Most people,
both real and fictional, have something they’re addicted to, or maybe they
consider it a habit. In the case of one of my characters, Sandi Webster, it’s a
chocolate addiction. Sandi finds herself in a situation where she’s stranded in
a ghost town and, horror of horrors, she’s out of chocolate. When her partner
asks her what the deal is with chocolate, she says:
** “I can’t explain it,” I replied. “If
I’m in a bad mood, chocolate will perk me up. One time when I was frightened, I
ate a whole box of Bordeauxs, a specialty candy. They kept me going. There’s a
type of chocolate called ganache. It’s chocolate mixed with heavy cream, and it’s…
It’s a taste that can’t be described. Chocolate is sweet, but not like other
sugary candy. As it melts in your mouth, it leaves its own unique flavor
bouncing off the tongue and back again. I’ve read that dark chocolate has some
healthy attributes, but unfortunately I prefer the light chocolate. It’s kind
of like a nerve tonic for me.” I put my hand to my mouth, checking to be sure
there wasn’t a trail of drool on my chin.
Does this, by
any chance, sound like I understand Sandi’s addiction? Well, yes, I do. I wrote
from experience and actually downplayed it.
My Hero
In all
honesty, I believe having things they have to battle makes them more real to
the reader, and maybe more relatable.
Before
describing what she feels chocolate does for her, Sandi runs into a wall,
figuratively speaking.
**I reached for my chocolate. There
was no more chocolate. I searched through my backpack, but it was all gone. My
heart thumped a couple of extra beats and I wondered if this was the way a
smoker might feel if they ran out of cigarettes and there were no more. Anywhere.
Well, I’m a bigger person that that. I could live without chocolate. Piece of
cake.
When her partner,
Pete, realizes she’s out of chocolate, he reacts.
** He took a step back. He knew. If he
had any chocolate, he’d probably run out the front door and toss it to me as he
ran by, and I doubted he’d be back until I’d eaten every last bite.
When we give
our characters idiosyncrasies or addictions, the other characters have room to
react and emphasize the problem. Many times the characters play off of each
other. Chocolate may be a small thing to many, but it can help keep the story
moving, as can other habits or addictions.
Unfortunately,
when I write about Sandi and her chocolate, I find myself developing a craving.
Consequently? I keep a candy dish on my desk with goodies in it.
Now that I
think about it, I don’t recall giving Pete an addiction, other than he likes to
keep busy. The same can be said about many men and women. I think some women
react differently to things that keep them motivated. Curiosity will keep women
motivated and, whether they’ll admit it or not, many men are the same way.
The point is,
think about keeping your characters real. Maybe a specific color will play a
part in their lives. It doesn’t always have to be an addiction to a specific thing. Can you become addicted to a
color? (I’m shrugging my shoulders.)
I love yellow. It’s cheerful. There’s a lot of yellow in my life. I even have a
yellow trench coat.
Watch the
people around you and pay attention to your own habits. You’ll begin to see
things that fit a character in your book, even if it’s a character who only
plays a part in one book.
Think about
it. What addiction or habit might make your characters memorable? Peanut
butter? Ice cream? Jelly beans? A particular car? A song? Maybe a cranky
attitude. What might endear your character to readers?
Until next
time, try to give something up and see how well you do. Of course, in my case
chocolate will be the exception.
** Excerpts
from Old Murders Never Die – A Sandi Webster Mystery
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Yes, that is a mummy sitting in the chair
Great advice, Marja. I'll always remember that chocolate is one of Sandi's weaknesses. I think the other is Pete? LOL! I had one of my characters addicted to tiny peppermints, her version of Xanax, and horse racing. Which made her a memorable character. (I hope.)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Evelyn. Yes, I remember your character well. She is memorable and she stuck with me. Good point about Pete. : )
DeleteI agree 100%! Real people have flaws and addictions and, if we want our characters to be believable, they need to have them too. Great post!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Pat. The more believable, the better. We all have flaws of one kind or another.
DeleteOh yes, CHOCOLATE! Fellow addict here. Excellent thoughts on characters. Excellent post.
ReplyDeleteLOL Thank you, Madeline! We'll have to share some chocolate one day.
DeleteWhen the author has a weakness, it's easier to write about the weakness a character may have, even if it's a different vice. My weakness for cheese might translate into a weakness for chocolate for one of my characters. The other thing that's great about an author's weakness is the ability to write knowledgeably about it--for example, I like whisky and I'm able to include it in my books set in Scotland without sounding like it's being forced. I hope.
ReplyDeleteNo, it doesn't sound forced, Amy. Notice my thoughts on chocolate aren't forced, either. You have another good point, too, and that's being able to translate one of our weaknesses into a different item.
DeleteNo one can believe in a character who doesn't have at least one flaw. An addiction doesn't necessarily have to be a flaw but, rather, a weakness making them human. We can relate to such failings.
ReplyDeleteYou hit it on the mark, John. The reader is going to enjoy a story just a bit more if they can relate to the characters. Weakness is a good choice of words.
Delete