Comments on: Why Should Characters Have a Talent or Skill?

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By: Angie Dixon

Angie Dixon — Wed, 18 Mar 2015 02:02:44 +0000

In reply to BECCA PUGLISI. I could do the quarter trick, too. I almost mentioned that. I got up to more than 10 :)

By: lidy

lidy — Wed, 11 Mar 2015 18:18:30 +0000

Great post. I’ve always thought that giving characters talents and skills was a good way to make them more realistic. Of course you’re giving them talents and skills tailored to them as opposed just to make them and story more interesting for interesting sake. But all the other points you’ve brought up deepened even more my understanding of why it’s good to give your character a talent or skill, especially if a character thinks it’s a lame one. Thanks.

By: BECCA PUGLISI

BECCA PUGLISI — Wed, 11 Mar 2015 12:29:34 +0000

In reply to Alisa Boisclair. Good for you, for taking the necessary steps to improve, Alisa. I'm glad that our books are helping :)

By: BECCA PUGLISI

BECCA PUGLISI — Wed, 11 Mar 2015 12:27:25 +0000

In reply to Angie Dixon.

Good point, Angie. This is one of the reasons we try to include some of the more unusual talents and skills, to show people that anything can be used to bolster characterization or increase likability/relatability.

In college, I remember being able to do that quarter trick where you pile them all on your elbow and catch them in the same hand. Hmmmm…maybe I should revisit my college days for inspiration on new talents and skills, lol

By: Angie Dixon

Angie Dixon — Wed, 11 Mar 2015 01:07:50 +0000

I think I’d also add that real people have talents and skills. Everyone has something they can do. Whether you mention it in your novel at all or not, or even if you mention it once and never again, a real person can do something.

It doesn’t even have to be something extraordinary. My first year in college I wasn’t that great a student, but I could stand on a soda can with one foot, bend over and punch it in the sides and crush it completely flat. It wasn’t much, but it was a good party trick, and people asked me to do it.

Something I can do now is turn a small foam coffee cup inside out.

Those are not the kinds of skills we usually think of, but they count.

Now I’m fortunate to be thought of as a writer and creative person, so I don’t have to turn cups inside out, and I no longer have the knees for the soda can trick, but it was fun.

By: Ava Louise

Ava Louise — Tue, 10 Mar 2015 21:09:36 +0000

Thank you for the thought-provoking article on talents/skills. Looking forward to your Thesaurus.

By: Alisa Boisclair

Alisa Boisclair — Tue, 10 Mar 2015 19:34:23 +0000

I’m looking forward to the next thesaurus. I’m working on my first MS. Your books have helped me become a better writer.

By: Carol Baldwin

Carol Baldwin — Tue, 10 Mar 2015 18:01:04 +0000

Enjoyed this post. You gave a good reason for your argument!

By: Denise Willson

Denise Willson — Tue, 10 Mar 2015 17:50:01 +0000

I agree. My characters always have unique talents and quirks. This mimics real life. I’ve never met a person who isn’t good at something. It’s our interests, passions, talents, that make us different.

Great post, Becca!

Denise (Dee) Willson
Author of A Keeper’s Truth and GOT

By: :Donna Marie

:Donna Marie — Tue, 10 Mar 2015 16:35:46 +0000

Life—and books—would also be pretty bland without them—kinda like no salt and pepper 😉 Great post, Becca!