subtle

I don't mince words. As my former library supervisor would attest, "Geez, Liz, tell us how you really feel."

More often than not folks I work or volunteer with appreciate my candor. I say what I mean. I don't massage the message, pretty, ugly or mediocre. My lack of a filter can get me in trouble at times, but the dust always seems to settle.

I also don't like to dwell on the small stuff. So when folks start to set in and discuss whether or not to spend a hundred bucks on flowers for the library, that falls into the no brainer category for me. If we have the money, the request seems reasonable, write the damn check. Why are we wasting time debating whether or not the Town or the Friends should pay for them?

What exactly does this have to do with my writing? I was pondering that today as I replayed the last few hours at the library and thought about coming home to work on Maddy Blue.

I don't do subtle. I'm not subtle. I'm not over the top in how I dress or talk, but if you ask me what I think, I'm going to tell you. I don't pull punches. My characters seem to all be the same way. I need to cultivate that silky smooth easy going persona and find a way to endow a few characters with those qualities. A book filled with 'call it like you see it' people can be a bit intense.

So, how do you go about writing personalities that you don't know? I've observed them all around me, but I get stuck when I try and interpret them into a character.

I think I need to noodle this a bit more.