Letting your Characters Spill a guest post by Jennifer Daiker

Do your characters talk to you?

At the beginning the relationship between character and writer is weak. You know they have a story to tell but sometimes they're just not comfortable enough to share.

If you were to give them a cup of tea would they accept it? Or are they more of a glass of wine type?

The littlest of things makes the biggest difference.

How does one make their character stand out more than the other?

Profiling. That's right. You want to learn as much about your character as you can. If a young reader is to ask you what your character would want on a desert island you'd need to tell them a brown paper bag. Why? She'd be hyperventilating. She isn't great with water, sharks, or being alone.

How did I know that? Because I took the time to ask her.

Now I definitely use a character sheet to get my ideas rolling. The simple, name, age, relationship status. But I also ask random questions…

If you looked in your characters fridge what would you see?

What would her movie collection consist of?

If your character was left with peanut butter, black beans, bread and a tortilla shell what would she eat?

Answers for my character:

Wine, cheese, and left over pizza.

Chick Flicks, Seasons of Saved by the Bell and Sex and the City.

She'd eat out.

What the reader wouldn't know is that her best friend would have made a black bean taco even after Harper ordered out. Your reader doesn't need to know that BUT you do because it shows how much your into the world you created.

So the next time your characters aren't talking sit quietly and let them spill. They'll want to talk… it's what they do!

For writing a character profile (just the basics) check out Creative Writing Now – http://www.creative-writing-now.com/writing-character-profiles.html

So tell me… what are your characters like? How would they answer the fridge, movie, item question?

About Jennifer Daiker

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This is Jennifer. Thinking. Isn't she cute?

I is: 25, a girl, blonde, quirky, and original (I think). I am also thinking in this pose (see quirky & original)

I like to write: Adult Chick Lits.

I like to read: Everything underneath the sun (literally, reading outside is the best). Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Horror, anything that tickles my fancy.

I have addictions: Jelly Belly's, sour candies, cupcakes, and sparkles

To reach the chaos: you can find me at Unedited on Twitter or via email at jenniferdaiker(at)gmail(dot)com