Where did I get inspiration for my characters? From just about anywhere. It could be the mannerism of a relative, a story from a friend, or the glimpse of a stranger in town. Below are some of the character inspirations for A Storm of Doubts.
My main character Rae Riley has three half-brothers. Her middle brother, Aaron, is nine and always conducting experiments or building projects that seem to go wrong only when their father is around. Aaron’s enthusiasm for science is based on my oldest. He’s more of a scientist while Aaron is a budding engineer, but the love of acquiring and telling others scientific facts is very much like my son.
I introduce Rae’s twelve-year-old cousin, Coral, in A Storm of Doubts . She is a very practical, no-nonsense kid. She loves the outdoors and working with her hands, which is similar to my youngest son. He does well in school, but he’s always happiest working outside on a project, or playing sports, or exploring nature. I thought it’d be interesting to give a female character interests that are more common in boys and see what I could develop from that. Those interests also tie Coral to her father and grandfather, who are both farmers.
I also give Rae’s great-grandfather Walter a pivotal role. I’ve had a lot of fun exploring his complicated personality. What I didn’t notice while I developed him was that I was pulling characteristics of my maternal grandfather. My youngest sister pointed that out, saying Walter came across as a mean version of our beloved grandpa. When I thought it over, I could see the similarities and found it strange how real people could influence my characters without me realizing it.
Writers, where to you find inspiration for your characters?