K is for Keepsakes

Image courtesy of razvan donut / freedigitalphotos.net

We all have certain objects and keepsakes that are important to us on an emotional level, and each one
tells a little about us and our personal history. Those that we carry with us can have even more significance.

The same will be true for your characters. Perhaps you're main character has a necklace that she always reaches up and touches when she is nervous, or a smooth pebble in a pocket. Used in the right way, weaving in these little touches can say a lot about the character without going into any great detail.

Think about some of your characters. What keepsakes do they have? If they don't have any, could you give them some? What do these objects say about the character? What significance do they hold? Can they be weaved into the plot in some way?

Be careful not to overdo it though. Don't add keepsakes just for the hell of it, they have to reveal something about a character, and don't use too many, done in the right way one should be more than enough.

For an example of how well this can be done I suggest reading 'The Things They Carried' by Tim O'Brien.

Do you have a special keepsake? Have you ever used keepsakes in your fiction? Let me know in the comments section below, I'd love to hear from you.

I'm going to be away on holiday until 15th April, but I have scheduled all the posts for while I'm away. I will try and log in once a day to check everything is running smoothly and reply to as many comments as I can. If you leave a comment I will visit your blog when I return and reciprocate. Happy A to Z'ing.