People Watching for Character Traits
December 20, 2008 by B J Keltz
Have you ever been tempted to model a fictional character on your significant other or close relative? After all, you know these folks pretty well. The writers who aren’t guilty were at least sorely tempted. Perhaps their families are still talking to them.
Characters are, of course, the likable or villainous people that populate all fiction. While it might be nice to “dial-a-character,” or even interesting to “roll” one as in Dungeons & Dragons ™, fleshing out your character can be downright fun, if you people watch.
I am not suggesting that you invade anyone’s privacy or become a stalker. That’s not what this is about! It is simply a trick to bring traits to mind and help you create a full bodied character.
If you’ve never done it, try this the next time you are at the mall, the subway station, or other crowded place. Find a comfortable bench or chair and open your journal. Then, just watch people. When one catches your eyes, free-write a few lines about their dress, mannerisms, stride, and facial expressions…just enough to recall them clearly to mind later. See if you can catch a dozen or so, all shapes and sizes.
Later, when you have some time to concentrate or at least less interrupted, go back to these descriptions. Recall to mind the visual image. Consider the way the person walked, carried things, and interacted with others. What do you imagine they were feeling from facial expression or the set of their shoulders? Now, write a page on the imagined characteristics, background, family life, career, and personality.
Remember, you have a fleeting image of a real person. Your goal is to use that image to create a fictional character.
People have all kinds of characteristics we don’t notice unless we watch for them. For instance, someone with a real bounce in their stride might be a high energy individual. Someone who is very careful to not come in contact with another person might have a phobia, might be wearing a new suit, or might harbor wounds of the heart. Someone who laughs often and loudly might have had too much to drink, or might feel insecure.
What is interesting about this exercise is that characteristics change with the setting. The driven career woman barreling down the subway platform in 4 inch heels might saunter slowly with her children at the zoo, or stop to window shop at the mall. Then again, she might not.
Adding these human and subtle characteristics to your characters make them more human and believable. The trick is to add them without overdoing them. At the very least, if you have this one page of characteristics and background, you have a better image of your character in mind as you begin to weave them into a setting and a plot.
People-watching is fun. People-watching with a purpose is a writing technique.
