Tag: Character development

12 Ways to Show Chemistry between Characters

Featured ~ The Regal Writer ~ Leave a comment
Photo by Lisa Fotios on Pexels.com

 As Valentine’s Day creeps closer, it seems only fitting to talk about romantic chemistry. When you read or write romance, how do you know that two characters are truly attracted to one another? The signs are usually obvious to most of us, but could you list them all?

During a recent virtual romance conference sponsored by ProWriting Aid, writer and book coach Mary Adkins discussed ways to create chemistry between characters. She was on point when she offered her list of how to show signs of attraction. Her tips were too juicy to keep to myself.

Whether you’re writing a romance or want to create a romantic subplot for another genre, these simple, tried-and-true scenarios can help you create chemistry between characters.

  1. Acting clumsy. When you first meet someone you’re attracted to, the last thing you want to do is look silly or awkward. Yet you can’t help yourself. The girl or guy is just so darn amazing! The same is true for fiction. One of the first signs a character might show that they’re attracted to someone is clumsy behavior. Maybe they spill their glass of wine on them, forget their own name when they’re introduced to the other person, accidentally walk into a glass wall or trip over their own feet. Nothing like clumsy behavior to give a memorable first impression.

  2. Not noticing what happening around them. With their head in the clouds and stars in their eyes, the character may not notice events around them, even though they may be obvious to everyone else. They’re simply too preoccupied to notice that the sink is overflowing or the baby is crying in the next room. They may not realize their sleeve caught on fire from the open flame on the stove, or that someone is saying hello to them. It can make for a humorous moment in your story.

  3. Saying something stupid. Note that this is not the same as witty banter between two people. This is one person speaking out of turn in one way or another. For example, they might ramble nonsensically or gush over the other person who happens to be a celebrity. Or they might be tongue tied or forget their own name, or worse, say someone else’s name as an introduction. For example: Character one says, “Hi, my name is Jack. I’m new in town.” Character 2, mesmerized by the new person, responds, “Nice to meet you. I’m Jack” even though their name isn’t Jack. You get the idea. Another example is asking an awkward question. (“Is that a birthmark on your neck?”

  4. Having other characters notice the attraction. I see this often in Hallmark movies. One character always has to point out that the protagonist likes the new guy in town. Maybe the protagonist is smiling way too much lately or has a bounce in their step. Maybe someone points out that the protagonist has put on a sweater backwards or is wearing two different shoes of the same color. Best of all, two people may be dining out and the waitress mistakes them for a real couple, even before the couple has noticed their own attraction.

  5. Being attracted to a small detail about the other person. This could be something few other people notice, such as a scar, a tattoo, dimples or a cleft chin. Maybe there is another detail that the protagonist can’t stop thinking about, like their long eyelashes, slim fingers, or soft lips. Then again, it may be the person’s laugh that they notice or the scent of their perfume or cologne.

  6. Being surprisingly earnest and sincere. As the couple gets to know one another better, there might come a point when one of them speaks from the heart. Giving a compliment, for example. Such as “You look stunning tonight.” “You make me happy being with you.” Or “I’m really glad I met you.” Such honest moments bring the relationship to a new level of intimacy.

  7. Sharing something meaningful about themselves. You recognize that moment in the story when one character say, “Come with me. I want to show you something.” That’s usually a sign that there some degree of trust that they’re willing to expose more of themselves. They might share a hidden talent, such as playing the piano or writing poetry. Maybe they reveal a childhood experience, show off their family photo album or take them to their favorite private place that few people know about.

  8. Doing something impulsive together. These scenes are always fun to read or watch. Just when you think the couple is having one of their intimate conversations, one person breaks the tension.  It might be having an impromptu snowball fight, hurling seeds at one another while eating watermelon or splashing each other with water while washing a car. The unexpected fun brings them closer together with laughter.

  9. Giving someone a backhanded compliment. On the surface, their comment might seem meaningless, but underneath there is a sincere compliment. For example, a character might say, “This might sound crazy, but I don’t get tired of being around you all the time.”

  10. Mentioning some tiny physical detail. This is similar to number 5 above except this time the character mentions it in conversation. They may say something about that scar or birthmark. Or it might be the same hat or coat they were wearing when the two individuals met three months ago. For example, “How did you get that scar?” or “What kind of cologne are you wearing? It smells nice.”

  11. Still loving that sometimes annoying but endearing habit. In longer-term relationships or married couples, there might be one specific trait or habit that could be annoying to others but instead, they find endearing. It could be the way they laugh, their crooked smile or the way they whistle while they work. It could be their occasional habit of mispronouncing a word, their tendency to wearing socks that don’t match or the bad jokes they tell at parties.
     
  12. Showing someone that they’ve been paying close attention to what is happening in their life. Noticing that the other person is going through significant challenges or experiences shows they are invested in the other person’s life. For example, the character might buy an item that the other person had their eye on, like a scarf or pair of earrings. They might serve coffee to them the way they like it without being asked or serving it to them in their favorite mug. They might ask about what plans they’ve made for their birthday the following week or how their training is going for their next skiing competition.

15 Writing Ideas for Your 15-Minute Writing Session

~ The Regal Writer ~ 2 Comments
Photo by Negative Space on Pexels.com

So you think you don’t have time to write. That’s very possible, considering all the demands on our time these days. Work (or looking for work), home schooling your kids, household chores, cooking, and all the other responsibilities we have that can get in the way of our writing time.

