Text or Phone?

I'm having more fun sharing questions to ask our characters. Today's gem: do your main characters prefer to text message or talk on the phone?

I'm not a telephone talker, unless the caller is my sister, mother, mother-in-law, or sister-in-law. Or of course my gorgeous hubby. Everyone else I prefer to e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, even write an old-fashioned letter or card.

I think I have a deep-seated fear of miscommunication. When I write, I typically get my point across, but when I talk on the phone, I inevitably talk over or around the person, and struggle to pick up the correct clues. Or I pick up the right clues but interpret them wrong. Stressful!

But phone talkers are typically extroverts, so that might be a factor also. I'm socially successful but an introvert to the core.

Why think about your character's preference? Because it will color every reaction they have. Let's look at an extreme case.

If Donna's a social butterfly, her cell phone will be ringing left and right. Or if it's you write historical, Donna will have plenty of callers, and she won't turn any of them away.

Then there's poor Hank. He likes to text Donna, or e-mail her, or if in the case of a historical, write her letters. He gets frustrated at the constant activity around her. Plus, she never shuts up.

Maybe Hank enjoys listening to her. Maybe her chatter at warp speed distracts him? Does he have a hard time keeping up? Does he feel tired after an hour in her company?

And what about Donna? She likes conversation, not just talking. She loves the give and take, the spurts of giggles, the analyzing of every detail. Hank's so quiet, she has to fill in for him.

Maybe she finishes his sentences? Maybe she throws a fork at his head because he doesn't contribute? Maybe she thinks Hank is the perfect guy, if only he'd open up to her.

Think about this issue when your characters speak. Donna's words will tumble over each other and she'll have a lot to say. Hank will choose each word carefully, and he'll be concise.

What are your characters' preferences? If you have a hero who's glued to his job, you could add him constantly taking calls on his cell phone even though he's supposed to be on vacation. Or if your heroine dislikes conversing, you could show this by her clipped speech along with her penchant for spending hours in her room, writing letters.

Happy Writing!

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