Do your characters resemble Flat Stanley?

I love Flat Stanley.

If a member of your family is in elementary school, then you are familiar with Flat Stanley and have enjoyed taking pictures with him on vacations or around your city.

However, nothing you did could make him 3 dimensional. Stanley was still a flat paper doll.

I’ve been accused of being a very dry person. A stick to the facts kind of person. Sort of like Sargent Joe Friday. And unfortunately that can come across in my writing. Sometimes I forget to fatten my characters, to make them come to life in glorious 3D.

In my mind the little boy is sweaty, red-cheeked and out of breath, but sometimes I forget to paint that picture for my readers. I have every intention, after writing the draft, to go back and plump up the characters more but….

Thank God for good critique partners!

What about you? Does writing 3D characters come easy for you?

Here’s an article from over at SouthWest Writers, that might give us both a little help.

MAKE YOUR CHARACTERS MORE THAN CARDBOARD CUTOUTS by Kirt Hickman

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