Character Quirks

     So I decided to share my thoughts on character quirks with the world after one of my besties was having trouble thinking them up.  Character quirks are sometimes very difficult because we rarely notice them or think about them.  So by all means pull up a chair and listen to me ramble.

For a long time I have made a point of researching cool people and finding out stuff about them.  I have an odd fascination with thinking deeply into their character.  Now, don't think I just stalk people.  I'm talking about actors, musicians, etc, as well as family members.  Even movie characters never escape my scrutiny.  And just recently I realized how I could put my extensive knowledge of formerly useless things to work.  Through writing.

Allow me to create a character from scratch.  Her name is Angelica Dorothea Elizabeth Morgana Candice Accola, but we shall call her Angel for short.  Angel is a very beautiful middle-aged woman, the picture of health.  Blonde hair, green/blue eyes, pink cheeks, manicured nails, healthy weight.  She's a little bit taller than most women, standing at exactly 5' 11".  None of those are character quirks, though.  What's "quirky" about her is that she frequently stands on one leg and uses the other to rub the first leg's calf like a cricket.  She purses her lips when someone's talking to her.  Her fingers often absent-mindedly reach up to twirl a strand of hair.  You can tell she's bored if she starts looking up or down, but normally she keeps her eyes fixed on whoever is speaking to her.  She says "I say!" a lot. Those are character quirks.

Look around you, at your family and friends.  Do they do any of these things?  What about constantly running their hands through their hair?  Do they always wear a hat?  Do they have a very unusual style of walking or running?  What about the way they wear their hair?  Is it odd?  Is there a phrase they say often, or always in a certain situation?  Do they like to collect certain items?

Give Angelica Dorothea Elizabeth Morgana Candice Accola a round of applause.  You did great, girl.

Now.  After thinking about your family and friends and the various quirks they may have, move on to book or movie characters.  Jack Sparrow from Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean is fairly easy.  Jack always acts drunk and constantly wiggles his fingers.  His favorite word is "Savvy".  Barbossa, his former first mate, loves apples.  
Emma Smallwood from The Tutor's Daughter by Julie Klassen always must have "a place for everything and everything in its place."  
Rachel Elizabeth Dare from Rick Riordan's Heroes of Olympus always has paint on her clothes.
Junie's dad from Barbara Park's Junie B. Jones runs his hands through his hair when he's trying to make a difficult decision.
Mrs. Bates from Emma by Jane Austen is extremely talkative and frequently says "So very obliging!"

Just remember to think of little things.  Observe people.  It helps a lot with the development of lifelike characters!

- Ashley and special guest star  
Angelica Dorothea Elizabeth Morgana Candice Accola