Scratch Beneath the Surface (With a Jackhammer)!

I was thinking today about my characters in my novels and realized that it's not a matter of writing scenes for your characters as the action takes place. You also need to give a lot of thought to their past and how it affects what you are currently writing for them. Then you need to peek into their future and assess how that will reflect on who they are in the now.

It is most certainly not as easy as people think and to get to the heart of who your characters are you need to dig deep and chip away many layers until you have hit the essence of who your character is.
I was thinking of this because today I had that all encompassing contentment that blossomed when I was writing a scene between two of my characters. There was a total and immediate excitement for me as these two people realized how alike they were and for the first time realized that someone else had been exactly where they had been.

One character was my lead, but the other one wasn't introduced until the end of the first book. It wasn't until I had them reunite in the second book that they truly connected. And writing the scene was euphoric for me because I saw it transpire so effortlessly, like it was meant to happen. And in that moment I realized that I had built both of their pasts to the point that it was destined to bring them together. I actually felt like I did something right for these two characters.

As I drive to work in the afternoons, I always pay attention to what goes on around me. Or, if I'm out and about, I find myself watching people a lot. Hopefully they don't think I'm some sort of stalker or crazy person, but I love to think about what life is like for them.
We have all seen the angry and at times, impatient, people on the roads. Sometimes I wonder if they have had a bad day or if they are dissatisfied with their life in general because why be so angry. Things happen and we've all been there. Accidentally cutting someone off, seeing that person who's swerving in the lanes trying to read their GPS. Or the woman in the car next to us applying her makeup, talking on the cell phone and reading the GPS at the same time. (By the way, I'd call that sheer talent on a dangerous level).

Other times we observe people that surprise us. I was once sitting at a stop light and watched as a good looking man in a really nice business suit was conversing with a homeless man who was sitting on the sidewalk with his shopping cart next to him overflowing with bags and dirty blankets.
I first thought about what could have caused the man on the sidewalk to be homeless. Was it an illness that put him in that situation or maybe it was financial. And what about the businessman. Had he suffered his own hardships and was sharing his story with the homeless man. Or maybe his heart was open to sharing his time with a pour soul down on his luck. Two men so different yet sharing a moment in time.

Then the light changed and I was on to the next red light, but the thoughts about the two men stayed with me.

I honestly believe if you take the time to absorb what goes on around you that wonderful worlds and people can be born just from your own imagination.


I decided to just post a daily page count as to which page I am on instead of the individual pages. It will be easier to see how far I get from day to day.


I am using Times New Roman 12 point font with single and a half line spacing.


Today was a small milestone as I hit page 100. Only about 300 more to go, give or take.


Day 9: Rejections: 5 Queries still out there: 11
Request for more material: 1


Songs of the day: It's going to be a Clarkson week.
Kelly Clarkson, Gone
The Verve, Bittersweet Symphony
& Spandau Ballet, True (Kick'in it old school)