On
the Evolution self-development site, I ran across a tip to create a “worry box.”
This is any kind of file or box into which you drop pieces of paper on which
you have written anything you’re worried about.
The
notion is that this will allow you to have a clearer mind, but it struck me
that this could also be a great way of fleshing out your characters. In that
case, it could be a “worry file” in which you jot down everything you can think
of that your character worries about, large and small.
For
instance, I’m just starting on a novel in which the protagonist is a children’s
entertainer. Among his worries: running out of work, that people will think he’s
creepy if he’s still doing this job when he’s older; that another children’s
entertainer is going to steal his act; that he’ll be sued if a child ever gets
hurt (he’s let his insurance lapse to save money)—and quite a few more (he’s
kind of a young Woody Allen type).
Not
only does knowing what he or she worries about help you understand your character better, but if you’re ever
short of conflict or detail in a scene, dipping into your character’s worry
file could be very useful.
