I love it when a character takes over a scene. When you hit a moment completely plot based and your character screams to be heard on how they would handle it. Character moments are an essential piece to fiction and can make or break a novel with an audience.

It’s Mulder’s love of sunflower seeds (and his japes with Scully over his porn collection).

It’s Captain Kirk’s womanizing.

Or Twilight Sparkle’s obsession with Star Swirl the Bearded. (Yes. We watch way too much My Little Pony in my house. And yes, it is an awesome show.)

Touchstones, habits, character obsessions or quirks connect them with readers on a more intimate level. Not everyone can really grasp a murder mystery involving two hundred year old spirits – though it would be pretty cool. Instead, having Loren be an ex-smoker and a Superman fan helps ground the character and bring little moments to the story that pull the reader deeper into the plot.

Inserting character moments into your writing.

While they should all come naturally there are some instances when the scene falls flat or uninspired. Too mired in plot that it forgets that there are living, breathing characters in the mix. (And readers on the other side of the page.) In these times, your book practically demands character moments be inserted.

Here are some tips to better flesh out your writing with character moments:

1. Pull each scene apart. While self-editing your early drafts (or even at the outline level) step back from the plot and question your character’s motivations at the moment. What is the overall goal of the scene? If it is exposition is there a way to deliver it that also speaks to the character conveying or receiving the information? Do they have a catch-phrase or schtick that tends to shine through for them? (Is it Clobberin’ Time yet? as my good friend, Ben Grimm would say?)
2. Actions can speak louder than words. When looking at each piece of your book is there a place where maybe dialogue isn’t necessary to pass along information and a specific action carries the same weight? One that speaks more to character? In the case of Greystone, Greg Loren chews gum. Loudly. Incessantly so. (Filthy habit.) Having him stop talking to chomp in someone’s ear says something more than a resounding “I’m done talking with you” or “Kindly shut the hell up.” It could also be played for comedic effect. But it adds a character moment to the scene that wasn’t there before.
3. Play with the dynamics of the scene. Maybe structurally the scene works but the character interactions fall flat. Substitute players when you can to see if the rhythm flows better, or to add that extra bit of interplay between characters. I wrote a scene for The Medusa Coin with Mathers berating Loren over a situation. Then I realized Mathers would never bother even talking to Loren and Ruiz could deliver the information much more effectively. It opened up the scene for some comedy and supported the growing dynamic between two principle characters in the book.

Character moments or bust.

Character moments can create truly memorable scenes that readers share with others. They come to define the book better than any one plot point might.

And they bring your book to life.

Take the extra care with your characters and your reader’s will appreciate it.

Thanks for reading.