energy of this kid seemed to be working. Curly hair became a must.

In action. Sneakers seem to work.

Getting duded up. This is a kid ready for anything. This is THE hair.

I brought these sketches to my adult crit group yesterday.  This final sketch is the kid, but there will be some costuming tweaks.  Thanks New England Crit Group With No Name.

Bonus sketch:

Halloween is coming. Bring on the monsters.