Sandra Miller's Website

http://www.pgtc.com/~slmiller/index.htm

Sandra Miller offers many features to a writer: her own writing, reader reviews, fiction writing tips, and more. This is a great resource for those who are struggling at any stage of writing, whether it's just starting out or those last finishing touches. I recommend exploring her website!

Here's an example of her tips for character development, something all of us have struggled with at one time or another:

Here are a few things to consider when developing your character:

What are your character's vices? Unfortunately, we all have them. A vice for your character doesn't necessarily have to be drinking or swearing--perhaps your character is a compulsive spender. Perhaps your character's vice is something as innocuous as a habitual over-consumption of sweets; maybe your character is a chocoholic. And perhaps your character has just been diagnosed with diabetes. As you can see, what is considered a vice will depend largely on your character's situation.

What are your character's pet peeves? Sometimes a person's pet peeve can give you insight into their personality, and what things are important to them. For example one of my biggest pet peeves is people who say things like "the floor needs swept" or "the dishes need washed". From this, you can tell that grammar is important to me (and a good thing, too, or I would have a hard time of it as a writer!) If I had a character whose biggest pet peeve was having a pair of slacks without creases, what would that tell you?

What is your character's strong point? Every story involves hardship, and your character will need a way to survive this hardship. Usually, this involves the character's strong personality strength, or plays off of that strength somehow. Scarlett O'Hara survived Gone With the Wind because of her strength of will, her single-minded determination to get what she wanted. What is your character's strength?

What about a nickname? Does your character want to be called Bill, or William B Holladay the Third? Sometimes you can tell quite a bit about someone by what their friends call them.