How to Develop Characters

Inspiration for most of my characters comes from real life, and as I’ve mentioned before I keep a notebook and it has a section for characters. Anytime I come up with an idea for a character I write it in the notebook. I especially add in strong personalities, unusual behaviors, and weird tics. Things that will help a character stand out.

Now, award-winning author Katy Hammel had this to share with me about coming up with  characters.

“Listen to the voices around you. Strike up conversations with strangers. I once sat on a courtroom bench and talked with a man who had been convicted of the arson deaths of his wife and child. He won a new trial. If you're not as bold as all that, sign up for situations where others talk without you having to interrogate them: college tours, garden shows, the dog park. And, that reminds me...

Find show notes on my website at https://womensthrillerwriters.com/blog-2/