Creating characters that are real

AS WRITERS, we’re told:

Write what you know.

Draw from your own experience.

Research.

We do all of that and then … we receive a note like this from a reader.

This question has to do with your last book, EMBROILED (I’m still reading it). Emily’s character intrigues me. Do you happen to know anyone who’s visited a shrink before? I ask because Emily’s sessions with David are vivid. Engaging. I can’t help but feel that this goes beyond the imaginary. But then, that is what a wonderful writer does, right? Carry the reader along.

No, I don’t know anyone who’s been to a shrink. No, I’ve never been to one myself. So, if I’ve truly created an authenticity for my readers (as this one assures me I have) where did that ability to do so come from?

Perhaps the portrayal of a patient with her psychiatrist is influenced by memories of such events in books I’ve read or movies and television shows I’ve watched. I think that could be an explanation, but I believe that would be only a partial answer.

Then this conversation occurs.

Discussing a favorite movie, one of our friends commented on a key scene. “Then the character said exactly what I expected her to say.” For him that was a defining moment, the key to the character and the plot. If she had said anything else, it would have thrown him out of the scene and back into his theatre seat.

What does it mean to create an Emily, a character that readers find so real?

What does it mean to have characters that “stay in character” like the one in the movie?

How do we create the characters who take the reader into other worlds?

We can describe physical features. We can show their reactions to the world around them. We can have other characters react to them.

But, I believe the most powerful tool the writer has is dialogue. What characters say, how they say it, their tone and body language show the reader who and what they really are.

To create that kind of perfection, the author must know his or her characters intimately. The motives that drive them, their fears, their dreams, all of their idiosyncrasies, as well as the more mundane details of birthdays, family relationships, childhood experiences, teen traumas, friends and lovers. Most of this the reader will never know, but the soul of the character, as the author knows him or her, will leach into the novel and into the hearts and minds of the reader.

Working with Emily through four novels, I’ve come to know her intimately. I know how she would react in most any situation. I know what would make her angry or sad. I know what would set her on the offensive and when she’d cower away from danger. I know that she’s a passionate advocate for education, that she abhors war, that she’s a chocoholic … And I know that her choice of a psychiatrist wouldn’t be random. She’d walk out on one if she thought he was a quack, or his personality clashed with hers, or he lacked compassion. Emily would want an upfront, no nonsense kind of person and that’s what she’d get.

So now, I’m not only intimately connected with Emily, I’m familiar with her doctor and that’s what the scenes are built from. That’s what creates a situation that does not allow for a false note and provides a credible story for the reader.

Knowing their characters as well as they know their friends and family allows the author to create authenticity through the actions and dialogue they engage in.

Teacher as heroine

I HAVE THEORIES about the much maligned teachers and the public’s attitude toward them. Everyone’s been to school. Everyone knows the education system from personal experience—some of those positive, some negative. It’s easy then, to think you know what really goes on, to think you have every right to criticize, to tell teachers what they are doing wrong, and sometimes even what they’re doing right.

As a life-long educator, I’ve experienced the exhilaration of working with teens and the thanks and appreciation of many students and parents. Yes, there were negative moments, some of them brutal, but for the most part my career was a joyous one.

My instinct has always been to promote respect for teachers and the importance of a well-educated population. What better way than to make the heroine of my novels a school principal? Let the teacher meet the alien, have the fun, the adventure, the love affair. Yes, that was definitely the way to go.

And if writing about what you know is the way to go, then you can be assured that the school scenes are authentic. In fact readers who know me say they see me in various parts of my books. Not surprising I guess.

Here’s a school scene from EMBRACED:

“Miss D?” Curtis frowned. “You all right?”

Abby nodded. Another lie. She wasn’t all right. One minute enchanted and dreamy, the next trembling in terror. One minute loving the romance and impossibility of it, the next hysterical with the stark fear of tumbling into an insanity from which she would never recover. Curtis handed the pages to Tim and Lyle. She watched the boys hunched over the pages. And now I’m dragging you along with me. Oh Lord, I’ll rot in hell for this. Fortunately the enchantment overrode all else—most of the time. Or would fear be better, give her a way to break out of this black hole she was sinking into? Curtis was still frowning at her.

