We all have hobbies and interests, so why shouldn’t your fictional detective? Hardboiled crime fiction is rife with private eyes who like booze and broads, but very little else. However, for the rest of us, a few personal likes and habits make for a more well-rounded MC and more interesting reading experience. Sherlock played the violin. Nero Wolfe raised orchids.
“Readers understand small passions,” writes mystery author Zara Altair on her blog. “Everyone has them.” It doesn’t matter if your reader likes the same things as your MC; it matters only that you’ve humanized your hero. “In order for your reader to be fully invested in your sleuth’s journey, they need to care about them as a person,” Altair says.
One or two little details such as this are sufficient, she adds. You should also choose hobbies or interests that don’t factor into crime solving. “Being good at reading blood splatter patterns doesn’t count as an emotional connection,” Altair cautions. “Surf fishing in the evening after work, does.”
