The Casting Approach

So far, the advice I’ve given has been “character first”. You start by assembling a list of compelling characters, and let the plot come from their choices and interactions.

But what if you work the other way around? What if you’re a planner, an outliner, and you already have this great idea for a plot … but need the right characters for it?

In that case, most authors recommend the casting approach.

How does it work?

For this to work, you already need to know the plot of the first few scenes or chapters of your story.

Now you invent a character and then write those first few chapters using that character.

Once done, you check how that felt. Did the character fit? Was it exciting, or was the character fighting against the plot? Do I feel confident about this character? Does their personality, goals, limitations align well with my plans for the plot?

If so, great! Keep it, continue writing the story.

If not, scrap it. Pick a different character, usually one that’s extremely different, and try again. Write the first few chapters again, but now with the new personality.

Keep “casting” character ideas until you find the one that works best!

An example

Say I want to write a redemption story. I have all the plot beats lined up: the big scenes, the big revelations, the climax.

I just need the character to walk through them. I invent one and try to write the story. After ~5 chapters, I realize I made my character too likeable already! There’s no real redemption going on, as there’s not much to redeem.

I discard those chapters and cast a different character. I purposely make them dark, mean, flawed. After ~5 chapters … you realize this character does not create empathy. They’re too mean, too frustrating, too inactive.

So you discard those chapters and cast a different character. You seek a different blend of flaws and bad traits, combined with a core of decency and a more active personality. You write the chapters, and after a while you just keep going, because it’s working!

Tada, through this “casting” approach you have found the perfect character to fit into your story.

Now write!

It’s as simple as that. Now write a story using this approach.

You need …

• To figure out a chunk of the plot (regardless of character) beforehand
• Then cast character after character
• Until you find the character (or group of characters) that works best

I am personally a very character-driven writer and have a hard time imagining plot without character first. My plots come from the main character and their goals.

But I know that many writers think the other way around. Their head starts out with “big moments”, “cool scenes”, and perhaps a narrative structure they want to follow. If that’s you, this technique will probably work great for you! You already have your plot, now cast your characters—like a job interview—to find the best fit.