I think all of us writers are guilty of having flat characters from one time or another. You think you have created a person full of depth just to find out your character is lacking personality.
So how do you give your character depth?
I like to look at the little things that make a character who he or she is.
-Maybe your character eats at a certain restaurant every Thursday night.
-Is your character left or right handed?
-What is your characters favorite flavor of ice cream?
-Maybe your character never ties their shoelaces, or they tuck them in their shoes.
-Your character's bedroom walls are plastered with posters of bands or artists he or she likes.
-What genre of music does your character like best? Does he or she enjoy listening to music?
-Does your character play any sports? Does he or she enjoy watching any sports? Does he or she think sports are a waste of time?
Please feel free to add your own pieces of advice below in the comments.
Shannon
As a writer, it is important to stay inspired. Inspiration can lead to a phrase or a line that turns into a poem, short story, or even a basic idea for a novel.
When experiencing writer's block, I always look outside my bedroom window and watch the trees. I watch the sun hit each leaf (or pine needle). I watch how the branches sway in the wind. I can see the curve of each leaf and the bend in each branch. After a few minutes, my mind is racing with ideas of what to write.
But what if I am not able to look outside? What if I am in a classroom or copped up in my bed at night? Where do I find inspiration then?
Inspiration can be found anywhere. I observe my surroundings each and every day. I keep track of them and save them to use in my writing.
-I watch how a child's face lights up as he or she slides down a big scary slide at the playground. Was the child nervous about sliding? Was there an incident beforehand that would cause that child to fear sliding? Was the slide a monumental decision in this child's life that leads to greater decisions down the line?
-I watch a dog's eyes as he or she watches for a treat. Do you see this look in other animals eyes? Humans' eyes?
-I watch the miserable grocery stocker in the soup can aisle. Why is he or she here? Why does the stocker look so sad? Did he or she experience a lose recently?
-I watch an older woman feeding pigeons on the park bench. Does she come here every day? Perhaps she used to come her often with a loved one who has passed away or maybe she loves to give back to nature through feeding her creatures.
I watch nature. The grass, flowers, trees, lakes, etc. I watch the way they move and admire their appearance.
Observations can lead to a thousand questions that can become a piece of writing. All there is to do is look and become inspired.
Shannon
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