by Lindsay Price

Created on: March 26, 2009

The most interesting characters come alive in the smallest details: a favourite food, a favourite type of music, a fear of spiders, an allergy to plums, a scar from a fall at two years of age, a love of reality television. These details are what makes a character three dimensional and human. They may seem mundane, but think about what defines you as a person. Is it the grand events in your life, or the day to day? These details of the small add a layered richness beyond the world of the story. The more you know about your characters,the deeper the well you have to draw from, the more specifically you can write for them.

This character development exercise allows you to create the details of the small for your characters.

What's In Your Bag?

Empty out the bag you use most regularly, whatever you take with you when you go out. If you don't carry a bag, think about how you carry what's necessary - what's in your pockets? Write out in a point form list each item in that bag. Why do you carry each item? What purpose does it hold in your life? Is there anything emotional (such as a letter from an old girlfriend) in your bag? Is everything in your bag strictly functional? Is there anything in your bag that shouldn't be? Look at the bag itself. Why did you choose it? How long have you had it? Do you need a new one?

Once you've answered all the questions, look back at what you've written. What does your bag say about you? What is expected about your answers? What is unexpected?

Now, apply the same process to the main character in whatever project you are working on. Give this character a bag. What does the bag look like? Why does the character carry this bag? If the character definitely wouldn't carry a bag, create the reason why. How do they carry what's necessary for their day? How old is it? Is this character the type of person who can't leave the house without a huge bag? What do the items in the bag help the character to do? Is there anything job related in the bag? Based on what you know of the character, what items in the bag are expected? Put one thing in the bag which is unexpected. What does that unexpected item say about the character? What does this bag tell you about this character?

Now write a moment that takes place in the world of your story involving this character and their bag.

Exploring the world of the small in your characters is always going to give you the most interesting characters to work with.

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