Using Facebook and Twitter as Your Character

The wonderful thing about bloggers

...is bloggers are wonderful things. No but seriously, the wonderful things about the new age of social networking is that you can create new and exciting ways to interact with your audience. You can have your characters tweet (My favorite TV show "Community" created an actual twitter based on the character Troy's tweeting Old White Man Says)


The character of Leo Wool is loosely based on the very real literary critic Harold Bloom. Some of the lines Leo speaks on Facebook, twitter are his own and some are direct quotes appropriated from Harold Bloom. 


The purpose of this is to draw attention to the blurred lines between fact and fiction in the creation of fictional characters based on real people. Plus, Harold Bloom says really hilarious, wonderful things.


That's why I'm giving this a shot. Imagining what Leo would say about certain things my friends post on Facebook. Having him weigh in and be inflammatory, opinionated, delightful, curmudgeony. We'll see if it gets some people interested in the play. I guess real success would be if I got people responding, arguing or agreeing with him. If not, at least I am getting to know my main character better.

For those interested in doing this for their own characters, these are the different ways I engage with the Life of Leo Wool's facebook page:


As Leo commenting on pop culture, media, and art (written by me) 

Directly quoting Harold Bloom but giving credit to Leo.

As myself playing along that Leo is a real person.

As myself sharing real information about process, production, and play writing. This serves not only to develop a personal connection with a potential audience.

And maybe most importantly, as a way to call out for help, resources, ideas, and talented allies.