“Any luck decoding?” she asked to be polite. That Curtis and his friends might find something was a ludicrous expectation. She wished she’d never involved them. No. That wasn’t true. She was glad she wasn’t alone with the pages.

“Well …” Curtis looked from Lyle to Tim.

Lyle shrugged. Tim tapped the page of code he held in his hand and nodded. “It’s on every page.”

Curtis sighed. “We didn’t want to say anything too soon, but we’re pretty sure the code is a message.”

A message? Oh Lord, don’t tell me. Abby held up her hand, but Curtis chattered on.

“Look at this. See this pattern? It’s repeated over and over again. We’ve translated it.” Abby’s eyebrows rose. “What I mean is … well, we think … we think it means, ‘do it now.’” He blushed and sputtered to a stop.

“How on Earth do you figure that?” Abby tried to suppress the edge of panic creeping into her voice. And do what, for heaven’s sake? But she didn’t dare say that out loud.

“We don’t know for sure. It’s an educated guess.”

Not any education you got in my school, Abby thought wryly.

“We’ll keep working on it. Don’t worry.”

Don’t worry. Such simple words. So impossible to obey. Oh, Curtis, if you only knew.

“Do you want more drawings?” Abby asked and then kicked herself mentally. She needed to put a stop to this, not egg the boys on.

Curtis’ eyes lit up and he nodded eagerly.

Abby covered her face and moaned.

Blog Interviews

It’s common for authors to participate in blog interviews. We’re asked many questions—some mundane, others intriguing. Here are a few that captured my attention.

• Have you ever written a bucket list?

When I was young, I had a list – cross the equator and International Date Line, spend time in Paris, go to Australia, ride a camel to the pyramids, go on safari, and visit all the continents. I haven’t been to South America (or the Antarctic), but the rest I’ve been able to cross off the list.

I had no idea when making that list as a youth, that not only would travel feature largely in my novels, but that it would include travel to unknown worlds—those of my imagination, worlds that housed aliens and gods and some of the magic that we could use down here on Earth.

• What would you do if you had unlimited time, money and resources?

Money being the key word, eh? No need to think about the answer to this one. I’d go on safari again. That was without question, the best trip of my life. There is no describing the feeling of being miles from civilization, soaking up the utter silence, and seeing the great migration. Sitting around the campfire at night with the fires of the nearest tent camp 34 miles away, feeling the tremble of the ground as a herd of elephants lumber by, hearing the lions complaining in the distance—no one daring to speak. To do so would have seemed sacrilegious.

• What are your biggest goals and dreams? 

I’ve wanted to write ever since I was very young. I’m proud of my work and know that my books deserve readers. My big goal now is to have my novels be successful.

• What are the most important things you can ever do?

Build solid and lasting relationships with the people important in my life. The greatest gift I can give to those I love and care about is time.

Authenticity

As writers, we’re told:

            Write what you know.

            Draw from your own experience.

            Research.

We do all of that and then … we receive a note like this from a reader.

This question has to do with your last book, EMBROILED (I'm still reading it). Emily's character intrigues me. Do you happen to know anyone who's visited a shrink before? I ask because Emily's sessions with David are vivid. Engaging. I can't help but feel that this goes beyond the imaginary. But then, that is what a wonderful writer does, right? Carry the reader along.

No, I don’t know anyone who’s been to a shrink. No, I’ve never been to one myself. So, if I’ve truly created an authenticity for my readers (as this one assures me I have) where did that ability to do so come from?

Perhaps the portrayal of a patient with her psychiatrist is influenced by memories of such events in books I’ve read or movies and television shows I’ve watched. I think that could be an explanation, but I believe that would be only a partial answer.

Then this conversation occurs.

Discussing a favorite movie, one of our friends commented on a key scene. “Then the character said exactly what I expected her to say.” For him that was a defining moment, the key to the character and the plot. If she had said anything else, it would have thrown him out of the scene and back into his theatre seat.

What does it mean to create an Emily, a character that readers find so real?

What does it mean to have characters that “stay in character” like the one in the movie?

How do we create the characters who take the reader into other worlds?

We can describe physical features. We can show their reactions to the world around them. We can have other characters react to them.

