Soliloquy Speaking: Bring Depth to Your Characters. Day 14 of the Total Writer Transformation

in #writing6 years ago

So much happens behind the scenes of every decision and problem. The inner dialogue you have in your head when you are faced with an important choice is a soliloquy.

Soliloquies let the audience know what the character is thinking. This is different from the dialogue as it never spoken to other characters- its purpose is to let the audience in on what that character is thinking. Identifying and recording your characters soliloquy during key times will drive the story and bring a depth and human aspect to your creations.

Not all soliloquies must be written into your story! Even the ones you don't publish are extremely important to you the author.

I make a descriptive outline for every character I create. I list their physical details, give them hobbies and styles, and even a bad habit or two. We're all human and habits come along with that. The more real and relatable you can make your character the easier your audience will accept and become emotionally invested in them- even the bad guys.

Inner dialogue is an ever-present part of being human. Our inner voice plays in the background frequently, as it would for your character if he were alive. Utilize this dramatic tool and note your characters soliloquy. This will do amazing things for your story, including:

  • Depth. Your created characters will feel more real to the readers. It will open the character's soul and speak the words that have been universally played in the heads of each of us all our lives.

  • Drive. The plot will drive itself when you know how your character reacts.

  • Understanding. Both you as the creator and the audience will have a deeper insight into the personality of a character, his or her emotions, and how and why they react.

  • Empathy. It is important for the audience to feel empathy for characters. Emotional investment drives the reader to turn the page.

  • Honesty and vulnerability. When people talk to others they can omit, sugarcoat, or completely change information. When you talk to yourself you tend to tell the whole, raw truth.

Today's Challenge

Choose a dilemma in your plot where your character has a difficult decision and write a soliloquy. Place yourself in their frame of reference and really get into the mind of your character and use the appropriate fears, unease, angst, agonies or uncertainties they would be facing.

If you are not currently writing a story, choose a character from your favorite book or television show and imagine them having to make a difficult decision.


This is a helpful exercise for life, too. When you become aware that internal dialogue is present in dramatic situations, you will realize that there is so much that happens that you will never know, and you will gain a more patient understanding that helps form a deeper compassion. In an argument for instance- when you have a fight with a loved one, you are only hearing a small portion of the "truth", plus both of your "egos" are vying for attention and overriding the issue at hand. This will help you understand that there is so much more going on and give you a chance to delve deeper and see the real root of the issue and why their argument is important and valid to them. Rarely is anyone "wrong" in an argument.


Soliloquies will open your mind to the truth, in your writing and your life :)




Images via Creative Commons and Pexels

Be a Better Writer in Just One Month! Join the 31 Day Writing Challenge to transform your writing and your life!

Day 1 The Truth About Making Time For Writing
Day 2 How to Incorporate Ideas From Life in Your Writing
Day 3 Master the Art of Captivating Your Readers
Day 4 Banishing Distractions
Day 5 Get Your Writing Noticed!
Day 6 The Importance of Morning Pages
Day 7 Why You Should Write Even if You're Not a Writer
Day 8 How to Personify an Object
Day 9 How to Use Writing Prompts to Improve Your Skills
Day 10 Why You Need an Email List
Day 11 There is a Best Time to Write!
Day 12 Your Future Path
Day 13 Do You Know How to Eat an Elephant?



I appreciate your support :)





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I list their physical details, give them hobbies and styles, and even a bad habit or two

This is the greatest thing I have learned from this post today. I never thought of this but it's easier for me to see how smoothly my story would go if I create a persona for each of my character. It will make it seems more like I'm narrating a true story. Thanks for this.

It is so helpful! Even the things you do not share with the reader helps you to understand the character better, which brings depth into how you write them :)

I'm so happy this will help your story!

Thank you for the article, as writing is something new to me, and something I've always been scared of, your articles really make it something nice and simpler in my mind. I actually started using it as a self therapy and the more I write, the more I like it :)

That is amazing to hear! The writers journey is a meaningful one, cherish it as you grow <3

I have been enjoying this series so much. I do short stories and a variety of writing projects with my Gr. 8's every year and as much as we go over different strategies, some still struggle with building characters and plotlines. I find once they can get a good prompt they are able to get moving forward. It helps so much to write about the things you know and are interested in. They get into difficulty when they try to write about things they have no knowledge of.

I think we all have a greater difficulty with writing about things we don't know much about, or care much about, no matter our age.

That's one thing I found with my writing students: they need to be interested in the subject they are to write about, otherwise it's just "work" and they aren't as likely to fall in love with writing and keep it up...

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Soliloquy is really good, when you talk to yourself you put yourself in the plot and understand what the character is going through, how they feel and how they must react

Yes! It brings a profoundly deep understanding :)

Outstanding layouts. Lovely 😁😀

I think doing this is precisely the reason why I get so attached to my characters, even the bad guys. And then I'm sad when I kill them off, or when a hero dies. Sometimes I wonder what would happen if I ended up in one of my stories and came face to face with some characters. "Sorry, you're going to die. I'm sorry I wrote you off!" I might die if I told them that, depending who I told and what their reaction was lol

Lol, right! You could be done away with if they are not happy with your choices ;)

an interesting series so far @arbitrarykitten.... each post of the series has given more more knowledge than i knew before. I need to spend more time on building characters.

I am so glad it is helpful for you!

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