Totally don’t know if everyone does this already or not, but I did something fun this weekend that really brought my manuscript to life.
I went through the document, using the handy dandy binocular/find thingy, and put all my diallgue in a Word Document.
Next, I sorted it by character and color coded it.
Then I studied each one. This was a kinda involved process, but by doing so, I was able to clearly see if each character had their own feel, catch phrases, and sounded unique.
I even learned one of my characters had a southern accent, ha! That totally changed her whole characterization and really made her pop.
Last, I took out my handy dandy character sketch sheet–I will post about that soon–and wrote down any favorite phrases or words that fit them. Now, at a quick glance, I can use their picture and a bunch of tailored phrases for inspiration.
Hey, it works for me!
What about you? Any favorite writing or self-editing tips? I’d love to hear them!
