It’s sort of a given, if you’re writing mysteries, that you’re going to lose some characters along the way. Because, face it, people in mysteries tend to have bad luck. They’re poisoned, they’re bludgeoned, they get pushed down the stairs or out of an airplane—and worse. It’s terrible! And if you’re the author in charge of all that misfortune, then you’re the one who has to go out and get more characters for the next story or book to replace the ones who’ve . . . oopsed.
So what are you going to do? Where are you going to find the next flawed person, the quirky guy, the bookseller, the museum curator, the uptight cop who dreams of retiring to New Mexico, the burglar who’s an excellent cook? Where do I get them? Do I go shopping for them? Well yes, sometimes I do. What better place to find the kind of people who shop at the local Farm & Fleet than the local Farm & Fleet? You walk inside, scout around, find your marks, size them up, and take them home. Very convenient!
But once you’ve mastered that basic technique, it’s time to be more adventurous. You can still go shopping, but now you want to look for fresh ingredients and avoid those prepackaged, all-in-one characters. Look for specific physical characteristics – noses, for instance, or posture. Look for shoe size, aged hands, the right laugh. Look for hobbies, reading preferences, taste in music. And try these items out to be sure they perform the way you want. Check their actions and reactions. How does that head tilt when contemplating? How does that breath change when you point a gun at it?
One of my
favorite ingredients to shop for is dialogue. I must have a natural inclination
to eavesdrop. If you don’t share that inclination, try to cultivate the habit. It’s
fun! And be sure to keep paper and pencil handy.
The trick, then, after you’ve gathered all your ingredients, is to put them together. You want to do that in such a way that you end up with “real” characters, but not so real that your sister or your neighbor says “Hey, wait a second . . .” Especially if you’ve been unflattering. But if you do your job right, if you mix things around enough, adding glasses here, changing an accent there, dyeing someone’s hair a color she’ll never recognize, and if you’re constantly on the lookout for fresh supplies, then you’ll never run out of characters, no matter how unfortunate the poor things are.
I've got to admit, I'm sitting here laughing at the image of you shopping for characters and enticing them home to join your story.
ReplyDeleteAnd this is why your writing is so clever, Molly. It’s all about choices.
ReplyDeleteSo funny! I love dialogue shopping. You do hear the darndest things. Of course, the hard part is truth is stranger than fiction. Sometimes you have to tone it down 😊
ReplyDeleteGlad I gave you a laugh this morning, Mark. :)
ReplyDeleteYou're kind, Susan. Thank you. You're right about choices. It's about the ones we make as writers and the ones our characters make.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kait! Truth really can be stranger than fiction.
ReplyDeletePublic transportation is one of my favorite people-watching venues. For one thing, you often have time to get a real taste of the what you're seeing and hearing.
ReplyDeleteWe don't have a Farm & Fleet, but we do have a Tractor Supply, which is a good place to find a certain type of character. And, of course, Walmart...
we spent three+ hours yesterday at the Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati. The tattoos. The flirting. The guys concerned with point spread. The young teen with red braids attending with her grandparents. The toddler in her red and white seersucker romper. I took it all in, and more.
ReplyDeleteA different crowd from the opera, but equally entertaining.
Aha, Molly! Now your secret is out. The way you create those great characters is by committing a crime, kidnapping. How many unfortunate families have lost their Granny or Pops to your nefarious ways? I guess, in your case, crime really pays.
ReplyDeleteKM - public transportation is a terrific place to shop! Tractor Supply, too.
ReplyDeleteMargaret - ball parks are full of interesting characters, aren't they? And they're different depending on whether their team wins or loses. Sorry Cincy had a sad few games last week.
Linda - ha! You've caught on to my dastardly ways.