#there's a reason why my personal tag is 'noodle rambles' and not 'noodle coherently conveys her thoughts'

[cup-noodle]

You know what rules? Putting little bits of yourself and your loved ones into your characters. I recently saw someone comment how unoriginal that is and honestly, I couldn’t disagree more.

It’s just the opposite - it’s how you make your writing authentic. As long as the basics of the character are well laid and you don’t completely you-ify them, sprinkling in bits and pieces from your life has so much potential to make the story more grounded and compelling. Everyone’s life experience varies in ways that we could never even imagine, and it’s all in the little things. It’s in the personal quirks and habits and preferences that might not be the primary things that define your character, but they’re what make them them. That’s exactly what makes characters seem like real, fleshed out people. And that, in turn, is going to make people care about them.

So please, add in the stupid greeting dance you and your siblings do. Give a character your own cereal preferences, with specific argumentation. Make them super interested in a niche period of history you love. Give them your great aunt’s sense of humour. Make them eat apples the weird way your dad does. I’m serious, it’ll make all the difference.