The characters in fiction writing are almost like strangers at the beginning of a book. Although you may be able to make judgments about who they are from description, this won't help you to get to know them, to sympathize or detest them, simply because they are tall and slim and have dark hair. Similar to real life, impressions are made on understanding what happens on the inside, rather than what the external image is. Passing a stranger on the street, you may have an inkling about who they are, though even the bag lady who picks up polythene bags needs a character and a reason to be who she is. Thought paints the picture of whole people and is every bit as important as physical description.

*Reactions which make your character real.

*Thoughts which define the state of mind.

*Thoughts which lead to motives.

*Thoughts which explain behavior.

*Memories and how they affect the character.

*Fantasy and escape.

Reactions which make your characters real.

The thought processes are what gives substance to your writing. Imagine two very different ladies from different backgrounds. One is a Princess. One is a pauper, or working class cleaner. Invited to lunch with the queen, the attitude of both of these characters and the thought patterns would be very different. The princess may have indifferent thoughts, though the pauper may have a sense of worry, apprehension and excitement about the prospect. Each character reacts differently to a stimuli. The thought processes need to be written for readers to understand depth of character.

A child reacting to seeing the sea for the first time would be very different from that of an adult. These opportunities which present themselves to the writer to build characters mean that the thoughts should be spoken and should be demonstrated in such a way as to involve the reader in the reality of the characters. How would a murderer feel as they stalk their victim? Contrast this with how the victim who is being stalked feels and what you build is a wonderfully full picture, instead of a sketch of a situation.

Thoughts which define a state of mind.

Put two characters into a room. One is a bomb disposal expert and one is a woman tied to an explosive device. The bomb expert will of course be cautious though his thought processes will define that calm state of mind necessary to approach the problem. On the other hand, the thoughts of the woman would be muddled, confused and extremely afraid. By exposing the

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