Places to people-watch

On Monday we talked about finding character names in various documents (graduation programs; newspaper listings of honor rolls, births, divorces, obits, etc.) Today, I wanted to talk about places to go people-watching.

Since we had to arrive at the stadium 10 hours before my son's graduation to ensure we got a seat, I had plenty of time to watch people. So ceremonies of any kind are great places.

The other night I was volunteering at the concession stand for a Willie Nelson concert and let me tell you, I saw a lot of "things" from behind that counter. It turned out to be a great place to people watch, when I wasn't fixing nachos or chili dogs or pouring beer. (Just for the record, I turned out to be a really great beer pourer. I worked that tap like I was born to do it. I think I might have missed my calling.)

Anyway, I thought it might be fun to list places that are good for people-watching. Of course, the places on the list will work for some characters and not others. For example, a bar is not the type of place you go to people-watch kids and storytime at the local library is not the place where you go to people-watch beer-drinking idiots. With that in mind, I will start the list and you add your places in comments.

Bar
Movie theater
Fairs and carnivals
Mall
Coffee shop
Bowling alley
Airport
Cafeteria
Library
Sporting event
Snake hunt
Beach
Pool
Church
Easter egg hunt
End of marathon
Funeral
Yard sale
Grocery store
Lingerie store
Senior center
Electronics (game) store
Soup kitchen

Where's your favorite place to go people-watching?

Getting into your characters' minds

I've written a few middle grade and YA novels, each with its own set of characters. It's not always easy keeping them straight. So, when I revise a particular book, I really need to be able to connect with the characters in that book and not let characters from other books interrupt the party. Obviously, I don't want all of the characters to sound the same or act the same. They are unique individuals with their own quirks or demons or whatever. So, how do I get in the right mindset?

For me, I go into a quiet room and get familiar with the characters. This is especially important if I haven't been around them in a while. I need to hear their voices -- the cadence of their speech, the vocabulary they use, the way they trail off at the end of their sentences, etc. I need to see them -- the way, perhaps, her eyelids quiver when she talks or she habitually tucks her hair behind her right ear or bites her cuticles until they bleed.

I also keep a list of their traits so I can refer to them. For example, if Mags cracks her knuckles when she's nervous, I don't want to make a mistake and have A.J. doing that later in the book. The sheets help me keep things straight.

What works for you? If you are dealing with multiple characters in multiple books, how do you get in the right mindset when you go to work on that particular book? How do you keep them all straight. I'm always looking for great ways to improve the process.

Have a super writing week gang.  

Creating characters

“Every human being has hundreds of separate people living under his skin. The talent of a writer is his ability to give them their separate names, identities, personalities and have them relate to other characters living with him.” --Mel Brooks

Do the characters you create have a little bit of you in them? If so, what? Is it the way they look? Their mannerisms? The way they talk or walk? Their hobbies or habits? Likes and dislikes? Hopes and dreams? Please share.

Toy Story characters come to life

Toy Story 3 opens in theaters June 18. I love the Toy Story franchise. The writers have done an awesome job of creating memorable characters. And the voice cast is incredible (Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Michael Keaton, Joan Cusack, Ned Beatty, Don Rickles, Wallace Shawn and John Ratzenberger).
    How can we forget:
    Woody
    Buzz
    Jessie
    Mr. Potato Head
    Mrs. Potato Head
    Rex
    Slinky Dog
    Barbie
    Bo Peep
    Hamm
    Sarge
    KC
    And so many others who have slipped my mind.     
    Do you have a favorite character from Toy Story? If so, who is it and how do you think the writers and artists have teamed to make him/her unforgettable? What characteristics or mannerisms have they given your fav that brings him/her to life? Whether it’s Rex and his inferiority complex or Slinky Dog and his southern accent.
    And if you aren't familiar with Toy Story, maybe there is another character you could tell us about and how the writer and/or artist have made the character seem real. Can’t wait to read your comments.