A Cast of Characters

I don't know if it is all writers or just me, but I am definitely an observer of human nature.  Perhaps it is my shyness coming into play again, but I have always been more comfortable sitting back and taking things in than diving in.  However, it is a personality trait which I find comes in quite handy when creating characters and let's face it, who hasn't indulged in a little people watching.  Everyone does it.  It's why many tune into watch the red carpet for the Academy Awards and then turn it off.  The best part is seeing what people are wearing.

Bringing a character to life is an integral part of any novel.  Reading a great novel is like taking a journey.  You want to grab your readers and keep them hooked and in order to do that a writer needs two things, a intriguing plot and compelling characters.  One of my favorite professors in college once said that to be a good writer, you need to experience life.  I think that is true to a certain extent.  If you want your readers to truly experience what if feels like to take a walk along the Jersey Shore, it helps if you have actually done it yourself.

That is one of the reasons I have never set one of my stories in Ireland.  I love Ireland with its beautiful landscapes, culture, and mystery.  Yet, I have never written about it.  The idea intimidates me because I am not sure I can grasp the essence since I have not been there.  I will someday.  Even if I am a senior citizen when I do it.

In the meantime, I will stick to settings I am comfortable with.  My time in education, vacations, and especially my adventures in youth sports have given me quite a cast to work with.  New Jersey is the home of many diverse locales.  It is one of the few states where you can find a little bit of everything from a hike in the mountains to a stroll on a sandy beach and finally to dinner and dancing in a happening city.  As the cities and towns differ, so do the people.

I live not far from where I grew up and for some reason, I never attended our town's church fair.  We always meant to go, but for one reason or another, never got there.  This year we made it and boy was I glad that I did.  The money we brought was gone in about twenty minutes since the prices were beyond outrageous.  This left the little one and I influx because the big one had gone off with his friends.  He turned to me after the ride tickets were used up and asked, "What do we do now?"

I smiled and took him over to the playground.  He had fun playing(for free I might add) and I found the perfect spot to sit back and watch.  The people enjoying the warm summer evening were as different as night and day and for a writer, a bonanza of story lines and potential characters.  On the walk home, listening to my boys talk about their adventures, my mind was whirling with ideas I couldn't wait to bring to life.  A great night was certainly had by all.



Next Up-What's in a Name?