Need writing prompts for character development? Start with what sparks joy for your new fictional friends, and you may discover what your characters truly want.
The Marie Kondo principle of cleaning up clutter–keeping only the things that spark joy–can be applied to more than our t-shirts, books, and knick-knacks. Writers can use the idea of sparking joy as writing prompts for character development.
Little things matter. Unexpected gifts. Walks in the park. Laughter. Chocolate. If we can delight in these little things, so can our characters. What little things bring them joy?
“Paris is always a good idea.” ~ Sabrina (From the movie, Sabrina)
“Flowers are always a good idea.” ~ Me (wink to hubby)
My father sent me flowers for Mother’s Day, something he’s never done before. Imagine my surprise–sitting at my desk, toiling away and guzzling my coffee–when Brownie starts barking like crazy, and a man carrying a vase walks up to my door. I was SURE he had the wrong house! While my husband Joe often buys me flowers, he usually picks them up and brings them home himself–no need for deliveries. Me getting a flower delivery never happens.
But, that’s when getting flowers is best–when they’re the last thing you’d expect!
Why do women love flowers? I don’t know. I can’t speak for them. All I know is that I love them! The pretty of them, the smell of them, the greens and pinks and yellows of them! I love flowers because they are beautiful and looking at them makes me happy, makes me marvel.
Finding joy isn’t the same for everyone. Not all people get that way about flowers, but all people have a thing–flowers, Paris, something–that captures and delights in ways not everyone understands. It’s that thing that when you experience it, you light up. I’m the same way about the beach.
My husband’s thing tends to be video games (and me, I hope). For my daughter, it’s horses or any animals. My son loves new tech and good food. Brownie finds joy in the mailman, Fed Ex or UPS trucks, and doggie treats, and Coldplay, and pets and cuddles (Brownie has lots of things). Our new cat Jimothy enjoys stalking, pouncing, and gnashing his fangs at birds and bugs (Should I be worried? Check out this blog on how we came to have Jimothy).
Try answering these questions as writing prompts for character development & discover what they find joyful.
What sparks joy for your character? Try brainstorming at least three things that make her smile. Be specific. “Being loved” sparks joy for everyone, making it a nonanswer. But “being loved by married men”… or “being loved by plushies”… well, that’s a story!
For Delilah Duffy, the heroine of my mystery series, reading mysteries while drinking coffee with her dog Willie at her side and, of course, Sam, her childhood sweetheart turned mystery-solving partner, spark joy.
What do her joy-sparking things reveal about her? My love of flowers suggests I’m a romantic. Delilah’s love for reading mysteries implies she enjoys solving puzzles and explains her fine-tuned mystery-solving skills when she faces them in real life. Plus, being a book nerd is good for business; she manages Beach Read, a seaside bookstore.
Perhaps what sparks joy for your character goes back to childhood, like a doll collection or a quilt handstitched by her grandmother. Or it’s a treasured hobby, like playing the violin or crafting.
Give your main character an unexpected surprise that delights her. How does she react? How might it move your plot forward? Or backward, depending on who sends the surprise? What if it’s a great surprise sent by the wrong person?
The flowers brightened my day, inspired this blog, and prompted a call to my Dad. Delilah Duffy often feels suspicious of surprises and looks for motives, like when Sam sent her black roses for her Frankenstein book party in Luna-Sea. Was she right to be suspicious, or has she read too many mysteries?
What sparks joy for you and your characters? Share below. Need more ideas on building plots and developing characters? Check out my blog. There’s plenty more where this came from. Plus, see what else I’m up to…
P.S. Another thing that sparks joy for me… new readers, shares, and comments! *wink.
