Depth in Streets, Avenues, & Alleyways

Characters can be so much fun to work with. That's my favorite part of writing. I tend to get a flash of an idea for a plot, and where that comes from no one knows. Do-do-do... Usually, immediately after that, an image pops into my head. Sometimes it's detailed, while other times it's not.

credit

I may see hair color or a simple crook at the corner of said character's grin. A scarf may suddenly appear around the character's neck, or I may get the sense of shyness or even a tendency to back away as if he/she is hiding something. Maybe running or avoiding.

There are many ways in which a writer can add depth to a character. I'm going to focus on dressing the character as if he/she is a blank mannequin. We'll leave story, plot and other elements for another post.

1. Physical Features: this is an avenue that can take all sorts of directions and usually is one of the first to direct a reader as to who the character is. There is so much fun to have here. Take chances with these. We never know the links we can create throughout the story by adding a simple nose ring or maybe blue eyes.
2. Chosen Physical Appears: basically I'm referring to a character's fashion sense. Each of us has individuality when it comes to our choice of attire. Think carefully about putting those combat boots on the debutante girl and why she'd wear them. Is she trying to tick off her parents. Or maybe she's involved in some secret society. Either way, risk it but have a reason.
3. Background: this is the simple one, yet hard all in the same thought. We can do anything with our character's pasts as long as it leads the reader to the beginning of THIS story, the one you're writing right now. Some information you dream up might be the most fantastical and interesting elements to a character, yet it does not fit or add to the story. It does not move the story forward. Leave it out, but make sure you save it for another story. You never know when it might come in handy.
4. Likes and Dislikes: just like each of us, our characters need to enjoy and/or avoid aspects of their world, whether you've created a new world or not. Give them a dislike that's challenging and bounces of their world, making it harder for them to move forward. 
5. Emotional Baggage: I HEART this part of deepening a character and could write a series about it! You can take the psyche of a character and intertwine it within the plot, subplots, interactions with secondary characters, their world, and all four of the above elements. The choices you make here to deepen the character will have a profound affect on the entire story. Emotions move, motivate, and inspire plot.

How do you imagine your characters? Does it come in a flash? Do you outline their characteristics or do a character interview?

TBR Tuesday: Why We Broke Up

Why We Broke Up was one of those books that sat on my ARC pile for quite a while. The cover seemed cute enough, but the premise was not one that sucked me in. A character whining about why she broke up? Really?

But I was sooo glad I picked it up and read it. Min has an amazing voice and I adored all the references to old films. I've seen some people complain about the run-on sentences (and they can sometimes go for a page) but I actually enjoyed them and felt they fit the character. I could easily picture this girl, her heart broken, sitting in the car writing a letter to her ex. THIS is how I would write it.

So go add Why We Broke Up to your Goodreads account and pick it up when it comes out!!

And while you're waiting, head over to the Why We Broke Up project and share your stories. Or head over to Daniel Handler's alter-ego, Lemony Snicket :)

Goodreads Synopsis:

I'm telling you why we broke up, Ed. I'm writing it in this letter, the whole truth of why it happened.

Min Green and Ed Slaterton are breaking up, so Min is writing Ed a letter and giving him a box. Inside the box is why they broke up. Two bottle caps, a movie ticket, a folded note, a box of matches, a protractor, books, a toy truck, a pair of ugly earrings, a comb from a motel room, and every other item collected over the course of a giddy, intimate, heartbreaking relationship. Item after item is illustrated and accounted for, and then the box, like a girlfriend, will be dumped.

Whoseywhatsit Thursday: Crit Style

It's the first Thursday of the month (actually, the first DAY of the month--OMG can you believe it's DECEMBER?!) which means it's time for another critique sign-up!

This month, I thought we'd explore EMOTION.  Have you ever had your heart speed up while writing a scene?  Start bawling to the point where you had to stop writing because you couldn't see the screen?  Feel sick to your stomach when your character got into a sticky situation?

Have you ever then sent those scenes to beta readers or critique partners and gotten a response like, "Eh, I'm not feeling this."  "I don't understand why she's crying here."  "I'm confused."

If you have an emotionally heavy scene (could be anything: romantic, scary, embarrassing, whatever), here's your opportunity to see if it works.

If you are interested in a critique of up to 500 words of an emotional scene from your YA novel, please comment with your email address.  We will draw a name after noon on Sunday, email the winner, and post our comments next Thursday.