Every head in the coffee house followed intently two firefighters who ran off before placing their order. A call had come through and they booked, taking with them the focus of every set of eyes in the place.
As a group, we watched while they pulled on their turnout gear, climbed in the rig and took off down the street. Minutes later we all looked up as a companion truck roared down the street.
Fifteen of us were riveted to the spectacle.
It made me wonder how to write characters that draw that much attention.
Why had we all stopped what we were doing and watched? It’s not like we haven’t seen firefighters before or fire trucks. Yes, they are pretty impressive, but that’s not it.
It has more to do with intent and purpose.
Every single person in the coffee shop knew the firefighters were running off to help someone. They had an emergency. A reason to run. Somewhere to be that was important. They had purpose.
We also knew they had dropped everything and run. They didn’t wait for their order. They ran. Literally. Out the door.
It was fascinating even for the most jaded person sitting across from me, who given his previous (and very loud) conversation, didn’t seem the type to care. Not one person ignored them, even though none of us had looked up when they came in.
I think humans want to watch. We want to know more. It was drives us as people and as readers.
As writers, it is up to us to provide our characters that sense of purpose.
Why do our characters do what they do? Why would they run? What would they drop for another? What would they need to take or wear? How would they get where they needed to go?
Without intent and context, readers won’t care. They won’t stick around until the very end. So go forth and find your character’s purpose. Make them look.