Inspiring You Thursday: The Art of Perspective

I'm not sure how much this will inspire you, but perspective is a tool that makes or breaks the way I look at a story line.

Every character, like every person you meet in life, has a perspective. I'm always amazed when I speak with friends, family, even those I meet in passing - never to see again - to learn someones perspective on a topic.

Women can be and are more sensitive than men. If a woman has a friend that doesn't call her, isn't on email as much, that woman may begin to think the friend has a problem with her(the woman). This could send the woman into a tailspin. She could begin to see that maybe her friend isn't the only one not calling as much. She'll realize she hasn't heard from her sister, her brother, her friends 2, 3, 4, and 5.
Before long, the woman has built this world around her in which she is hated by everyone and can't do anything right.

In reality, Friend 1 could've been really busy at work or with whatever responsibilities she has. The sister could have been ill and didn't feel like conversing or emailing as usual. Brother probably got tired of all the drama and conflict on the Internet community or the back and forth bickering of the family and decided he'd turn the computer off for a while. He can go clean the gutters if he gets bored. If not, there's always a ball game or a race on television.

These are just a few examples of how one person's perspective can be completely opposite of what the reality is.

Perspective is a wonderful tool for your characters whether your writing a novel or screenplay. Every scene should have a goal, and therefore, every character should have a perspective of that scene and of the other characters around them. Think how fun it will make your plot if every one's perspectives are different, yet they're all vying for the same goal. How they reach that goal, if they reach it, will be the fun part, especially watching the paths each individual takes.

Be sure you're aware of the perspectives of the people around you. Consider those you work with, those in your household, and pay attention to people when you're out in public. What you bring back to the computer to mold and form for your own characters will definitely be a work of art, in the form of perspective.