There’s an old technique sometimes seen in fiction where a character looks into a mirror in order to describe his or her appearance to the reader. While this practice isn’t one I’d recommend, I do think mirrors can be used in more interesting ways.

When we look into a mirror, what we see is usually different from what’s really present. A lot of factors color how we view our reflections: current mental and physical health, feelings of self-worth, and the opinions stated by others. Pick one of your primary characters and explore what that person really sees when he or she looks in the mirror. Is the view positive or negative — and why?