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Author Stephen Brayton is by my blog today with some fun writing advice!

What could these two things possibly have to do with the writing process? Well, have you considered putting them into a story? If you’re writing books for children, okay. Why not others?

I’m referring to a topic I’ve written about in the past. Character quirks. I know many things are important for a great story. Plot, dialogue, setting, quality writing, and of course, characters. With any of these being poor, the story fails, so I’m not putting any more importance on the last one. I just like to read about good characters. Sometimes the plot is something standard but the characters will make it interesting.

I’ve mentioned this in other blogs and interviews, but many of my characters in my books are based upon actual people, or traits actual people exhibit. While researching material for “Beta”, I encountered a secretary at one business who showed no interest in assisting me in my inquiries. I’m sure my name and number I left, was left in the trash can about thirty seconds after I departed. She went into the story. At the next place, I met a receptionist who didn’t understand what I wanted. She became so flustered she passed the buck off to another person who directed me to the Internet where I found a contact number…anyway, I received no help there either. The original receptionist found a place in the book, too. The genteel and courteous office manager at a trucking company was also included as was the surly looking meat market clerk.

I’ve remembered my maternal grandparents in this book when my main character, Mallory Petersen, makes a visit to the Quad Cities.

I have fun developing traits for my characters. What interesting actions or words can I have them say or do? Sure, some I create out of thin air, but others come from everyday people. In Beta’s sequel I mention a gentleman in a coffee shop having a very animated conversation with his invisible friend. The guitar player is based on my best friend Chris (sorry, he prefers Tofer). I introduce a Narcotics investigator who audibly slurps his coffee and frequently sniffs. These two traits I observed in one person I met through my night job. I work in a place where different people show up daily, which provides plenty of fodder for characters. Recently, I had to roust a half naked drunkard lying in the hallway back to his room. Another time a drunk was passed out and while trying to wake him, he, yes, farted. I’ll always remember these two and I’m sure they’ll end up in a future story.

One morning, I watched a family discuss the previous night’s events. One sister sat very primly and properly on the edge of the sofa while another leaned back comfortably. A third drooped in her chair. The funniest member, the grandmother, sat with her leg over one arm of her chair, and exhibited a laid back attitude. While they talked, I wrote down descriptions for future use.

Other people I’ve met or observed and will remember for future stories: The intoxicated Japanese businessman. The homeless woman sleeping in her station wagon. The blustering man who left his wife because she didn’t want to continue to be at the casino and celebrate his success. A former coworker who wore shorts skirts to the office. Her replacement whose attitude could maim a cold fish. Four guys discussing boats for hours. An alcoholic boss. (A previous one, not the current one.) A desk clerk who admitted to her boss she was too stoned to work her shift. The Asian woman in the coffee shop holding a camera with a huge lens snapping pictures of three cup of coffee.

If you’re looking for unique characters, don’t frustrate yourself by trying to come up with interesti

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If you've been working through the character worksheet and following this series of posts, you now have novel-worthy, essential main characters, that epitomize specific characteristics enough to have legs. Now it's time to get those characters walking, talking, and moving with mannerisms that make them leap off the page. How? By showing your characters instead of telling the reader about them, and that requires knowing what makes them walk and talk differently than other characters.

Talking Body Language Scene by Scene

When you talk to someone face-to-face, your mind processes more than what they say. Subconsciously, you register the way her voice sounds, the way her eyes meet yours, the expression on her face, the way she stands, the gestures she makes, even the distance she likes to keep between her and other people. All of these things together put her words in context and tell you whether to like her, respect her, mistrust her or fear her.

Ideally as you are writing a scene in your work of fiction, you want to be able to visualize that scene. You want your reader to be able to:

• See the specific location and the furnishings and objects in it, a macro view.
• Zoom in on one or two unique details, an oddly painted chair, a wall color, a particular painting, a collectible, a micro view. 
• Connect their visualization of the macro and micro view to a better understanding of one or more of your characters. A specific detail is there because one of your characters put it there or chose the location because of it. What does that say about your character?

Now, as you populate your setting, you have things for your characters to interact with. They don't just stand in empty space and talk to each other. Close your eyes and picture the scene. Play the action in your head like a television scene on fast forward.What else are they doing?

• What actions do they interrupt as they turn to each other and speak?
• How do they navigate around the setting?
• What actions do you see that would tell the story even if you didn't have any dialogue?

Zoom in even further. Focus on each character individually.

• How does that character stand and move that's different from every other character?
• How does that make other characters react to her?
• Does she have a specific gesture she makes frequently? When does she make it? What triggers it?
• Is she aware she is making that gesture?
• Does she like the gesture? Does it embarrass her?
• Do other characters like it? Dislike it?

