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Healthy Horizons

People We Know Give Us Character

I was reading through my favorite magazine, Bonkers?, the other day and it had some interesting points regarding the character of people and their relationships with ourselves. The article discussed different behaviors. I laughed, not because it was meant to be humorous, but because I had never given it much thought.

One scenario was about chronic complainers. We all know the type - those who call us up or visit and do nothing but complain. We listen attentively and offer suggestions but no matter what we advise, it isn't feasible to the person in question. The real kicker is this: while our friend is complaining, he/she is becoming more relaxed while we begin to tense and become frustrated. This is a transferred emotion.

My point in sharing this is that, as writers, we are obligated to give our readers true characters. We have to know our characters, what they think, how they feel, their background, etc. If we fail to do so, then we produce a story with something missing and cheat our reading public.

The scenario above proved how easily it is to overlook something important to the character. Building character is a task all it's own. We must build them from the bottom and add to them as we go along, making sure we personify their important qualities - who they are.

Sometimes everything we need to know about this person is right at hand. Other times we may need to do some research to make the character more believable. Perhaps your character has an illness. You want to know everything you could learn about this illness so that when you involve it in the story, you give your character a more real identity.

The quality of your writing depends on how much effort you put into it. Keeping a record of previous research information may speed up the process, but in many areas of life we learn more consistently. Be an avid reader and attentive listener, acknowledging each lesson in life. Leave room for more and remember that no two characters are exactly the same.

If you use these tips, you are less likely to disappoint your audience. Expressing some techniques of your own will add even more to your writing. Remember you have character!

Until next time, exalt those Healthy Horizons.