Don’t get discouraged if you’re not able to accomplish as much writing during your writing sessions. If you can make time for 15 minutes of writing, you can accomplish more than you think. You just have to go into your session with a goal. Know what you want to accomplish or what you want to write about. When you know what you want to accomplish, you can make the best use of your time. Then get down to work.

Here’s what you can do with your 15-minute writing session.

1. Freewrite for 15 minutes straight without stopping. Let the ideas flow from your brain to the page. Aim to write 100 words every session – at a minimum. Do not stop to edit or rethink what you just wrote. Just keep writing. You may be surprised at the ideas that you see on the page afterward. If you do this consistently, over 10 sessions (aiming for those 100 words), you should be able to complete a 1,000-word essay.

2. Draft a dialogue between two characters. Start with one character asking the other person a question. See where that dialogue takes your characters. Avoid writing back story or other narrative. Focus only on the dialogue.

3. Choose an object on your desk or somewhere in your room. Describe it in detail including the color, shape and texture of it. How did you acquire that item? Is there a story behind where that item came from?

4. If you have a pet, give the animal a voice. Write a few paragraphs as if the pet is speaking to you. What would the animal say? Would he lavish you with praise, or whine and complain that you don’t pay enough attention to them?

5. Create a bullet list of stories you’d like to write. Use a prompt like “I remember” or “What if?” to kick off your ideas.

6. Write a brief review of the last book you read or the last movie you watched.

7. Write the final chapter of your current work in progress. Sometimes by writing the ending first, you have a clearer idea of how to start your novel.

8. Browse through old vacation photos. Describe the place as you remember when you visited it. Add as much detail as you can recall.

9. Create a character sketch of your protagonist, antagonist or other major character. Describe their appearance, then write as much detail about what they are striving for in your story. What is the character’s back story?

10. Recall the last dream you had. Rewrite it as you might read it in a book or see on a movie screen.

11. Write a letter to a friend or loved one, especially someone you have not seen in a long time. Or write a letter to a historical figure you admire and wish you could meet. What would you say to them?

12. Play writing games. For example, choose three words at random from the dictionary (close your eyes, open to a random page and let your finger stop on a word) and write a story using those three words. The story can easily be two to three paragraphs.

13. Think of a book or movie in which you did not like the way it ended. Rewrite the ending. Remember you only have 15 minutes, but you can jot down the key ideas.

14. Close your eyes and listen to the sounds around you. What do you hear? Describe the sounds and the images that come to mind when you hear them. Are there birds chirping? Is there a plane flying overhead? Is someone playing their stereo loudly?  You can do this same exercise with other senses as well, such as touch, taste and smell.

15. Listen to a piece of music, preferably instrumental. Close your ideas as you listen to it. What images come to mind? Does it bring back any memories? Then write about your listening experience.

No matter how busy you may be, there is always time for writing, even if it’s only 15 minutes. Your writing practice shouldn’t suffer because you believe you don’t have enough time. There is always time, as long as you have the desire to write.

If you like this post, please feel free to share it with your friends.

Can People Watching Make You a Better Writer?

~ The Regal Writer ~ Leave a comment

play-stone-1237457_1280

“A good writer is always a people watcher.” – Judy Blume, author

Ever find yourself in a public place watching other people go about their business? Chances are you are probably a good writer. Why? My guess is that the act of carefully observing other people can create a store of knowledge that you can tap into later during the process of writing. That’s something to think about as you create characters for your novels, develop dialogue or re-create scenes.

Judy Blume makes an interesting point. If you want to become a better writer, it makes sense to pay close attention to the details of your surroundings, especially the people near you.

You can watch people anywhere – the public park, a library, a coffee shop, a music festival. Anywhere where there is a group of people gathered is ripe for people watching.  To make the most of the opportunity, however, you need to set aside your laptop, smart phone or other electronic device, and watch. True, people might find it strange that you are staring at them, but they don’t need to know that you are building your base of characters or that you are preparing to write your next novel.

Here’s how becoming an avid people watcher can help improve your writing.

* It helps you focus on details. When you observe the people around you, note how they dress, from the shoes they wear to the color of their shirt. Pay attention to their physical attributes, facial expressions and mannerisms. Listen to how they speak. Do they blink too much? Do they have crooked teeth? Do they wear a hearing aid?  Do they enunciate their words properly, or do they use a lot of slang language? These little details may normally go unnoticed, but can add color and depth to your character’s description.

* It helps you create dialogue between characters. Listen in on their conversations, whether they are on the phone or in conversation with one or more people. Pay attention to not only the content of the conversation, but also the mannerisms as they speak. Do they get excited and talk with their hands, for example? Do the individuals talk over one another, not allowing others to speak? Do they raise their voices when they get excited, or do they cover their mouths when they speak? These little details can help create context for dialogue beyond just a simple exchange of words.

* It helps you create characters with unique characteristics. Is there anything unusual about their appearance, for example, such as a scar or a tattoo, or do they walk with a noticeable limp?

* It helps you build a story about them. Since you probably don’t know these individuals personally, you can create a story about them. Where do they come from, and where are they going? What are their dreams, their motivations? What are their fears? What kind of work do they do? Are they married or single? What kind of personality do they have – shy and withdrawn, or outgoing and friendly? Give them a name, a home, a life, and you have the ideal set up for your character.

If you want to improve your writing, start with developing good people watching skills.