This is acting 101. As an exercise, try studying several films starring your favorite actor. Pick an actor who doesn't play the same character in every film, and look at the way he stands, the way he walks, all the different things that make him a different person from one film to the next. Some actors are so good, you could see them dressed alike from the back and still identify the character they portray. What did they do to make the character that distinctive?

That's what you need to put in your book. 
Quirks & Mannerisms

The mannerisms section of the character worksheet contains 108 quirks and mannerisms to help you get started. But it's just a jumping off point. Hopefully, by the time you even get to that section, you will know enoug

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Once upon a time, when I was small and naive - I believed in lots of things. I was reminded of this recently, when I called my nephew in NY. One of his teeth fell out. He was upset that the tooth fairy had forgotten to leave a present for him under his pillow. During this escapade, I heard my dear, sweet, Chanel lipsticked Grandmother call - "Look again!" And so he did. You know what the tooth

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Do you ever step outside of yourself, have a good look and think: Seriously. Who is this person of meat I inhabit? What is up with me? Do I really exist like this? And what is UP with the Tic-Tac obsession?

Friends, I have many quirks. Too many to name, actually...but, I thought it might be interesting to examine some of them. Join me, won't you in this haphazard analysis of one Midwestern man and the things that make me...me?

1. I Have a Favorite Pillowcase - It's weird, but I do. It's this old gray pillowcase that is like all smooth and stays cold forever. I'm constantly flipping pillows over looking for the cold spot and this one delivers...every single time. I've strayed at times, but I always come back to ol' faithful.

2. I Eat Karo Syrup - If you haven't had this on the Eggo waffles in the morning, you seriously don't know what you're missing. I can tolerate maple syrup, but it's really too...what's the word? Maple-y for my taste. Karo is like a clear glaze of delicious and here's a shocker: I like things that are delicious. Keep that to yourself.

3. Pens - Remember that post about the red pens way back? Well, that wasn't just an isolated incident. I have to use a specific pen when I write or sign my name or whatever. It's this one. Why? The ink dries fast. For LEFTIES (like me) this is vitally important. It makes a satisfying clicking sound when I twist the cap. It's all futuristic-looking. I just like this pen.

4. I Can't Fall Asleep Before Midnight - It's weird. I'll tell myself: Let's get to bed at a reasonable time tonight, what do you say? And you know what? It NEVER happens. Even if I have to get up at 4:30am for work or some other such ridiculousness, it just DOESN'T work.

5. Unmelted Cheese - As in...I don't like it. Seriously. If cheese isn't melted, I won't eat it. End of story. But TKT...what about Ritz crackers with a nice piece of cheese on it? No. Please see the part where I said I won't eat that unmelted cheese. Won't do it.

6. Sitting Still - I've got a weird condition, I think. There's thing that happens to me if I'm sitting in the same place for to long. I go absolutely crazy and get all panicky and what-not. It's sort of like being claustrophobic, but different. Example: When I was 14 or so, some friends and I were dropped off at the Science Museum by someone else's mom at 10am, when it opened. We went through all the exhibits and stuff within a couple hours and we decided it was time to go. The dude who's mom dropped us off was like: Yeah, my mom is picking us up at 4pm. It was noon. I went crazy and literally was getting sick to my stomach, thinking that we were essentially stuck at the dumb museum for an additional 4 HOURS! I think I'm just fidgety or something. Long story short? Someone else came to pick us up an hour or so later. I lived.

7. Movies on Broadcast TV - We've got an unhealthy number of DVDs at the house of Troupe and as such it drives me nuts to watch a movie on TV when we've got it on the shelf COMPLETELY UNCENSORED and UNCUT! Why stretch a 90 minute movie to 3 hours AND watch commercials when we could pop it in and enjoy it the way the director intended? Good lord...

8. Opening Credits - When I watch a TV show on DVR, I refuse to skip past the opening credits. I always watch them, whether it's episode 1 or episode 326. It's there for a reason...to get me all pumped up to watch. Some of my favorite opening credit sequences? Glad you asked: Prison Break, Veronica Mars, Rescue Me. I think those are my current favs...

9. Concert Banners - When I go to concerts, I become obsessed with trying to find the little advertisement that pimps the show I'm at. If you've seen the nerdery posts, you know what I'm talking about. I'll try like a maniac to find something to take home with me so I can put the ticket on it and frame that bad-boy. Sometimes I'm successful and sometimes not so much. I'm actually running out of wall space, so I might need to stop with the banners, already.

You know, it's funny...I had like 63 of these things last night when I went to bed (after midnight, on my favorite pillowcased pillow) and now, sitting here in front of the screen, I'm coming up short. Oh well...I'm sure more will come.

For now...I gots to edit.

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