I’m sitting here watching on old episode of JAG and thought – yeah skydiving might be something worth doing (not how the SEALS in the show were, mind you).
I wasn’t thinking Bucket List. I don’t believe in them because I don’t believe in regrets. I was thinking more of an appreciation list. Something I can see the attraction, even maybe think of doing, but know I never will.
At first I was going to talk about showing the character to your readers, but changed. Writing is fun. Reading is fun. We read to escape, solve puzzles/mysteries, get scared, fall in love, and this we call relaxation. Why not use what you think would be fun…what you can appreciate but never think of doing…and have your characters live it?
Pour the thrills and knowledge and emotion into a scene and bring your readers along. Something you’ve been curious about might just be the element to make your story different…different enough to be picked up from the thousands around it.
Do your research. Bring yourself into the scene…if I find sharks fascinating and would love to swim with them (in a cage) what I’m feeling at that thought should come alive on the page for my character. Novice? Great, you can go as curious as you want; as freaked out as well. Make the person in charge knowledgeable…research, research, research.
Parents have been known to live through their children; writers live through their characters.