Would you ever tell your aging mother that she was starting to look like a lizard? Not to her face I bet, but perhaps to a stranger? When people drop what I like to call, the TMI bomb (too-much-information), and reveal random things to complete strangers – I, as a writer, appreciate this very much.
Character inspiration can surface at the most unexpected of places. Just last week, for instance, I attended a workshop where admittedly, I found myself repeatedly drifting off, but one person managed to drag me out of my bored slumber by providing anecdotes about himself and his family. Yes, he did say that by the time he was in High School his mother was so wrinkly that she had started to look like a lizard - then he stuck his tongue out and made slurping noises. But the best was when he described her “anti-aging” technique, in which she would pull the loose skin hanging at her chin around to the back of her neck, where she would tape it, together.
I’m sure my mother wouldn’t appreciate if I went about telling tales like this about her (not that there are any), but my point is, it did give me a great visual for a potential character. Can’t you just picture her as the evil Grandma who comes to stay for the week, or the vain, older neighbor on a budget?
Ideas for quirky characters abound all around us...you just have to keep your ears open... and be thankful for the TMI bombers~
(Photo from greennature.com)
Character inspiration can surface at the most unexpected of places. Just last week, for instance, I attended a workshop where admittedly, I found myself repeatedly drifting off, but one person managed to drag me out of my bored slumber by providing anecdotes about himself and his family. Yes, he did say that by the time he was in High School his mother was so wrinkly that she had started to look like a lizard - then he stuck his tongue out and made slurping noises. But the best was when he described her “anti-aging” technique, in which she would pull the loose skin hanging at her chin around to the back of her neck, where she would tape it, together.
I’m sure my mother wouldn’t appreciate if I went about telling tales like this about her (not that there are any), but my point is, it did give me a great visual for a potential character. Can’t you just picture her as the evil Grandma who comes to stay for the week, or the vain, older neighbor on a budget?
Ideas for quirky characters abound all around us...you just have to keep your ears open... and be thankful for the TMI bombers~
(Photo from greennature.com)
My neck still is STILL TAUGHT! Like the Blog-Mom
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