I take public transit to and from work everyday.

Normally, I spend my time writing screenplays, reading novels, playing iPhone games or working on this blog.  However, there are times when I simply observe the people on the train.

People watching is a hard skill to master without appearing creepy. You have to be discreet.

Once mastered, the power of observation can help you create incredible characters with interesting quirks and traits.  Or it can inspire you to become a better writer. Allow me to explain.

On a recent trip home I encountered a young woman who was studying a couple pages of a screenplay.  Clearly an actress.

I was fascinated by how hard she was trying.  Each mannerism and gesture was carefully thought out.

She was accompanied by a friend who was reading the exact same pages but I figured she was just there to help her friend rehearse.

I was right as they soon began to rehearse the scene right there on the subway.

The actress poured her heart out in a short scene that involved a young woman talking to her father on his death bed.

The writing was actually quite good and I found myself wondering if it was a short, feature or perhaps a play.

What also struck me as interesting was how angry the actress got when her friend started making jokes.

“Just read the lines right, there isn’t much time left.”

They restarted but it wasn’t long before her friend made another joke.

“Seriously, you gotta read them normal.  I HAVE to get this right.”

It got me thinking about how important this role must have been for her. I imagined countless hours reading the same 2-3 pages over and over again so she would nail her audition.

I wondered whether or not the writer would ever know how bad this actress wanted to win the role.  He had written something that inspired this person to dedicate everything she had just for a chance to become that character.

Maybe she thought it could be her big break.  Maybe she was already an up and coming actress.  Maybe she didn’t get the role at all.

Regardless, a few pages had managed to make this girl so tense she yelled at her friend who was only trying to help.

I think every character you write should be written with actors like that in mind.  Every character.

I remember the first time I sat in an audition room and listened to actors read lines I had written.

They were nervous.  I wonder if they knew how nervous I was?

Who am I?  Why would anyone be nervous to act in front of me?  I remember thinking about lines I should rewrite.  I felt self conscious.

I actually suggested a change at one point but an actor took offense.  He didn’t want me to change a thing.  It was a nice compliment.

I still changed the line later on though.

It’s incredible what a little people watching can do.  That day, I asked myself 3 questions.

1. Are my characters interesting enough?

2. Will actors want to play my characters?

3. Will actors fight to play my characters?