*This was originally published on the Haus Reverie Substack*
He put the sharpie to his lips, deciding if any additions were needed to make it more appealing. Should he bolden all the letters so everyone can see? Yes, that will do. He studied the cardboard sign for a moment before showing the cars stopped at the red light.
Homeless.
Need food.
God bless.
He couldn’t be more than twenty-two; perched on a box with a drawstring bag to his right. I wondered if that was all he had with him or if he stayed at the nearby motel known for housing the ‘homeless’. I wondered if he was looking for drug money; even a few bucks — something to get him a quick high. Did he panhandle as a job (since that’s legal in certain parts of the state now)? I wondered if he had family nearby; was this situation part of rebellion or did something else bring him to this spot?
Emotions Are Vital To A Writer
The key to creating well-developed characters is to know emotions and how they cause people to react. It helps to be well aware of your own emotions and how to tame them to your advantage in brainstorming. Start with memories that stand out to you. Maybe a fight you had with your best friend. Or perhaps a day that filled you with so much joy, you replay it in your head over and over. Can you relay exactly how you felt in those moments? What was going through your head to fill you to the brim with such emotion?
Write about it.
Now, thinking back to this kid on the sidewalk; what’s his story? What did he experience to lead him to that spot? Was it the disappointment that rolled off the shoulders of the pristine parents who claimed to have raised him better? Or was it the uncontrollable impulse of yet another head case with nowhere left to turn?
Use what you know about your own emotions and experiences, to give life to the characters you create in each story.
Stories Are Everywhere, Even Under A Rock
Simple things in life can inspire a variety of stories. Take for instance, a story that involves a key left in a secret spot outside the house (like under a rock in the garden).
Why was the key left there? Was it a spare, in case the character got locked out? Or was it a more calculated move to earn some insurance money from ‘stolen’ goods (when in fact, they had never been taken)?
What’s behind each of these ideas? A motive inspired by an emotion. Fear — like forgetting your house key and having to carefully inspect which window to break. Guilt — like when you lose money at the casino and now have to figure out how to pay the mortgage.
Stories are found when we start to wonder what happened to our characters.
Question Everything — I Mean, Everything
Brainstorming is a necessity. It’s the first thing you do whenever you want to create a new story. You get struck with a brilliant idea and your brain lists all the twists and turns that will eventually lead to your next masterpiece.
Let the ideas flow and be sure to jot them down in a notebook. Even if you don’t work on the idea right away, you know it’s stored for later. There’s no such thing as having too many ideas; think of it like a vault. A place to hold all your treasures until you’re ready to display them.
These brainstorming pages don’t need to be perfect — they don’t even need to be complete sentences — they just need to spark your creativity.
Writers See The World Through Different Eyes
Telling stories is more than just a pastime; it’s a way for us to connect with other people. It’s how we pass down the lessons we’ve learned. It’s the memories we share when reflecting on our lives — showcased in TV shows and novels.
A unique trait of writing is that there’s no pre-requisites. You don’t have to be wealthy — pen and paper do just fine. Even if you don’t have access to those materials, all you truly need is a voice and something to say.
