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Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Quirky Is the New Real


Every single one of us has quirks. Things we do that are unique to us, our families, our peer groups, etc. These little idiosyncrasies are what make us unique. They are ingrained in our behavior.

In my family, falling up stairs is much more common than falling down. What makes this interesting is that this is my married in family, but we all share this genetic predisposition to fall up. My niece & I are the most frequent offenders. Ascribing this attribute to a character could be fun - the klutz as detective. Ya know, tripping over bodies, accidentally uncovering evidence when he/she bends back a toenail.

With my parents, the quirk is how not to talk about things. This of course leads to a lack of family reunions & get-togethers. Who wants to hang out with people you can't really talk to anyway?? Ah, but the unspoken is sometimes much more interesting than the oral. With this quirk, white space is your friend; the sentiment is left on the fringe of the paper which amps the trauma & drama.

I have a friend who, when she's done listening to you, paints her lips with the ends of her hair while she stares into space. Another, twirls her hair when she doesn't want to discuss something. For women, hair is one more weapon in the beauty arsenal; a hair cut, a style. When used as a barrier it becomes an interesting device of protection, avoidance &/or misdirection. This quirk adds depth to a witness, a best friend who doesn't lie well, or an MC playing the innocent victim.

I have yet another friend whom I love dearly. She has had a host of surgeries over the last ten years; knees, back, neck. We can rebuild her. But, we can't make her go on a diet. My friend is chronically overweight & yet she insists that she needs to drink at least one Dr. Pepper a day to keep her blood sugar up. So, an overweight, hypoglycemic with a soda addiction. That is a contrast made for writing. And, the quirkiness of it, adds a level of reality that readers will recognize.

Quirky, quirky - we're all identifiable. Don't need fingerprints, DNA, or any other scientific identification. It's the little things that observation & character development are made of.

Happy Writing,

Patti

13 comments:

  1. Are your friends going to stick pins in your doll for revealing their secrets??

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  2. I cleared it first. And, I took their pins away!! LOL
    Patti

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  3. Good idea. Hide all the pins, quick! :D

    Quirks can be an important thing in a character--great post!

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  4. you are very right, those quirks make the character or the people. find those and you have a strong written character. well said

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  5. Golden & Summer,
    Thanks to both of you for the comments. Hiding the pins; uncovering the quirks. There in hangs the balance.
    Patti

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  6. I love to people watch, which inevitably leads to quirk watching. I think my most favorite part of writing is character development and what quirks and ticks to give each character. Excellent post!

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  7. Hey Mel,
    Thanks for stopping by & the comment. I know how busy you've been, so it is greatly appreciated.

    And, just so everyone knows, none of my real friends were hurt in the writing of this post - composite characters only.

    Patti

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  8. Personally I think without the quirks there is no character. I love this post. :)
    Jules @ Trying To Get Over The Rainbow

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  9. Hey Jules,
    I wholeheartedly agree!! Thanks for the comment.
    Patti

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  10. Olivia,
    Thank you & your welcome!!
    Patti

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  11. I am so unobservant. I need to pay attention more when I'm out and about, to see those quirks and all the other characterization fodder I'm missing out on. Thanks for the reminder!

    Becca @ The Bookshelf Muse

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  12. Becca,
    Thanks for the comment. I know it's hard when we're running around, lists in hand, trying to get through the grocery store, the post office, the coffee shop. I too need to remember head up, shoulders back, eyes scanning all around.
    Patti

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