Writer Wednesday - The Accidental Birth of a Character

Hocus Pocus and All That

By Maureen L. Bonatch 

 The Accidental Birth of a Character

Next time you’re in a public area look around until you can visualize a stranger. Take a good look at that person. Now describe them. Most likely you’ll use descriptive terms related to their age, hair color, weight, attire and other things that you can visualize. Now describe a close friend or relative. If you’re anything like me the description will be very different. I might start with something like, “She’s really funny.” Or “He’s the nicest guy.” Because after a while, I think we all go a little blind to the obvious, because we’re not just looking at physical characteristics. We’re looking a little deeper. 

No Method to My Madness 

Because my characters are more like a close friend or family member my character description is usually rooted in their personality. They’ve been living in my mind for so long, that their physical description might be incorporated, but usually it’s last, almost an afterthought. In fact, in one book I forgot to identify the color of the hero’s hair and had to go back and add in that information. My method might also be because my characters tend to arrive in my imagination and tell me how this whole story thing is going to go. 

Many authors will tell you that before they start writing they will work up detailed profiles of their character’s appearance and the setting. I admire this. Because I’ve rarely done that, and if I have done it for a writing class, then I’m often left feeling like I’ve already read half the story. For me, the fun of writing is discovering the story. 

What’s Their Story? 

When my girls were younger and we went to the beach, we used to sit on a bench on the boardwalk and take “people watching” a step further. We would play a game I called, What’s Their Story. I’d single out a stranger walking by and ask one of my girls, “What’s their story?” Then they would proceed to explain this person’s backstory and what brought them to the beach. This was fabulous fun, especially because my girls enjoyed the game as much as I did— and they were really good at it. 

Creating my own characters and story isn’t much different. If I really need some additional details a few times I’ve interviewed my characters. I ask them a question and then see what they have to say. I often find out some amazing things that I had no idea about before. So how do I work up my character and setting profiles? I don’t. 

What Do You Remember Most When You Meet Someone New? 

Originally published on www.maureenbonatch.com 

© 2022 Maureen Bonatch All Rights Reserved Maureen Bonatch believes music can be paired with every mood, laughter is contagious, and caffeine and wine are essential for survival. When she’s not doing the bidding of a feisty Shih Tzu, she’s a mom to twin daughters, exploring the beautiful woods of PA with her hubby and dancing as much as possible. She writes paranormal cozy mysteries as M.L. Bonatch, paranormal romance and other genres as Maureen Bonatch, and her latest urban fantasy will be as Amber Wrath. http://www.maureenbonatch.com/