Details

"Life is not a plot; it's in the details." Jodi Picoult, Vanishing Acts

I’m always misplacing or neglecting my phone. It falls into couch cushions, I leave it on the kitchen table, or I put it in my phone soap device and forget about it. I blame this quirk of mine on the lack of pockets or too-small pockets in women’s clothing.

I’m also guilty of not tightening caps on things like milk, jam, or peanut butter. Two weeks ago, I packed vitamins into a ziptop bag for vacation. Upon our return, my husband picked up his vitamin bottle, and pills went flying around the kitchen. At least this time, it didn’t create a huge mess.

Photo by Calugar Ana Maria on Unsplash

When I read books, I search for the little things that make a character unique. I recently finished Georgie All Along by Kate Clayborn. The protagonist has “messy energy,” and the author weaves this trait throughout the story. She was a lovable and relatable character.

I write with details in mind, and I wonder if my readers pick up on them. In my second book, Ripple Effects, the main character is a young woman who is obstinate about doing things for herself almost to a fault. In my short story, Power of the Pen (inside the Just One anthology), my side character has a minor donut obsession. A straight-and-narrow English teacher in my current manuscript secretly reads erotic romance and can’t hold her alcohol. The scenes have been very fun to write.

I think small details can elevate a story from a good story to one where the reader thinks about the characters after they’ve completed the book. Have you ever read a book where the characters hang around in your mind afterward?

My short story, Northern Blues, is out in the world, and I’d love to know what you thought of the story. I’ve taken a break from querying my current manuscript and have started a new story. It’s a forbidden romance, and I’m doing a lot of research on morally grey characters. I’ll keep you posted.