But then there are the odd ones.
Neighbors--odd or otherwise--can add some great background to a story we're writing. They may play a minor role, or a major one. Either way, we can make them interesting, quirky, fun, or just plain weird.
Who lives beyond the white picket fence? Or is that fence a shrub invaded by a colony of army ants?
Try filling in these details about the neighbors in your story:
- What kind of pet do they have? Can you go beyond the usual cat or dog? What about an alligator named Bessy?
- What does the neighbors' house look like? Maybe the windows are all round. Or the back door is in the front.
- Do the neighbors have odd habits? Like playing Chopin on the piano at 3 in the morning? Putting out their garbage cans 5 days ahead of time?
- What kind of visitors come to their house? Does the "insurance salesman" cut their lawn? Does their Uncle Bert arrive in a hearse?
- What kind of car do they drive? Is it an army tank? Or a VW Beetle painted with psychedelic flowers?
Have fun creating a portrait of the neighbors to give your story some added background. Then see how your characters react to them.
Your story may take an unexpected twist and turn--just like the neighbors' odd driveway!
