You may imagine me sitting in a comfortable chair with nothing on my mind, except to watch the snow fly outside the nearest window, but while reading a few reference books by the master of characterization, Lawrence Block, I decided it is my duty to share some information. Damn, I just typed a long sentence and it is probably a first for me.

Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes has been popular reading to mystery fans for years. I've even met some romance readers who can't put down a Holmes' book. Mr. Block tells us, "Nothing about Sherlock Holmes is ordinary, yet the character's appeal has been such as to keep the Conan Doyle stories in print to this day, and to have Holmes resuscitated and brought back to life in
several novels by contemporary authors, novels which owe their success almost entirely to public enthusiasm for Conan Doyle's eternally fascinating character."

On Rex Stout's books about Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin, Block continues, "Ordinary? Scarcely that. But so real that I sometimes have to remind myself that Wolfe and Goodwin are the creations of a writer's mind, that no matter how many doorbells I ring in the West Thirties (legendary address on West Thirty-fifth Street), I'll never find the right house.

"That's characterization. It was the ability to create characters readers could care about, too, that made Charles Dickens a monumental popular success. While Oscar Wilde might have remarked that only a man with a heart of stone could read of the death of Little Nell without laughing, the truth of the matter is that readers did not laugh when they read that scene. They
wept."

As writers, we all know that our characters are a part of our own personality. How we project this to the readers, if our intent is to have something published, will have to be refined. It is no secret to the Nebraska Writer's Workshop how I developed my characterization in my stories. I read other people and steal what I can use for my protagonist.

I'm sure everyone has, at one time or another, tried to anticipate what the other person will say before he/she says it. This is body watching. In a group of people, such as a party, bus/airline terminal, or even a booking area of the local jail, study facial expressions. Watch the eyes move and especially the iris. See how often the pupils dilate at the time the person is happy, sad, or even when they are thinking of a bullshit story to impress the listener.

Watch the arms and how the person places them. Are they crossed over the chest? Or, are the hands crossed and held over the crotch area? Does the stranger walk as if he/she has a lot of money, or do they stumble over their feet? Watch a person and see how many times they scratch their scalp, or how often they place their fingers in or on any facial features. In a conversation, see if you can anticipate what the other person will say while watching their eyes. From what you learn from this person, quickly write down what you have observed from his/her character. In addition, if he/she asks what you are doing, simply state you are adding something to your grocery list. You know, lie as if you're writing a novel.

Once you, as the author, can translate your personality with what you have learned from the characterization of a complete stranger; you will throw this into a mixing bowl. You shouldn't have any problem in making another Sherlock Holmes or something similar to one of the many characters from my hero, Lawrence Block. Do you have a problem in watching people? Let me tell you the number of times I've been slapped for staring, especially from women.

Now you may ask, if I know so much about reading body language for the purpose of characterization, why haven't I made enough money to book a Pacific cruise this winter? Hey, I'm just spending a snow day off work and trying to find out how someone else is making the big bucks.

Charlie Vogel
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