You Do What?

by Janis Susan May/Janis Patterson

Every so often one of my writers' groups will conduct a workshop on 'how to create a character.' I've taken a few of them and the methods range from a half-dozen point checklist to a six page questionnaire that goes into such depth as the character's favorite flavor of Jello, the schools he attended, what kind of pet he had as a child.... You get the idea.

I've tried them all, and each time created a deep, multi-faceted character. A completely dead deep, multi-faceted character. They had all the proper points, but they never came to life on the page. Working with them resulted in all the joy and sparkle of Silly Putty. Oh, they moved from Point A to Point B when I directed them, and spoke the words I put in their mouths, but they were reminiscent of nothing so much as Gumby or King Kong - their movements were obviously stop-animation instead of really coming to life.

So I quit taking classes and went back to what I've always done - letting the character come to me. Almost every writer has snorted with disbelief when I tell them about the birth of my characters, but - other than my occasional forays into how-to-create-characters classes - it's always worked for me.

So what do I do? Nothing. My characters simply walk in, tell me their name, and start fitting into the vague storyline that I've started with. And yes, they tell me their names. Once I really didn't like a character's (the hero!) name and changed it. He didn't like it, so he shut up and refused to speak to me again until I changed it back to what he wanted some three weeks later.

Who said writers had complete control in their own world?

I know this technique (technique? maybe dictatorship?) wouldn't work for all writers. Huh, it may not work for any writer besides me, but that's the point. Even if I'm the only one it works for, it does work for me. I know the character's-favorite-Jello system works for some people. It doesn't work for me, but I'm glad it works for them.

What I'm trying to say is that there is no one singular this-way-only technique for writing a book. The only thing that we all should do is write a good book. How we write that book is up to us. There are many good techniques, probably some I've never heard of. The important thing is that each writer has to find the one that works for him. Or which ones work for him. There's no rule saying you can only use one technique. As long as you turn out a good book, it doesn't matter.

The Secret Universe of Names

by Gina Ardito

What's in a name?

More than titles, or what comes next in the plot, what most authors agonize over is choosing the perfect names for their characters. A name is so much more than a rose that smells sweet (my apologies to Shakespeare.) Each name helps us create a personality, a past, flaws and foibles, and even a time period.

We all have our share of baby name books, lists of most popular names for any given year, astrological charts, and assorted psychological profiles we've accumulated to create those characters that will resonate with our readers.

I have another method. I use...(what else?)...a book.

THE SECRET UNIVERSE OF NAMES by Roy Feinson is a treasure trove of information on personalities, based on the syllables on any given name. The descriptions include what each personality would be like as a child, as an adult, in love, in career, and as a parent. There's also a famous person linked to each set of syllables who embodies the aspects described. 

For example, in my current WIP, my hero's name is Wyatt, or as the book calls him "The Laughing WT." He's warm, multi-talented and driven, but also impatient, stubborn, and judgmental. He's a born leader, with unlimited potential, particularly in creative fields. As a mate, he's loyal, with a wicked sense of humor, and a down-to-earth parent dedicated to his children's well-being. The famous WT? Walt Disney! Makes sense, doesn't it?

My heroine is Leah, "The Demonstrative LH," nurturing and understanding, but apprehensive around strangers and a homebody at heart. She's feminine and loves to cuddle. Considering my Leah runs the local animal shelter, I think I've made the right choice.

Whether you're a writer, a parent-to-be, or someone just fascinated with the science behind names and personalities, this is a great book to add to your collection. 

Our Men, Our Heroes by Fran McNabb

Every reader of romance loves a strong, good-looking, patriotic  hero. We love to watch him being a gentleman, butting heads with the heroine, overcoming obstacles, and eventually taking the lady as his partner. I, too, love a well-developed, lovable hero, and I especially love the heroes in my books.

 

That might sound a little strange for an author to say, but I really do love my heroes. I have author friends who say they don’t like their stories or their characters by the time they finish writing and rewriting and reading and rereading the stories. Not me. Sure I hate to read the same words over and over, but I still love my characters, especially my heroes, no matter how many times I have to read the same story.

I truly fall in love with the men in my books. If I don’t, how can I expect my readers to love them? I guess when an author creates a male character she pulls together all the good traits she admires in her own, real-life heroes or what she’d want her ideal hero to be if she could create a live one. Maybe we use traits from our husband, a brother or our dads to come up with the men who make our stories so much fun to read.

The best compliment an author can receive is to have a reader say something nice about a character. We want our characters to live with readers long after they put the books down. I remember my sister-in-law called me one day and told me she was mad at me. When I asked why she told me she couldn’t keep her mind on her work because she couldn’t stop thinking about Jake, my hero in ON THE CREST OF A WAVE. I had to smile and wanted to pat myself on the back. I had done my job!

The most memorable hero I ever read was actually not in a romance. He was Ari, the hero in Leon Uris’s EXODUS. He possessed all the characteristics that I love in a man. When I saw the movie version of EXODUS, I was disappointed because in my mind my Ari did not look like Paul Newman. I loved Paul Newman, but not in my Ari’s role! I think from my first reading of the book (yes, I read it twice) I loved Ari and I think I use some of his characteristics in all of my heroes that I create today.

Do you have a favorite hero? If so, who is he?

Hmmm. I think I’ll sit back, close my eyes and dream about Ari for a while!

Fran McNabb lives along the Gulf Coast on a small, bayou harbor with her husband who just happens to be her very own hero! She has four books published by Montlake, two Indie books, and soon will have one romantic suspense by The Wild Rose Press. Visit her at www.FranMcNabb.com or contact her at mcnabbf@bellsouth.net