Everyone Is A Character
By Julie Christen
My life is full of people. Every single day, so many people. They come and they go. Some hang on a little while, or a long while, then they ripple away in time. Some stay, always. Some mark the beginning of an era, others mark the end. Some are a blip, others leave a permanent impression. Some are good. Some are not good.
I watch them all. Quietly, from the sidelines. Everyone is a character.
A subtle look, a quirky habit, a predictable reaction, I tuck it inside my mind, saving it for later. From hairstyles to hand gestures. Material. A cadence in gate, a clever comment, an obvious tell. Material. Memorable expressions, weird hobbies, hokie one-liners. Material. Scars, tatts, piercings. Material. Ticks, oddities, obsessions. Material.
Everyone is a character.
Sage advice, words you live by, modeling by example. Material. Bad choices, risky choices, indulgent choices. Material. Weak moments, moral dilemmas, fatal flaws. Material. Youngest child, middle child, oldest child, pedestal child, forgotten child. Material. Troubled background, mysterious origins, silver spoons. Material. Kind, evil, weird. Ornery, timid, benign. Sturdy, frail, oxen. Material.
The list goes on.
Endless material. Maybe from you. And for that, I thank you.
Everyone is a character.
Most writers are observers of their contemporaries. Don't be mean to me, or you might find a horrible death in one of my next novels. Characters... great post, Julie. Thanks for sharing.
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