Every now and then, something happens that stays with me long after the moment has passed.

This particular moment wasn't dramatic. In fact, if you had been there, you probably wouldn't have noticed it at all.

I saw a man sitting by himself.

I don't know why my mind went where it did, but I found myself hoping he was okay. Maybe he was simply enjoying a little peace and quiet. Maybe he was waiting on someone. Maybe he'd just had the best day of his week... or perhaps the worst.

The truth is, I'll never know.

But that's one of the things I love most about writing.

Stories rarely begin with a perfectly planned plot. More often, they begin with a question that refuses to leave me alone. Sometimes it's a conversation. Sometimes it's a memory. And sometimes it's a complete stranger I'll never meet.

As I drove away, I kept thinking about that man. Before long, he stopped being a stranger and started becoming a character. My imagination began filling in the details I'll never know, and that's often where a story begins.

Many of the characters in my novels have started exactly this way. They weren't copied from real people. They simply grew from ordinary moments that sparked my curiosity and refused to let go.

That's what inspired this week's conversation.

I hope you'll take a few minutes to watch the video below. If you've ever wondered where fictional characters come from—or if you've ever found yourself making up stories about the people you pass every day—I think you'll understand exactly what I mean.

I'd love to hear from you.

Have you ever seen someone you'll never meet, yet found yourself wondering about their story?

Thank you for reading, and thank you for joining me on this journey.

— R. M. Kiser

Author of *Dust & Mercy*