People Watching and Character Development

I like watching people. It helps with character development. Let me explain how.

So everyone is different, right? Right. And oftentimes our external appearance reflect our internal self. The clothing we choose to wear. The hairstyles we don. What we carry in our bags. The amount of makeup we use (I should really tone down the blush). How we walk and talk. The company we keep. Our posture and stance. The length or color of our fingernails. It all says SOMETHING about who we are as one individual in this massive world.

Now as writers we can look at complete strangers and develop an entire list of challenges, insecurities, pet peeves, family members, mind-blowing secrets they're harboring, and other scenarios for that person. It's just what we do. We have some of the more creative and brilliant imaginations on the planet (toot toot)...simultaneously however we just have one mind--bummer, I know. There are so many diverse personalities, attributes, bad habits, behaviors, hobbies, pet peeves, and so on floating around this world and its perfectly fine to discover those facets from simply watching regular day folk.

Honestly, it's not as weird as it sounds. Although some folks make deem me rather nosy, eccentric, or downright stalker-ish, it actually aids with character development and expanding your scope in regards to human personality. Our experiences in this world and simply what we capture with our eyes help form our characters, it's just that watching people can aid in shaping and perfecting that character too.It can also help with showing and not telling, knowing how to give brilliant detail, how to focus in on what's important about the character and so on.

So, what I like to do is go to the bookstore and take notes on my laptop or iPad (the one my father allowed me to "steal" from him as he likes to put it). I may drink a cup of coffee or have a glass of hibiscus tea with my earphones in, pretending to listen to music (s/o to Mike--one of my superdy duper awesome best friends!) but actually eavesdropping--I'm a mastermind at this, mind you. And I just watch people's mannerisms, demeanor, quirky little habits, and so on. And from what I capture of them I form it into a totally new idea.

This is what I saw yesterday at Panera.  This is the character I immediately thought of.

• The fancy girl constantly tugging her sleeves down and steps back when someone inches too close.--Her speech is polished. Her walk is poised. She is as posh as can be. Her entire demeanor screams that of a wealthy daddy's girl who lived a life so charmed that growing up her elegant and jeweled hands couldn't even hold a broomstick properly. But what outsiders don't know are the amount of doctor visits she's had, the countless pills she's nearly choked on, and the number of hours she's laid awake, her eyes tracing the swirls on her ceiling, hoping the childhood memories in her dreams won't haunt her sleep. Praying she won't have to see the broad and shadowy figure of the familiar man who slipped into her bedroom every night. That's why the scars trail up and down her arms like a second skin. She's so angry about her weakness. She wants to stab it. Kill it. Quickly get rid of it. Just like she can her skin. But she can't cut her memories. Cutting the memories would mean cutting her skin deeper. What would her daughter do without her? That would just be downright selfish and even wicked considering...leaving her with daddy would be unthinkable. He would just find a way to enter her bedroom too. 

•  A ragged looking woman toting three toddlers -- She's so annoyed with her life right now. She should have listened to her parents. Her father begged her not to do it. And now running to the courthouse with the first guy to say "I love you" and knock her up was the biggest regret of her life. But who would have thought she'd pop out triplets? And don't even let her really get started on Bill. His five-year plan was totally a five-year and everything goes kaput plan. Whenever she looks in the mirror she can't help but reflect on the broken promises, flawed plans, and the size 4 she once was. She curses, as usual, as she plucks yet another gray hair from her scalp. And good Lord she's not even 25! Who grays before 25? And when was the last time she went to church? Oh yeah, Bill is an atheist. He doesn't want to force a so called false God onto his children. She wish she'd found that out before having his babies...the jerk.

See what I'm saying?! And those are just my random notes on the folks I saw. I haven't even worked them into complete characters or anything. I just compiled a short little summary and that was it. You can easily build off it or work it into current characters. I call the first lady the Unlucky Princess and the second...I don't know, The Drowning Mother or something. I didn't like that chick too much (lol).

So that's why I people watch. It's entertaining, it's helpful, and it really gets you thinking about the various types of people in this world. Good luck with your stalking! ;-)