Do your characters lack dimension? Are they flat on the page simply nodding, frowning, laughing, smiling every other line? How do you break out of that rut and create a whole, round, believable character? Here are some ideas:

1.) Glean for notes.

• Armed with a notepad and/or index cards, visit your local library and pull a collection of books off the shelves.
• Skim the books and jot down any descriptors that catch your eye.
  • Be sure to write down the bibliography for future reference. Your goal is to spark your imagination, not plagiarize.
    • Index cards work exceptionally well for this exercise, the bibliography can be written on the back (or a color code for more than one notation, done with a simple swipe of a highlighter, corresponding to the bibliography card makes it quick and easy) and once through, you can file the cards for future reference.

Helpful Hint: When filing cards, group them by the action, such as nod, frown, smile, laugh. Or emotion: sad, angry, anxious.

• Once you’ve finished gleaning for ideas, set aside the books, grab up your notepad and entertain a free-write session.
• For example, in Sandra Brown’s book, Exclusive, she uses the word term “whey-faced” instead of saying ghostly or the color drained out of her face, etc. Whey which happens to be the milky substance typically accompanying the curds in cottage cheese (eating her curds and whey ring a bell?). While this isn’t necessarily unique to Brown, as it came to use in English literature before 1822 (source), it is a very different whey, er way, of saying it in modern literature. During your free write session in this example, come up with some unique phrases that boil down to a bloodless, pale face.
• Create index cards with your own unique terms and phrases and file them accordingly.
• Refer to your unique terms when you are writing.

2.) Use a synonym reference site, such as this one: [The Emotions Thesaurus]

3.) People watch.

When people watching, change up your location as much as possible. While studying human interaction at a park is good, ask yourself how often your characters are going to be hanging out at a park in your story. Look for places that would most mirror those visited by your characters whenever possible. And no, we’re not promoting hanging out at the jail.

• library
• school drop-off zone (just be careful that you’re not seen as someone those soccer moms are wary of)
• shopping mall
• food court at a shopping mall
• bar/restaurant
• play/movies/theater
• business meeting
• hotel lobby
• auto dealership (this is often fun)
• car repair shop
• coffee house
• pizza parlor
• college campus
• the list is endless

Better yet, eavesdrop. Can you tell from a distance whether two people deeply engaged in a conversation are angry, impassioned, head over heels in love, discussing their autistic child? Compare and contrast what you observe from a distance to what you overhear as you move in to eavesdrop. What clues were accurate? Why? What was deceiving? How was a clue misinterpreted?

For anyone who writes using red herrings, looking for those differences in perception versus reality are vital, by observing these seemingly minor idiosyncrasies you as a writer can use them to your full advantage by leaving clues for your reader that might lead them on a wild goose chase, then bring it around full circle for the explosive gotcha moment in your novel.

Be sure to come armed with your writing tools whether that would be a camera, camcorder, tape recorder or simple notepad and pen. Take time to write down bits of conversation, everything you observe so that when you are working a similar scene into your novel, you can recall the scene down to those subtle nuances you’ve observed and work them in.

4.) Subscribe to a word of the day/week site and have new words delivered directly to your inbox. Even UrbanDictionary.com is a excellent site to add to your repertoire! As new words come in, learn them, the correct way to use them, and practice them until it becomes rote. You will most likely find these new words flow easily once you become familiar enough with them, thus incorporating a new style, a new zest (think lemon pepper) into your writing.

Note: It’s easy to fall back on using a Thesaurus for finding alternative words to plug in. Use caution as while some words don’t always have the same implied meaning. Become well practiced with the proper usage of any new or different word.

5.) Engage in writing exercises regularly using specific writing prompts and exercises that are created expressly to help the writer hone the craft of creating a three-dimensional character, one that is trusted and believable by your reader.

6.) Name that emotion exercises are great. Take any grade school beginning writer handout (here’s one you can use: [PDF file - opens in new window] ) and write for fifteen minutes describing that particular emotion. It doesn’t have to be perfect, in fact it can be pure unadulterated crap. But stick with it. Your goal is to write so descriptively that someone who is visually impaired could picture the emotion in their head.

7.) Picture search. Hit up an online repository of searchable tagged images, such as Flickr. Type in the emotion you are wanting to describe, such as anger. Sift through the pictures and look for the one that you’d most like your reader to see. Now set your timer and write and see what comes of the exercise.

EXAMPLES: [From Flickr]

8.) Gesturing is another aspect of describing an underlying emotion, of setting a scene, developing character, and character interaction. Does your main character shrug his shoulders too much? Does your heroine purse her lips frequently, maybe chew on her lower lip until your reader is setting aside the book and hunting down some Chapstick? Again, as you’re looking for descriptors that best convey to your reader a hidden emotion, be sure to include gestures, nervous habits, a touch that might help draw not just your characters together, but pull your reader into the moment.

Practice makes perfect, so as always, write on!