Amy Wilentz on Writing about People

Amy Wilentz wrote a wonderful essay on how to make people come alive for your readers. She begins:

When you write nonfiction characters, you have to be vigilant and observant (this leads to good fiction writing, as well). People consist, for other people, of four things: what they look like, where they are, what they say, and what they do. Ask any actor. It’s all about: costume; setting; dialogue, and movement or action.

Here's the rest:  here.  I particularly enjoyed her observations on how you have to love your character, at least a little bit.