I find sometimes while writing that sharing a bit of my character’s experience helps me dive a bit deeper into their emotions and motivations. Take for instance, Emma, the heroine of my current work in progress. She’s got a habit of playing everything off super-cool, but in reality, she’s totally faking it.
I gave it a try. I pushed my limits by challenging my fear of heights. I pressed through the fear by focusing on the words from my all-time favorite book. It’s ironic when fear creeps in, that your memory fails. Out of the thousands of words in the book, the only ones that came to me were, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me, thy rod and staff, they comfort me….” Not any book– THEE book.
That was the only verse I remembered, but it was all I needed. I crossed the bridge twice that day. It’s an out-and-back trail, so if you commit to it once, you’ve committed to it twice. And on the second pass, I even ventured a few glances down. They were quick, but I did it.
And I left, having seen views I otherwise wouldn’t have, experiencing a wonderful time with my family, and developing a deeper understanding of what drives Emma.