All the small things

If you’re anything like me, you like to watch people. Not only that, you like to listen in on their conversations then make a note of what they say and how they say it. You do it because you can’t help it. You’re a complete nosy parker. And you’re a writer.
Every second I spend on public transport is more than just a way for me to get from A to B, it’s research for my writing. I observe people and take in their quirks and nuances. I watch how they live.

Our days are filled with mundane words and movements. As writers, we have licence to omit these details from out work. However, it’s these lost conversations and unseen twitches that make us who we are.

My favourite writing – the writing I like to read – tends to focus on the fine details. I care far less about what characters look like than I do the way they walk across the road or how their lip curls when they get nervous. I’m fully into the specifics.

He does what? Why? How?

In my novel, I have a character called Benny. Without Benny, there would have been no novel. He starred in the very first sentence I wrote, a sentence which remains unchanged and effectively opens the story following a short first chapter.

‘Benny paints pictures with his eyes closed.’

That’s it. Seven uncomplicated words. That Benny paints pictures with his eyes closed has little bearing on the plot. But it’s a detail that sets the tone of the novel and demands questions. It piques interest.

Compare it to, ‘Benny paints pictures,’ or ‘Benny is a painter.’ Don’t work quite so well, do they? That’s because they lack detail. These sentences could appear anywhere and be written by anyone. There’s no mystery. There’s no romance.

Dare to be different

So the next time you describe a character, I urge you to think about the details. Go beyond their name, clothing and the colour of their eyes. What really makes them tick? How did they get to where they are now? Where is the detail in their story?

That’s how I believe stories are created and brought to life. The details help you avoid cliche and develop characters that read like they live and breathe in the real world. They are what make us readers care about them. They are what set your work apart.