Characters for Company

I miss people. I miss spontaneous get togethers, unannounced summer visitors and the fun of planning birthday celebrations. Inevitable, I suppose, as a result of months-long, pandemic-induced, relative isolation. At least that’s what I’m telling myself.  

Letting housework slide and lounging for too many hours in front of the television have lost their appeal. Puzzling to me is why even reading is less pleasurable lately. I’ve chalked it up to the fact that it is such a solitary activity and what I want these days is more connection with live people.

Amid my somewhat limiting day-to-day routines, something promising has happened that has me excited about writing again. 

An Irish proverb offers affirmation of our need to connect with others: “It is in the shelter of each other that the people live.”Literal translation from the original, according to Irish author and poet, Padraig O’Tuama, is “We live in each other’s shadow.”

Weeks ago, I noticed several characters hanging around in the shadows, shyly presenting themselves and kind of daring me to act on their inspiration. The timing was perfect. There are plenty of character development tools in my ‘how-to-write’ resources so that gave me a place to start. 

Creating characters feels great; cultivating their dreams, demons, flaws and foibles. With no expectations for them thus far, I’m enjoying taking time to develop their histories and motivations and getting to know them as well as possible. I want to be ready for their responses to any ‘what ifs’ that happen to them, story-wise. It may be interesting to see what is revealed about them after a glass of wine or two.

Two strong protagonists are well on their way and a third is in the works. The plots and storylines these characters will inhabit are elusive right now but they will be short stories. I’m resisting worrying too much about the stories for the time being. Recalling a writer friend’s blog about why character trumps plot… every time, encourages me to focus on characters until they feel fully realized.

I need to see family and friends more often but am not comfortable expanding my small circle just yet. So, I am happy to stay isolated for a while longer and hang out with my characters. I really like them and you never know where they may lead me.