Ideas come from job titles…
Once I have my basic plotline, I like to use this method to create great character lines and reactions to situations.
Pick a few job titles at random. I think it makes it more fun if you list a few, put them in a hat and draw how ever many you want out at random.
For example, an army officer, a chef and a school caretaker.
You can have as many as you want but I always start with a few and then build if necessary.
Once I have the job roles, I write a short scene, perhaps three pages set in a lifeless room. The characters interact with one another.
For example, how differently would the caretaker speak to the chef than the army officer?
The other great thing about this is that you can choose any gender for the characters. Half way through, I sometimes change the gender and see how this changes the situation.
It always amazes me how quickly the characters come alive.
From the pieces of dialogue I have written in this exercise, I can then try to fit them in to my other scripts.
The opinions and views in this article are that of my own and not my employer.
Gemma Hodgson's Blog 