Duct Tape? Really?

Lately, I’ve been trying to delve into my character’s heads a little more.  Everyone has quirks, and finding out how they got said quirk is usually a nice little tidbit for a story.

For instance…

I was packing for this trip, and my boyfriend was “helping.”

Okay, he did actually help quite a bit. However, he was reading my list to me so I could grab everything, and he kept stopping and asking questions about stuff. I had  to justify my list!

“Earplugs?”

“Uh, my traveling companion (not him, this trip was planned before we started dating) snores like a chainsaw.”

“Ah.”

“Rope?”

“I’ve had my suitcase fall apart on me before.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, and I’ve also needed a laundry line a few times.”

“Huh.”

“Duct Tape? Really?”

“Uh yeah.”

“…”

“Hey, you NEVER know when you’re going to need some tape. Seriously.”

“Okay.”

(I wrap a few feet around a pencil. The pencil is wood and can be used to stake vampires. Or write a message, or you can use the tape.)

Point in fact, we’re still  on our first leg of plane rides, and we’ve already found uses for the tape. So don’t make fun!

These are the cool things that make your characters real people. Why does your main character always carry a dollar’s worth of quarters in his pocket? Or why does she keep floss in her purse? Or what’s with the padlock?

Each character in your story should have these awesome quirks. Because, let’s face it, we do in real life. And fiction is just an extension of real life, with a few really great twists and turns.

So delve, get into your characters bags, pockets and suitcases. Become a stalker. They’ll thank you for it.