Young Writers Society

This was way harder than I expected. I struggled to walk the line between elevator pitch and blurb and to make it sound compelling whilst avoiding oversharing on the plot. I think the dual narrative makes it difficult because I'm constantly trying to mirror the sentences I use to make it look/sound better stylistically but I probably don't need to do that? I might have another go at this when I'm further through the novel

Name: Raymond Burns
Age: 66
Height: 5'9
Eye colour: Grey
Physical appearance: Slim and willowy, the stature and posture of someone who spends every day hunched over a low table in a poorly lit room. Round, surprisingly on trend glasses. Wears a lot of cardigans and braces (is this the English word).
Strange or unique physical attributes: Not strange, but has a very thick head of hair that's bright white.
Favourite clothing style/outfit: See above (cardigans)
Where does he/she live? What is it like there? Lives above the bookshop in Cambridge. It's in a small side street and once there was a street party down there and he took the bunting home so now his flat has bunting along the living room wall. It's only got one bedroom and the kitchen is small but he spends most of his time downstairs so doesn't really mind too much.
Pet peeves: Rude/unkind people
Hobbies/interests: Collecting old books and corresponding with eccentric men from Oxford.
Insecurities: Doesn't think he should be dating again at his age.
Quirks/eccentricities: Talks to himself/his dead husband constantly when he's alone.
Temperament: Soft and kind
Negative traits: Messy, disorganised and sometimes painfully optimistic when realism would be preferable.
Family (describe): Husband (deceased). Nephew Joel who helps with the books for his store (accounting books not reading books).Sister (Joel's mother) who is largely unmentioned.
Other people's opinions of this character: All customers are pretty much his best friend, all come into the store for him rather than because they like it there. Joel finds him frustrating, but wants to take care of him. Sophie views him as a father/grandfather hybrid figure (as he was friends with her grandad). Edwin has a thing for him.
Favourite bands/songs/types of music: Anything slow jazz, as his husband used to play the saxophone. He also has quite a liking for George Ezra despite never remembering his name and always referring to him as the young man that sounds old.
Favourite movies/TV shows/books: Doesn't watch much tv, but he is a book lover. His favourites are the classics, particularly anything by the Bronte sisters.
Favourite foods: Anything sweet, which is detrimental to his pre-diabetic state.
Dream holiday: Collecting books in Oxford.
Any pets? None, he can barely remember to feed himself.
Best thing that has ever happened to this character: Marrying his husband.
Worst thing that has ever happened to this character: His husband's death.
Three words to describe this character: Kind, soft, scattered.
If a song played every time this character walked into a room, what song would it be? Here Comes the Sun by The Beatles