This year, I’ve decided to reread some of the writing books in my library.  I wondered if, ten plus years on, I’d learn anything new. So far I am a third of the way through Writing for Emotional Impact by Karl Iglesias.

While I haven’t learned anything new, per se, I did find a nugget of wisdom that I don’t remember reading before. Basically, he said it’s not enough to give your hero/heroine traits when filling out your character questionnaire or interview, you must also decide how he/she will express those traits in your writing. By knowing the key actions/habits you will be able to show the reader the specific trait rather than telling them about it.

While I don’t remember reading this before, I know I have done this in my own writing. In The Christmas Village, my heroine Egypt chewed gum when she was nervous. First when she’s talking to her mom about going to her sister’s wedding. You see this isn’t just any wedding, her sister is marrying one of Egypt’s old boyfriends.

“I know, Mom. Besides, she has a boyfriend.” Nutz jumped onto the suitcase. The marmalade cat rolled onto his back and swatted at a patch of pink fluttering on the back of the sofa’s blue slipcover. Egypt tugged a piece of gum out of her pocket. Cinnamon exploded across her tongue. Light sparked off the silver foil as it sailed onto the coffee table. She should probably remove the damaged camisole. Should but wouldn’t. Gum popped in her mouth.

Unfortunately, Egypt has a knack for finding boyfriends for other people and what’s more her single girlfriends know it. And when she meets the hero, she fights getting involved because she wants him for herself, so now her gum chewing becomes a delaying tactic too.

“Great.” Egypt spit her gum into the foil wrapper and stuffed it into her pocket with all the other balls of spent nerves.

Using redundant body movements is also a good way to keep your secondary characters straight in the reader’s head. For my current Urban Fantasy, I have a young technician who pops up every once in a while. To remind the reader who he is, I have him stroke the wispy strands of his mustache. This has a bonus of also conveying that he isn’t very old.

Happy writing!