When I create a character, I have an image in mind of what they look like, but I’m a very visual person, and to keep things straight in my head, I prefer to have pictures of my characters for reference. If I was the artistic sort, this would be easy, but… I’m not. So instead, I go in search of actors or models or musicians who look like the image in my head. It’s not always an exact match, but with the help of some fabulous friends (who get the way my mind works) and the magic of the internet, I can usually come pretty damn close.
When I first imagined Bryce, the male lead in The Devil You Know, the first thought I had was that he needed to have a certain type of bad-boy look. Not the long hair, motorcycle-riding bad boy, but something quieter–the type of guy you look at and think “Hmm, he could be dangerous.” But he also had to be sexy. I pictured him dark and mysterious, but with very expressive eyes. A strong jawline. And muscles, he had to have muscles.
It wasn’t so much that I built the character around him, but once I started really thinking about Bryce and who he was as a person, I knew there was only one choice for a character model. My friends, I give you the closest thing to Bryce Owens that the media currently has to offer:
Thank you, Mark Salling, for being the perfect combination of strong good looks and charisma with a hint of darkness.
LOVE this blog post! I do the exact same thing and can usually be found scouring IMDB lol. My hubs made me a really cool collage that I have as my desktop pic of all the characters from my WIP so it keeps everyone straight in my head lol.
By the way, if Mark Salling is the representative for your male lead, when the heck can I read this book?!?! lol. Love him.
LOL A friend of mine actually made me a couple of wallpapers for this particular story. As far as reading the story, it’s out with some people, but believe me if and when it’s available, I will be jumping up and down and screaming here. (Keep your fingers crossed)
He’s a hottie! I do the same thing.
First of all…yum!
Second, I’ve never cast my characters like that. I have basic descriptions in my notes, but the visual has never been something I needed. When I searched for “models” for a banner, my boyfriend and I actually argued over who to pick because he pictured the characters one way and I pictured them another. I said, “Hello. I”m the writer/creator so I am right.” He argued, “I’m the reader, the intended recipient so I am right.”
Go figure!
Danni, I know a lot of authors don’t do it. There are some who look down on those of us that do, but I think they have this concept that we’re “casting the movie” which isn’t (necessarily–hey I speak for me, I don’t know what other writers are thinking) true.
I will admit, I have run into something like you mentioned. One of my “first readers” was talking to me about a character and I mentioned he kind of looked like Orlando Bloom when his hair is dark and longish. She responded with “Really? I pictured him more like Cillian Murphy!” I suppose there are similarities there, but to me they have very different looks LOL.