I like the ideas Helen talks about. I always find the Creative Writing Coursebook useful and inspiring, there's an exercise in there that's similiar- about taking a character and a room and a mood, so for example, a tall woman in the loft, amused, or a young boy in the bathroom, angry.

Never heard of the Creative Writing Coursebook, Anna. Is that available to buy?
Susiex

It can also be useful (and fun) to look at the differing levels of objective or motivation within each scene. There can be an overt objective (e.g. to comfort someone in distress) a covert objective (to be physically close to that person because of an unvoiced desire for them, or to be one up on another potential comforter, say sibling rivalry) and a sublimated deeper objective which can be a constant unconscious decider for many of their actions, such as to be the one in control at all times, or the one others owe thanks to, or similar.

Does this make sense?

Sometimes I think characters close to ourselves are hardest to write because we don't choose to examine our subconscious motives, and maybe can't examine our core drives as we don't know what they are. It can help to focus on all the ways in which a character differs from you - from their physical looks and capabilities, their social standing, finances and health etc, and keep adjusting them until the emotional core of what you want to say is in tact but the character is invigorated by her differences from you.

Thanks, Cherys.
My teacher said something similar:
- What does your character say they want?
- What do they think they want?
- What do they really want?
Susiex

Another vote for the creative writing coursebook - it's written by tutors from the UEA course, and has all sorts of solutions for all sorts of problems. (And it is by my desk now as I type!). It's still available, and on Amazon.

But I completely agree that the characters closest to you are the hardest to write - I have exactly the same problem with 'transparent' main characters. And it can be something that's quite hard to pick up, because of course anyone who knows me reads me into it, and doesn't see a problem at all.

But don't give up on the characters in this novel just yet - I have rewritten time and again and, at least partially, solved the problem. In the main it was about putting much more of her interior monologue into the book, rather than just making her a silent, if acute, observer of other people. But to do this, I had to imagine much more how her backstory had affected her, what she would be thinking at any point in time, and then type out the whole book again and let her thoughts drift in where I could.

Thanks, vonsudenfed. Will look up The Creative Writing Coursebook.
Having pondered this character thing for several days now, I think part of the problem is that this character IS one-dimensional in many ways. She's a career-obsessed workaholic whose life outside work has dwindled to nothing. She is also unreflective and quite tough, except where her friendship with the other MC is concerned. And she's a half of me: oh dear Perhaps humour is a way of developing her...(and me).
Susiex

Well that already sounds like she has considerably more character than my transparent observers. It sounds more like she needs some individual touches. In particular - although I doubt she's as unsympathetic as you make her sound - she needs a couple of small redeeming features. Does she have one other part of her life that she approaches as obsessively - or a hidden corner of softness? If I think about my workaholic days in the media, I was just as obsessive about going to the gym, drinking too many coffees and so on, but was also deeply devoted to my ancient cat, loved my garden - and lived in a mess which I suspect was a clue to an inner disorder that I myself couldn't see at the time.

Although having written all that, I sound like a cliche; perhaps you can do better with her. I am thinking now of Margaret, from the Apprentice, who is also doing a PdD in Papyrology. Something like that.

<Added>

PhD. Gah.

Like the idea of messiness. Yes, I can see that. Thanks!
I'm fascinated by Margaret, and Nick. There's an incidence of characters revealing more of themselves, as they did in a recent interview. A PhD in what? Papyrus? Didn't you love her look when Michael So-bollocks punched the air when his team won, and her remark after being told that one of them had been a student at Edinburgh: Edinburgh is not what it was.
Susiex

Oh yes - and a good thought too. I like the idea of the kind of characters who slowly reveal an inner humour (mentally files away for later).

Someone emailed me a picture of Margaret's Look. It's genius. I am keeping it so I can practice for when I'm a grown up.

LOL! Susiex

Hi Susie

This has sort of been said already, but what about forgetting all about your present book and taking your character and writing a little story about her that takes place way before your book starts? Maybe if she's now 35, write something about what happened when she was 20. She doesn't have to resemble the person in your book initially, but she might end up that way and then you could see how she got there. This might give you more idea of who she is (not saying you don't know already, but maybe just little stuff) - she might have a whole story of her own. (do not write whole new book, obviously....!!!!)
Good luck!

Thanks, Hannah. It's a good idea. I'm saving all this up for when I get my report back from Hilary Johnson's reader. If she's of the same opinion as the other writer, then Something Must Be Done!
Susiex

Having pondered this character thing for several days now, I think part of the problem is that this character IS one-dimensional in many ways. She's a career-obsessed workaholic whose life outside work has dwindled to nothing. She is also unreflective and quite tough, except where her friendship with the other MC is concerned. And she's a half of me: oh dear

But haven't you just there articulated her problem? She's only half a person. She lacks the side to you that rounds you out and counterpoints those aspects. Give her her other half, if that makes sense. You'd have real fun there, making it as unlike you as you wanted.

Only thing is, Cherys, that her 'other half' could be said to be the other MC (who is the other half of me). Argh. One is unreflective and realistic, the other is dreamy and thoughtful, one is tough, the other gentle, one has loads of confidence, the other has low self esteem. Etc.
Susiex

But isn't that just on the surface? Under pressure don't the gentle ones reveal themselves to be tough, the hard nuts crumble etc?

I bet you'll find them each a separate other half uncommon to you personally.