Welcome into Flight School:

Every person in your story deserves careful attention, even those who appear only briefly. The best writers know this - they make every character memorable through precise, thoughtful description. Let me show you how they do it.

The Masters at Work

Look how these writers bring passing characters vividly to life:

Four Seasons in Rome by Anthony Doerr: A pair of monks, small as gnomes, push past, talking animatedly, onions on their breath.

Truth Serum by Bernard Cooper: The waitresses at Burl’s wore brown uniforms edged in checkered gingham. From their breast pockets frothed white lace handkerchiefs. In between reconnaissance missions to the tables, they busied themselves behind the counter and shouted “Tuna to travel,” and “Scorch that patty” to a harried short order cook who manned the grill.

And though this isn’t memoir, I have to share one from my favorite book and author, A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving: Mr. Tubulari—was also away for Christmas. He was also a bachelor, and he had insisted on the fourth floor—for his health; he claimed to love running upstairs. He had many female visitors…Mr. Tubulari was fast and silent and thrived on catching the boys “in the act”—in the act of anything: shaving cream fights, smoking in their rooms, even masturbation. Each floor had a designated common room, a butt room, so-called, for the smokers; but smoking in dorm rooms was forbidden—as was sex in any form, alcohol in any form, and drugs that had not been prescribed by the school physician. Mr. Tubulari even had reservations about aspirin. According to Dan, Mr. Tubulari was off competing in some grueling athletic event over Christmas—actually, a pentathlon of the harshest-possible wintertime activities; a “winterthon,” Mr. Tubulari had called it.

None of these characters appear again. Yet we'll never forget them because each writer took the time to render them fully human.

Character Study: Norman Ollestad's Father

Let's return to Crazy for the Storm to see this technique in action. Notice how Ollestad builds his father's portrait - not through police-blotter details of height and weight, but through specific, revealing actions:

* A newspaper-reading, apple-gobbling surfer

* Drives a '56 Porsche

* Gives his kid peanuts for lunch while calling him "Boy Wonder"

* Bets on a horse named Scooby Doo

Through these details, we understand not just what this man looks like, but who he is. His pride, his complexity, his relationship with his son - all emerge through carefully chosen specifics.

The Essential Elements

When developing any character, major or minor, consider:

* Names and their significance

* Mannerisms and speech patterns

* Attitudes and behaviors

* Physical details (clothing, accessories)

* Desires, hopes, and dreams

Many writers rush past character description, particularly of minor characters. But this misses an opportunity to deepen your story. Every person who appears in your narrative can add texture and meaning - if you take the time to see them fully.

✍️Your Turn

Return to Chapter One of Crazy for the Storm. Study the other two characters in the scene:

* What specific details does Ollestad provide?

* How do these details shape your understanding of who these people are?

* What assumptions do you make based on these descriptions?

Remember: Every character who appears in your pages is an opportunity to enrich your story's world. Give them the attention they deserve.

~ Jennifer 🐦‍⬛

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