Be on the lookout for characters everywhere you go. Find inspiration for your main characters and your supporting cast using keen observation. Your characters will be a conglomerate of people you know, people you meet, and people you observe. The people in your stories should be real and believable, not cardboard cutouts. If your character is a walk-on, all you need is a brief description. If the person you are describing is a key player in your novel, in addition to describing the character —the way he looks, dresses, and talks— you also need to show emotions.
When you see someone who piques your curiosity, a potential character for your next story or novel, in your notebook, jot down as much information as you can to refresh your memory when you start writing. Most writers have another tool that can be used when encountering an interesting person: a cell phone camera. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words. And as wordsmiths, we paint a picture with words for our readers. With a photograph as a reference, you’ll be able to accurately portray a character.
The following images were photographed during a recent trip to New Orleans. These will definitely be used to describe one or more characters in an upcoming story.
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