PEOPLE WATCHING by Karen King

I started my writing career writing for children’s magazines, often based around licensed characters such as Barbie, Thomas the Tank Engineand Winnie the Pooh. Which meant that I had to write stories around characters that had already been created by someone else.  So I guess that’s why I like to know what my character is like before I write a story. For me, the character comes first. I get a picture of a character in my head and start thinking about them, what their name is, how old they are, who their friends are. Then gradually that character starts to tell me their story and I'm ready to write.

And sometimes it’s real characters I’ve seen that have started the germ of the idea in me. Because whenever I’m out and about, in a cafe, travelling by bus or train, I love to indulge in my favourite hobby of people watching. I think people are fascinating. They do the funniest, strangest – and kindest – things and are a constant source of inspiration for stories.  For example, If I saw this man running along the street I'd be asking myself all sorts of questions such as who is he? Why is he running? Where is he going?

 

I especially love people that stand out from the crowd, the girl with the purple spiky hair and orange fur jacket, who is she? What does she do? The man in the cowboy hat with the green feather sticking out, where did he get the hat from and why does he wear it? The beautiful woman in the long pink dress and matching turban, where is she going? To a wedding? A party? Is she meeting someone? Asking myself questions about people I see and imagining their lives often gives me ideas for stories. Even people doing everyday things like lying on the beach or gardening fascinate me.

So if you ever see me sitting on a park bench watching the world go remember that I might look like I'm just relaxing but I’m probably working on a story – and if you're not careful you might be in it!