Yikes! But it's true.
And it got me thinking. How sometimes the 'sin' or I should say, experience, has shown up in my writing. How often have we heard the phrase, dig deeper to reveal your character's flaws and motivations. Flaws are what makes each character unique, to stand out in the crowd. I remember an old man I knew when I was a kid who ran a roadside market. Back in the day, yeah, long time ago. Charlie Murfy was sort of stooped-over, wore bib overalls and a striped engineer hat. He walked slow around the bed of his rusty old truck, unhurried as he waited for customers to purchase fruits and vegetables. His deep southern accent and small yacking dog named Ringles barking out the window will forever live in my mind. Murfy has shown up frequently in my stories. Not always a guy, once I used his character as a nosy, but concerned secretary named Doris.
We all have people and events that stay with us forever. What better way to use these nuggets than revisit them through our characters. In my mind and on paper, my husband/hero will always be young, charming and eager to sweep me off my feet. How thrilling is that?
And it got me thinking. How sometimes the 'sin' or I should say, experience, has shown up in my writing. How often have we heard the phrase, dig deeper to reveal your character's flaws and motivations. Flaws are what makes each character unique, to stand out in the crowd. I remember an old man I knew when I was a kid who ran a roadside market. Back in the day, yeah, long time ago. Charlie Murfy was sort of stooped-over, wore bib overalls and a striped engineer hat. He walked slow around the bed of his rusty old truck, unhurried as he waited for customers to purchase fruits and vegetables. His deep southern accent and small yacking dog named Ringles barking out the window will forever live in my mind. Murfy has shown up frequently in my stories. Not always a guy, once I used his character as a nosy, but concerned secretary named Doris.
We all have people and events that stay with us forever. What better way to use these nuggets than revisit them through our characters. In my mind and on paper, my husband/hero will always be young, charming and eager to sweep me off my feet. How thrilling is that?
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