  Short Stories
This week: It Must Be a Full Moon Edited by: Shannon  
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Welcome to the Short Stories Newsletter. I am Shannon and I'm your editor this week. |
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Now, I'm sure this will sound like superstitious mumbo jumbo to the average layman, but most seasoned nurses agree on these two very important things: 1. you should never, under any circumstances, say the "Q" word (quiet), and 2. things tend to get a little weird when there's a full moon.
I find myself knocking on the nearest wooden surface (usually my own head) whenever someone utters the "Q" word at work ("Great! Cindy just jinxed us. She said the 'Q' word!"), and I can tell you in all seriousness that things most definitely DO get more than a little weird in the hospital when there's a full moon. I can't explain why; I just know it's real. I've seen it with my very own eyes.
There are lots of things I can't explain ... like how cats can predict which nursing home resident will be the next to die , but they aren't any less real just because I don't understand them.
This got me thinking about my characters and how every one of them contains a little piece of me--my quirks (like believing in the you-know-what that's sure to hit the proverbial fan after someone says the "Q" word), my love of music, my obsession with books, my weakness for buttered popcorn and documentaries. I'm sure this is true for every writer--that we weave bits of ourselves into each and every character we create. We tend to write what we know, after all, and we don't know anyone or anything better than we know ourselves.
Or do we?
I began to ponder how well I really know myself. What DO I believe? What are my likes and dislikes? What do I know to be true and what do I only suspect? What are my core values? What makes me me? So I sat down and made a list of the things that comprise who I am. Then I made a list of what I know (or believe) to be true about my husband, my best friend, my children, my coworkers, my closest family and friends, until I had pages of notes--my own personalized list of character traits to refer to the next time I need to flesh out a character.
When I really want to get to know a character, whether he be the protagonist or an inconsequential extra (and if every word in your story counts, no one is inconsequential), I fill out a character profile sheet. Sometimes I fill one out for every character in my story. Sure, it's a little time consuming, but you'd be amazed by how easily the words come once you know your characters inside and out. Character profile sheets save time in the end because you know with 95% certainty (everyone's a little unpredictable) what each character's next move will be.
And so with my notes in hand and a copy of Writer's Guide to Character Traits by Linda N. Edelstein PH.D. within reach, I proceed through the questionnaire:
This list is from the 1996 edition of Marc McCutcheon's book titled The Writer's Digest Sourcebook for Building Believable Characters. I've added to, subtracted from, and otherwise tweaked it over the past 15+ years, but the credit belongs to Mr. McCutcheon and Writer's Digest Books.
1. Name:
2. Age:
3. Height:
4. Weight:
5. Body Type:
6. Physical Condition (fit, unfit or something in between?):
7. Eye Color:
8. Hair Color & Style:
9. Distinguishing Features and/or tattoos, scars, piercings, etc.:
a.
b.
c.
10. Physical Imperfections/Would Like Most to Change:
a.
b.
c.
11. Characteristic Gestures:
a.
b.
12. Race/Ethnicity:
13. Sexual Orientation:
14. Religion:
15. Family Background/Lineage:
16. Years of Schooling:
17. Major and Minor Studies in College:
a.
b.
c.
18. Degrees:
19. Grades Achieved in School:
20. Special Occupational Training:
21. Skills, Abilities and Talents:
a.
b.
c.
d.
22. Areas of Expertise:
a.
b.
c.
23. Occupation:
24. Past Occupations:
a.
b.
c.
25. Military Experience:
26. Short-Term Goals:
a.
b.
c.
27. Long-Term Goals:
a.
b.
c.
28. Short-Term Needs:
a.
b.
c.
29. Long-Term Needs:
a.
b.
c.
30. General Personality Type (See "Personality Traits Inventory" on page 88 if you need additional help):
31. Introvert/Extrovert:
32. How did he spend the week just before the point where your story will begin?
33. What would he like to change about himself or his life if he could? If he really made that change, would he be as happy as he thinks he would? Why or why not?
a.
b.
c.
34. Quirks:
a.
b.
c.
35. Eccentricities:
a.
b.
c.
36. IQ:
37. Temperament:
38. Method of Handling Anger or Rage (Repress, throw things, etc.):
39. Admirable Traits:
a.
b.
c.
d.
40. Negative Traits:
a.
b.
c.
d.
41. Bad Habits/Vices:
a.
b.
c.
d.
42. Prejudices:
a.
b.
c.
43. Pet Peeves and Gripes:
a.
b.
c.
44. Things That Make Character Uncomfortable/Embarrassed:
a.
b.
c.
45. Most Painful Things in One's Life:
a.
b.
c.
46. Ever Been Arrested? (If so, for what?):
a.
b.
c.
47. Political or Social Issues Most Important:
a.
b.
c.
d.
48. Opinion on Abortion:
49. Opinion on Environmental Issues:
50. Opinion on Homosexuality/Gay Marriage:
51. Opinion on Military Intervention:
52. Opinion on Progress:
53. Opinion on Crime and Gun Control:
54. Opinions Peculiar to Character:
55. Political Party:
56. Liberal, Conservative, Middle of the Road, Radical:
57. Income:
58. Sense of Humor (None, dry, understated, witty, slapstick, dirty, etc.):
59. Fears/Phobias:
a.
b.
c.
60. Manias:
a.
b.
c.
61. Physical Illnesses or Afflictions:
a.
b.
c.
