>>21340898You could try being more observant of people in public locations (perhaps go spend an hour or two at the local mall for instance). Carefully watch people and be mindful of their interactions with each other and the environment. Don't only focus on diction, look for other more subtle things that define character like mannerisms, behavior, even oddities. Granted, getting the individual's voice is important to do through their personal dialogue, but more often than not you can characterize a person adequately through their actions in addition to giving them an accent or whatever. Successful authors are able to artfully mask the underlying stereotypes by 1.) being aware of all the intricacies of human interaction and 2.) determining which of these will help to define the character they wish to portray. As a bonus, you will also build a better world for your reader - show, don't tell. Hope that helps you.
