I Is For Insight

There are all kinds of ways to gain insight into characters. Finding the answers to the big questions like a character’s greatest fear and their most treasured possession or their attitude towards money is helpful in creating multi-layered characters. Character interviews are very helpful. But sometimes you need to have a little bit of fun with them. Have them play a game. Like truth or dare.

They’d rented a cabin for the weekend. All six of them. Deep in the north woods by a small lake. The perfect spot. Secluded and quiet. Hiking trails through the bush, pickerel in the lake, and plenty of dead wood for an evening fire after plenty of the first two. Stars flooded the sky. Wood smoke wafted. Marshmallows flamed at the end of sticks.

Lily clapped her hands together. “Let’s play truth of dare.”

Chase leaned over and confiscated his wife’s wineglass. “You’re cut off.”

Lily grabbed for her glass. “Ooooh, is the big, bad police officer scared?”

Grace snorted. “Remember that time at camp when we stuck out down to the beach and dared Chase to go skinny dipping?

“That poor bear!” Kate doubled over in laughter.

“Poor bear, my ass. I almost died.”

Seth held out a hand and Mike reached into the cooler beside his chair. “This I gotta hear.”

“Nope.” Lily grinned, her red hair glinting in the firelight. “But you can ask him when it’s your turn to play.”

“I’ll go first.” Kate twisted to face Seth. “Truth or dare?”

Seth shrugged. “What the hell, truth.” Continue reading →