A while ago I posted a book review for Vampires, Hearts, and Other Dead Things by Margie Fuston. And while my thoughts on the story overall were not exactly positive, there were a couple things about it that I really liked. One of them was the way the main character, Victoria—who also happens to be an artist—views her own emotions and the world around her through paint colors and line work. And while some readers may find these kinds of descriptions to be a bit “purple,” I thought it was an interesting trait for a character who enjoys visual art to have.
Pick a profession/hobby. It doesn’t have to be an artistic one, but it has to be something you are passionate enough about to explore a bit further. Now, create a character who lives and breathes this profession/hobby. Write a “slice of life” moment for this character, and integrate their love of this subject as much as possible into how they view the world. If they are a musician, how would they describe the sound of ocean waves, or traffic? If they are a surgeon, how focused might they be on, say, putting a puzzle together?