Listen to them. A writer's ego only gets in the way of letting characters out, Penny Mickelbury declares. Realizing and actualizing the truth of the characters who present themselves, who barge into stories, complete with dialogue. Clearly, the Muse is very real to Ms. Mickelbury. Try to force characters, she assures us, and you'll end up with a mess on your hands.
Characters present themselves.
Writers get to play with the language, she insists, but not with the characters. We all have so much available that discipline is required simply to make selections and meaningful choices. Then practice hones because, Ms. Mickelbury believes, the truth really is eternal and she's quite sure there really isn't anything new under the sun. That's why the great stories are forever. It's a writer's job to find fresh ways to tell them.