My Source of Inspiration

Staci here, thinking about character inspiration.

Potential characters are all around us, from the heavily-tattooed Starbucks barista to the lady who walks her dog five or six times a day to the neighbor who always hides inside his house. And, of course, literature provides an endless supply of characters to study and be inspired by. Who wouldn’t want to be as smart and observant as Sherlock Holmes or Miss Marple? Or as plucky and resourceful as Nancy Drew?

While books have presented fascinating characters for centuries, I’ve found that my largest source of character inspiration is television. Perhaps that’s because I watch quite a bit of TV (something that was never more obvious than this week after my cable box died and the new one took several days to arrive), but more likely it’s because I’m a fan of serialized programs.  I see the same people week after week in these shows and become familiar with their mannerisms until one day, I realize that a single character has risen above the others. That’s when I stop and try to figure out exactly why I like that character more than the others. It usually boils down to some unusual personality trait that creates unexpected humor.

Take Detective Cho, a regular on The Mentalist. He’s a no-nonsense straight shooter, not one to be trifled with. But at least once an episode, he delivers a deadpan observation that makes me laugh. Fill an entire hour with these statements, and the effect would immediately disappear, but offer up the occasional one-liner, and the impact is always spot-on.

Another favorite character is Walter on Fringe. He’s a brilliant scientist with a childlike naiveté. It’s a wonderful combination that keeps his actions and statements fresh and surprising. He livens up every scene he’s in with his random requests for favorite foods or certain music, even while staring at a dismembered body or unidentifiable creature. For all his quirks, his scientific acumen is never in question.

What do these two characters have in common? They both represent stereotypical roles (serious cop, genius scientist) that could easily go unnoticed in the rest of the cast. However, writers from both shows have given them each a unique twist that lifts them above the crowd of sameness and makes them note-worthy.

I try to keep this in mind when I’m creating new characters for my own books. First, I figure out what role they’re filling, such as a nosy neighbor, a disapproving boss, or a stern police officer, and then I try to figure out what unexpected characteristics I can give them that will break that mold and help them stand out. If I get stuck, I put away the manuscript and go watch a little TV, curious to see which character will inspire me next.

Which TV characters inspire you?

Comments

[Camille Minichino]

I'm also a TV junkie, mostly crime dramas. And I love CHO -- didn't know anyone else was paying attention to him!

I once heard a tv writer say that people go back to serialized dramas the people and not the stories, and that writers plan a "good" episode only once every 3rd or 4th time -- that's all it takes, because viewers will keep coming back for the characters.

[Staci]

That's really interesting, Camille. Of course, that makes the writers sound a little lazy. = ) Now I'll be watching with a keener eye, wondering which ones are the "good" episodes. Thanks for the info!

[Michael A. Black]

I'll confess to the guilty pleasure of watching The Mentalist as well. Cho's character seems like a pardody of Joe Friday (Dragnet)as the actor gives those deadpan, Jack Webb wisecracks. Television is a personality medium all right. And I'd totally agree about the "good" episodes coming in an alternating pattern.

[Staci]

I definitely know when Sweeps week has arrived, because the Mentalist writers always include a Red John storyline to boost viewership. Then they immediately relax and go for a more basic storyline the following week.