Sorry for not posting for the last few weeks. School has been crazy, and Thursdays have become my busiest days. I'll try to post more often now that I'm getting into a routine.
I love movies. I use the excuse that it helps with noticing plot structure and characterization, but really I just watch them because they are fun. I watch a lot of movies from my cable channels, so sometimes I catch a movie 30 minutes too late.
One thing I have noticed is that I don't care about the characters since I missed the "oh look at me I am so relatable" moment they had in the beginning.
One of the big tips I learned early on to make characters likable was to make them relatable. No I have never had my best friend eaten by my alien dog who speaks Portuguese. I doubt you have either (but if you have, I would so buy your memoir), but I can relate to losing my best friend. That tiny thread can keep me attached to your character.
This is especially big in music. Some songs are so popular because people can relate. Airplanes wasn't just popular because of its catchy lyrics. I might not have thought about planes being shooting stars, but I have been desperate for something so strongly that I would bargain for it. People can relate. Think Taylor Swift. I think every girl can point to one of Taylor Swifts so and go "been there".
You want your reader to connect with your emotional scenes and go "been there" no matter how out there your story world is. Those "been there" moments can grow a stronger bond between your character and your readers.
Whether you are 2 pages in or 200 pages in, make your characters emotional scenes relatable to your reader.
