By
DiAnn Mills
I
live and breathe story—most writers do. And we’re always looking for ways to
ensure our characters and their predicaments are exciting and unique. Some of
the places we look can be a bit . . . different. But the exploration is worth
it.
Here
are a few areas in which I’ve found ways to add idiosyncrasies to character,
plot, dialogue, setting, emotion, narration, body language, and symbolism. You
might find your next plot twist there too.
Coffee,
Tea, or Milk?
I
admit my characters drink coffee. Usually black. But what about a tea drinker?
What brand? Sugar or cream? Use a tea bag or steep the leaves? Visit a shop that
carries tea and check out the buyers. You’ll find all sizes and ages. What if
your character is a milk drinker? Whole milk or two percent? Your character
could despise coffee, tea, is lactose intolerant and drinks only lemonade.
Grocery
Store
Everyone
needs to buy food, and most of us develop habits that stick throughout life.
Does your character smell the pineapple? Squeeze a head of lettuce? Always buys two of each kind of fruit. Only selects organic products? Despises vegetables
and replaces them with green apples? What about your character’s choice of
candy—from gummy worms to dark chocolate? Does your character save the dairy
and bakery department until last, or does the ice cream always melt by the time
he/she gets to the checkout line?
Habits
Observe
what is going on the next time you’re at a hair or nail salon. Women can have
some crazy habits regarding their hair, fingers, and toes, everything from
color to style. What about a woman at a hardware store searching for nails or
plumbing supplies? Open up a character’s closet. Is it organized and tidy or a
train wreck? Study those people at a family reunion. Who resembles whom and
what mannerisms make them distinct?
Pets
Who
doesn’t love a devoted dog, cat, or horse? Does your character have a hamster
that keeps the owner up all night? A pot-belly pig that’s housebroken? An
obnoxious parrot?
Mall
Walkers
I
used to think the only mall walkers were of the seasoned citizen variety, but
not so. I see women pushing strollers and men joining them. Some of the walkers
window-shop, sip coffee, chat on the phone, make sure they don’t work up a
sweat, and (my personal favorite) pump their arms and legs as though heading
for the Olympic gold.
Water
Park
Preferably
in the summer because the writer will want to participate in the fun. This is
another place to snap a ton of pics. Who zooms down a water slide? Who’s the
man who doesn’t want to get wet? Who’s there to show off his/her body? Who
could care less how he/she looks—those enthusiasts just want to have fun.
Workout
Facility
Sometimes
this can be compared to a zoo. Need I say more?
Zoo
What
about a character who has a snake, parrot, iguana, or monkey pig for a pet?
Tour your zoo. Take pics. A few of the animals might resemble your characters.
Distinct
details about our stories can be found anywhere. Search out for real people in
real situations. You never know what you might find.
How
do you find distinct characters?
__________________________________________________________
DiAnn
Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an
adventure. She combines unforgettable characters with unpredictable plots to
create action-packed, suspense-filled novels. Her titles have appeared on the
CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for
the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award
contests. Library Journal presented her with a Best Books 2014: Genre
Fiction award in the Christian Fiction category for Firewall. DiAnn is a
founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of
Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Sisters in Crime, and International
Thriller Writers. She is co-director of The Blue Ridge Mountain Christian
Writers Conference and The Author Roadmap with social media specialist Edie
Melson where she continues her passion of helping other writers be successful.
She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country. DiAnn
has been termed a coffee snob and roasts her own coffee beans. She’s an avid
reader, loves to cook, and believes her grandchildren are the smartest kids in
the universe. She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas. Her latest book Deep Extraction releases, today. DiAnn is very
active online and would love to connect with readers on any of the social media
platforms listed at www.diannmills.com
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