62. Mental Disturbances:
a.
b.
c.
63. Hobbies:
a.
b.
c.
64. Interests:
a.
b.
c.
65. Sports:
a.
b.
c.
66. Favorite Pastime:
67. Favorite TV Shows:
a.
b.
c.
68. Favorite Movies:
a.
b.
c.
69. Favorite Books:
a.
b.
c.
70. Favorite Travel Destination:
71. Pets:
72. Drinks Alcohol? (How often?):
73. Favorite Alcoholic Beverage:
74. Favorite Meal:
75. Diet (regular, diabetic, low-sodium, low-fat, low cholesterol, restaurant, etc.):
76. Favorite Restaurant/Ethnic Food:
77. Favorite Physical Attributes Of Opposite Sex and/or Same Sex:
78. Attributes About Character That Attract Opposite Sex and/or Same Sex:
79. Turn-Ons:
a.
b.
c.
80. Turn-Offs:
a.
b.
c.
81. Traumas, Psychological and/or Physical Scars from the Past:
a.
b.
c.
82. Clothing Styles/Favorite Outfit:
83. Favorite Pet Sayings, Words/Idiolect:
a.
b.
c.
84. Speaking Style (Talkative, taciturn, soft-spoken, loud, formal, casual, accent, fast, slow, etc.):
85. Philosophy of Life:
86. Type and Number of Close Friends:
87. Best Friend:
88. Other Friends:
89. Most Crucial Experience(s) that helped mold character's personality or attitude):
90. Home (Apartment/tenement building/high-rent/low-rent/district/house/mansion/castle, etc.):
91. Neighborhood:
92. Car:
93. Color:
94. Drive Fast or Slow/Obeys Traffic Laws:
95. Major Problems to Solve or Overcome:
a.
b.
c.
96. Solutions to Problems:
a.
b.
c.
97. Minor Problems to Solve or Overcome:
a.
b.
c.
98. Solutions to Problems:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
99. Character Growth (by the end of the story)/Character Change/Lessons Learned:
a.
b.
c.
100. Chronology Of Actions, A-Z (from start of story to end):
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
k.
l.
m.
n.
o.
p.
q.
r.
s.
t.
u.
v.
w.
x.
y.
z.
Of course you don't have to use this list, and you certainly don't need to fill out every question for every character in every story you write. It's just a tool like any other. You can use it or not, but I have found it to be invaluable. I hope it helps you, too.
Thank you for reading.
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I hope you enjoy this week's featured selections. Please remember to do the authors the courtesy of reviewing the ones you read. Thank you, and have a great week!
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And it's that time again ... time to nominate your favorites for the 2011 Quill Awards! Nominations will close mid-January, so don't procrastinate!
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The following is in response to "Short Stories Newsletter (November 29, 2011)" :
bertiebrite hoping for peace  says, "Shannon, I wrote a poem inspired by some ancient books that I saw in my neighborhood library that were being given away. One was a treatise on magic. The poem called 'A Likely Story.' It is about a man who purchases an old book and it leads him to crime. It is a wonderful way to excite your imagination, just looking at old things. Great idea." It sure is! And A Likely Story sounds like not only an interesting poem, but a great idea for a short story (hint, hint). 
Legerdemain  says, "Hi Shannon - great newsletter. I love old books too! I once bought a bagful of books at a flea market for an extravagant $20, wouldn't you know there was a twenty dollar bill in one book, used as a bookmark. Your domestic life book sounds like a treasure." Wow, that's awesome! I've heard crazy stories about people finding original handwritten drafts of famous novels stuffed inside old books, too. I've never been that lucky, but one can always hope. Thank you for reading and commenting! 
Zeke  says, "I have a collection of very old McGuffy Readers ranging from 1 through 6. I guess reading was a little more important in school back then." Yes, it was. The other day I heard that teachers are no longer teaching children how to write in cursive because computers and word processing programs have made it obsolete.  Very sad.
NickiD89  says, "I LOVE antique stores and come to think of it, I haven't given myself an afternoon to mill around on in ages. Usually I don't look through the dusty bookshelves, but next time I will. Finding a treasure like you have would be awesome! Great NL, as always!" Thank you, Nicki! 
BIG BAD WOLF is hopping  says, "I'd contact that library and see if that book is still wanted." But, but.... *sigh* Maybe I should. It's only about 80 miles from where I live. 
Mara ♣ McBain  says, "Ohhh your "new" book sounds fab! I love to give books as gifts!" Me too, Mara! Bookstore gift cards are my favorite gifts to receive, too. 
atwhatcost says, "You asked for ideas and suggestions of why people might not be adding more writing to WDC and contests. I can only answer for myself. The main reason is I'm revising my first novel. The other reasons are close under it. I enter contest to win points to keep my upgrade, so others can review the novel, when I get that far. Unfortunately, most prizes for contest lately have been awardicons. If I could sell them for the points.... Also, most contests have a theme associated with that particular time of year. Halloween, NaNo, Christmas, winter, spring--I write stories, but the time of year and holidays are such minor things to me, I'm not often inspired by holidays and seasons. I'm headed for the third year on WDC, and already Halloween bores me. Hard to believe, but some of us aren't into scary stories or Halloween." Yeah, that makes sense. And we're all so stinking busy around the holidays, too! Thanks for sharing that, Lynn, and thank you for  !
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Short Stories: December 06, 2011 Issue [#4748]
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