HOW DO I fill in those large empty spaces in my story? Specifically, I want more interaction between my characters, so I put together a list of prompts to jump start the creative process. This would be a reference for any project I happen to be working on.
Dialogue - get the characters talking to one another and watch what happens. Just jump in, the beginnings can be altered or dumped. Sometimes the meat is there just waiting to be discovered.
Remember - writing begets writing.
Start in the middle of a scene - get that kernel of an idea down. Where are they? Place, setting, activity. Throw them together doing something. Throw in a third of forth character to stir things up. You're the writer - you can add the lead-in and transitions once you get the feel for the scene and know where it belongs.
Look further down the road - what smoking guns need to be planted that will be used later and much later in the story? Let the reader be a fly on the wall to these events. Only three people in the world know what's happened; the reader, the writer and the character.
Go back to the outline - You've made an outline, haven't you? Of course you did. Use this micro-caption of your entire story as a guide to what scenes are still needed. Color code, bullet, italicize, whatever it takes to fill in those blank page and the holes between scenes.
Throw away what isn't working or isn't necessary - sometimes ideas don't work out. Know when to throw it away. If it doesn't move the story forward or doesn't reveal something integral to the characters, get rid of it. Readers don't want to be bogged down with frivolities. Dress up your characters, but if it doesn't set the tone or advance the plot, keep it simple. It's winter, they need a winter coat. But if that coat is the reason they drown, or prevents them from drowning; it becomes important.
Write a two-way (open) letter to your character - this is a form of conversation that can allow you to delve into the psyche of your characters. What do they want? What don't they want? Find out what makes them tick by asking them questions directly. Let them tell you what they are thinking, feeling, planning. This exercise can uncover hidden gems within your characters. There are two sides to most people; the image they present to people and what they keep inside. Characters are no different except that as a writer, you get to reveal what lurks beneath that beautiful outer layer.
Create intriguing characters
What makes a character come alive? As opposed to a flat, uninteresting one.
- they react to situations and other people
- they have memories
- mannerisms
- opinions, judgments
Show them listening, watching, thinking - describe their silence. How a character looks at something is an opportunity to describe their mood.
