If you’re having trouble with writer’s block, maybe you need to get out of the office and go somewhere public. Try this exercise for a little inspiration.
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Writing fiction is little more than making stuff up, is it not? So, if you’re having trouble creating brand new characters with interesting lives from scratch, why not give your story a head start by writing about real people?
“Wait a second,” you might say. “I thought it was a bad idea to write about real people. What about lawsuits and angry cousins?”
Don’t worry, I’m not telling you to write about people you KNOW! What I want you to do is to go some place public, order a tall cup of coffee, pull out your journal and your trusty pen, and keep your eyes open for interesting patrons.
If you sit there long enough, eventually someone will walk in who is eccentric enough to spark your interest. But even if the restaurant (coffee shop, whatever) is full of regular Joes (no coffee-related pun intended), this exercise can still be useful–not to mention extremely fun!
Once you’ve selected a patron, observe them. Try not to be too obvious about it, but take note of the way they walk, their facial expressions. Are they rude to the employees, or are they overly friendly. Look for weird mannerisms, like shifty eyes, or maybe restless hands that won’t stop picking at imaginary lint. Try to notice every little detail, and then make up a biography about them.
Once you’ve written a short biography, outlining their life and their personality, drop them in an interesting situation, and try to figure out how they would react to it. You never know . . . by the time this exercise is over, you might have yourself an idea for your next (or your first) big novel!
ENJOY!!