Characters are unique, because they all have a little human in them. Even if they’re witches who want to burn the world, they need something the readers can connect to.
The other day, I rolled my eyes at my friend. We have been close for years, but some parts of him are annoying. Spending more money he doesn’t have on nerd galore that he doesn’t need. He couldn’t stop; he was addicted to it. I avoided my phone for a bit to get a break.
But as I walked away, I thought about my own addictions. I’m the person who works through breaks and tries to get fifteen million things done at once. I schedule my social life around my work. I’m addicted to it.
Everyone is like that in a way though. I have a friend who has her TV shows that she has to watch. Another friend buys table top games over and over but rarely uses them. It’s all the little quirks that we are. Although they can be annoying, they’re a part of us.
Characters are like that too. Like how Pikachu in the new Detective Pikachu movie is all about coffee. Or how Simon from The Mortal Instruments loves video games. Characters need those quirks to help the reader connect to who they are.
What are they addicted to? What can they not stop doing?
So, when you feel like your character is dull, find a quirk. It could be anything from anywhere. But those small parts can make your character come alive.
Robin LeeAnn 