Characters We Care About - How Writers Do It

Have you wondered how a writer goes about creating characters his or her readers will actually care about?

There are lots and lots of ways and as many approaches as there are writers. It’s simple and yet difficult. The writer wants a relationship with the reader. It’s as simple as that – and as difficult.

Characters drive the story and every character in the story your favorite writer creates must have a desire. It doesn’t matter what that is, it could even be as simple as new car, a new job, a new girlfriend or just a glass of water.  Lack of desire equals lack of story.

Think about this, readers, when the writer you’re reading now creates a story that writer thinks about all sorts of things relating to the characters. What are the fears, what music or films might the main character like. A favorite food? A strong aversion? The writer will even pass that information along to you, the reader so you understand the character and become more involved.

But everything is really secondary to the DESIRE. The desire the main character has makes him or her come to life. It can be very simple like a child’s desire for a glass of water in the middle of the night and the harried parents’ need to fulfill it. It can be a groom who simply desires to make it to the church on time. Maybe one character desires another. Perhaps it’s as dark and evil and complicated as the desire of the devil to mess up the world or a criminal who wants a big payday. 

Or maybe it's a strong desire to avoid battling bears.

 Whatever the desire, that desire breathes life into the character and creates a well-rounded human the reader can identify with. And any reader who pauses for even a moment to consider, will tell anyone who talks books that it’s the desire of the character they identify with that moves the story forward.  In fact, it’s up to the writer to not only make it clear what that desire is, but to telegraph it in such a fashion that the reader understands what the desire is and in fact begins to feel that want as well. Even if a character’s desires are not out own (remember that Satan thing I mentioned above or the criminal and his payday?) knowing the desire, understanding it draws a reader in and to the point where that reader cheers the character on.

DESIRE is the key factor and no matter how much action a writer throws into a story, how much pathos, greed, or anything else, it will just seem like one clip after another, one thing after another, unless like pearls on a string they’re linked by the character’s desire and through that desire the necessity of making choices and taking action.

             

             

Don't Say It! - A Writer's Guide to, well, Writing

Have you ever noticed how many things we aren’t supposed to say, to talk about, to be ‘politically incorrect’ about these days in this society? Things that if you say them out loud not only will be real conversations starters but will probably have several people at your throat the minute the words come out? 

 

 

Here’s the thing. You may not want to be a trouble maker at a party or a family reunion or at the office, but what better place to be one than in a novel, a short story, movie script or other attention-grabbing written material?

Think about it. What if you said you ~

•   Don’t like babies – dogs – cats

•   Don’t like Christmas

•   Don’t like football or the Olympics

•   Don’t like gay people and are against gay marriage and adoption

•   Don’t like Republicans (or Democrats or Libertarians)

•   Aren’t in favor of marriage for anybody

•   Don’t’ like Dr. Who or Dancing With The Stars, or Survivor

•  Firmly believe in the stereotype of one race or another, one culture or another

Any of that can get you in deep water in a hurry. Opinions that aren’t dared to be expressed aloud, ever. These are prickly subjects (and they’re just the tip of the iceberg – there are obviously many more). Most people keep their opinions to themselves. 

But what’s to keep the writer from straying off the common ground, from veering away from acceptable thought? In fact, the writer darn well better stray into being pointed, obnoxious, irritating and intriguing or it isn’t likely that writer will crack the best seller market.  Every day, run of the mill, acceptable ideas won’t get you there.

Those above may actually be your opinions, but even presuming they’re not, they’re great subjects to be turned into attention-getting, to-be-twittered-about stories. If a subject sparks debate it can (and no doubt will) spark a great story. Stray off the generally accepted track and veer into controversial territory. 

 Think about it this way. 

1. You can’t stand Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, whatever. How about a murder mystery when only people of that persuasion are killed by a serial murderer? What gives the perpetrator away?  Is he captured or killed? How does it all affect the people in that group; the ones being disturbingly murdered?

2.  Babies aren’t your thing. What grist for a novel or a script with a society much like our own that goes even further, locking people in to a life of an Orwellian family structure of parents and children. And the rebels who choose a different way of life ~ and a violent way of ripping through that society to their own freedom. 

3. You hate Christmas. Always room for another Santa serial killer or elves who go berserk or reindeer who longs for a different life. 

4. You’ve heard the pros and cons of gay couples adopting. How about a gay couple who adopts several children – for nefarious purposes -  What is the purpose? Grounded? Other worldly? How does it turn out? How does the fact that the couple is gay affect the outcome?

5. Someone hates a TV Show – what if the people involved with the show start having bizarre accidents? What if they’re not just boring or annoying but come from another dimension? What if an inter-dimensional war ensues?

Craft a story that takes a stand on a controversial topic  (no matter what side of the topic you’re on) and you create suspense, action, and buzz. You’ll catch attention and create characters that are three-dimensional and ready to take on the world. Give them something controversial and difficult and they’ll grow. Examine a group or an issue or an accepted societal taboo and no doubt you’ll find you grow as well. 

Go out there and write something no one dares to say.

If You Can Tell Stories...

Here’s an interesting quote I came across: 

“If you can tell stories, create characters, devise incidents, and have sincerity and passion, it doesn’t matter a damn how you write.” ~ W. Somerset Maugham.

 

Hmm, really?  What do you think?

I think I’m going to have to disagree very firmly with Somerset – it may have had the ring of truth in his day, but it certainly is no longer true now.

I certainly agree with his list that if  “you can tell stories, create character, devise incidents and have sincerity and passion” you’re a long way there. But that’s not all she wrote – so to speak.

You read, probably a lot. Haven’t you come across books that may have some good elements as mentioned above, but are simply boring, flat, stale? Haven’t you wondered how the writer could have such a good idea, great premise, fascinating incidents and still come up uninspired? That the book leaves you adrift and uninterested in finishing it so that you put it aside.

Of course you have. So, from that we deduce a writer’s style is crucial to the momentum and the readability of the book. It’s an intangible that’s hard to put a finger on, but the reality is the writer must have a fresh writing style unique to his or herself. It’s imperative that the writer write like no one else but himself.

The skill and craft of writing are continually evolving. Read some of the old classics. Great books. Great stories, but some of them can be gawdawfully hard to read. That was the writer’s style for the time.

The times have changed.

Writing, in addition to being an art and a craft is also a business. To see your work read and appreciated you need to captivate the reader. And today’s readers want to be swept into the world you’ve created, suspend their disbelief , and be carried along by the story. If your readers have to fight their way through a delivery that’s stale and a poor imitation of another well known writer they’re going to give up on the boring second tier writer (you) pretty quickly. That means it’s doubtful they’ll finish your book and they certainly won’t look for another with your name.

So, sorry Mr. Maugham, the times have changed considerably and it’s time to step up your game. 

I think he'd understand

What are your thoughts? I’d love to hear them. Leave a comment below.