Our characters need to feel real. While we might not mention much of there back story we need to fully understand it because it affects how they act now. If we sprinkle in a few nuggets about the life they lived before we dropped in, that only adds to the authenticity of our characters.
There are a few traditions my MC has that I mention in my MS. They are simple things. The games she used to play with her mother. The outings she took her sister on when she babysat her over the summer.
Well, this past weekend was all about traditions. (In my actual life, not the one I have created in my head.)
For the past three years one of my best friends has organized a tailgate for a Milwaukee Brewers Game. Over 60 people attend. We get to the parking lot an hour before it even opens, then tailgate for four to five hours. This year we caught the last three innings... Clearly we don't do this event to watch the game. Its all about the people. We won though... so that's something :) And we even had T-shirts this year! I wish I had thought about taking pics of the actual tailgate. If any of you come to Milwaukee you have to do the tailgate thing. I'll show you how its done if you'd like ;)
Then on Sunday we had our family picnic. Again... I wish I had taken pictures of the family golf outing, but I neglected to do so. We had 20 family members golfing ranging from age 8 to 50 something. So. Much. Fun. It was the first time golfing this year for most of us. We play to win but more importantly we play to have fun... and to heckle our Aunts, Uncles and Cousins. My team took third out of five... not too shabby.
Then we head to our Uncle's house and the competition continues. (We're a very athletic family.) We play many games of pool volleyball. You may be wondering how the ball can actually touch the water with that many people in the pool, but it can.
Then there's the buckboard tournament. I don't think I've ever won my first match in all the years we've done this. Course my sister won. Didn't hear the end of that for the whole car ride home.
We get really into competition. That's my dad. Great guy, my dad. It's his family picnic.
I realize this picture makes us look like angels, but its fierce I tell ya.
What are some traditions you have in your life? If you are a writer, do your characters have traditions that shape them?
In my present WIP, my fictional family is Irish Catholic, in 1919 California, so of course they celebrate all the religious traditions. And they would have watched the St.Patrick's Day parade if a tragedy hadn't happened.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, your family traditions sound so much fun. Great share!
Ooo, sounds like a great story!
ReplyDeleteMy family's crazy, but I love em' :)
Thanks for stopping by!
LOVE all those wonderful pictures! Family traditions are the best. My family is fun activity challenged right now because I've got one son and his family living in China and my daughter and her family living in Hawaii--rough life, I know, but makes travel very expensive. That's 6 or my 7 1/2 grandkids living very far away.
ReplyDeleteIn my WIP #1, in the epilogue, after the characters have gone through a lot together they have an annual family reunion. I love the idea of characters we love making an effort to maintain their friendships.
Thanks Donna!
ReplyDeleteWow, China and Hawaii. That has to be rough. They are so far away!
Oh, my gosh. Your family is the coolest! Your traditions look like so much fun!
ReplyDeleteThere's actually a lot of traditions in my WIP. It's a small post-apocalyptic town that's kind of hidden away, so the town has a lot of things they always do. They were the funnest to write! I wish I could go live there. :)
Oh good. I'm not the only one that wants to jump into my manuscript and start living there lives :)
ReplyDelete