But, I believe the most powerful tool the writer has is dialogue. What characters say, how they say it, their tone and body language show the reader who and what they really are.

To create that kind of perfection, the author must know his or her characters intimately. The motives that drive them, their fears, their dreams, all of their idiosyncrasies, as well as the more mundane details of birthdays, family relationships, childhood experiences, teen traumas, friends and lovers. Most of this the reader will never know, but the soul of the character, as the author knows him or her, will leach into the novel and into the hearts and minds of the reader.

Teacher as Heroine

I have theories about the much maligned teachers and the public’s attitude toward them. Everyone’s been to school. Everyone knows the education system from personal experience—some of those positive, some negative. It’s easy then, to think you know what really goes on, to think you have every right to criticize, to tell teachers what they are doing wrong, and sometimes even what they’re doing right.

As a life-long educator, I’ve experienced the exhilaration of working with teens and the thanks and appreciation of many students and parents. Yes, there were negative moments, some of them brutal, but for the most part my career was a joyous one.

My instinct has always been to promote respect for teachers and the importance of a well-educated population. What better way than to make the heroine of my novels a school principal? Let the teacher meet the alien, have the fun, the adventure, the love affair. Yes, that was definitely the way to go.

And if writing about what you know is the way to go, then you can be assured that the school scenes are authentic. In fact readers who know me say they see me in various parts of my books. Not surprising I guess.

Here’s a school scene from EMBRACED

“Miss D?” Curtis frowned. “You all right?”

Abby nodded. Another lie. She wasn’t all right. One minute enchanted and dreamy, the next trembling in terror. One minute loving the romance and impossibility of it, the next hysterical with the stark fear of tumbling into an insanity from which she would never recover. Curtis handed the pages to Tim and Lyle. She watched the boys hunched over the pages. And now I’m dragging you along with me. Oh Lord, I’ll rot in hell for this. Fortunately the enchantment overrode all else—most of the time. Or would fear be better, give her a way to break out of this black hole she was sinking into? Curtis was still frowning at her.  

“Any luck decoding?” she asked to be polite. That Curtis and his friends might find something was a ludicrous expectation. She wished she’d never involved them. No. That wasn’t true. She was glad she wasn’t alone with the pages.

“Well …” Curtis looked from Lyle to Tim.

Lyle shrugged. Tim tapped the page of code he held in his hand and nodded. “It’s on every page.”

Curtis sighed. “We didn’t want to say anything too soon, but we’re pretty sure the code is a message.”

The Power of Dialogue

Dialogue is an integral part of any novel. The verbal exchanges between characters add zip and spice to the story.

Good dialogue sounds natural. Characters don’t repeat each other’s words. They don’t speak in full grammatically correct sentences. When writing dialogue, the author must always ask him or herself what the person would really say.

The author must also consider dialogue tags. The general rule is to only use “said” or “asked.” And, if possible, avoid a dialogue tag by using an action of the character to let the reader know who is speaking. For example:  “No, please, don’t go,” Yves said.  Or Yves reached out to stop her. “No, please, don’t go.”The second version clearly identifies the speaker and creates a better picture because of his action.

Generally action precedes speech. He smiled, but the mirth did not reach his eyes. “It’s my job.” rather than, “It’s my job.” He smiled, but the mirth did not reach his eyes.

There are also times when dialogue can go back and forth without tags as long as the author ensures that the reader doesn’t lose track of who’s talking.

Used skilfully, dialogue is a tool that can and should heighten tension and engage the readers’ emotions, something every good novel needs. Here is a sample from my novel EMBROILED. www.emandyves.com

Background to dialogue excerpt:

“I’m driving home from the conference when the slough catches my eye. I’m mesmerized by the damn thing. I feel an insane urge to walk on the thin fall ice, to explore the fishing holes, to lie spread-eagled to distribute my weight. I know full well I’ll break through and drown, but I’ll be warm and taken care of. What I find down there will make it worthwhile.” Emily felt her chest tighten. Each time she came to David’s office, each time she spoke of her greatest fears, she felt the strings to sanity loosening. Am I crazy, Doc?

Dialogue Excerpt:

Emily sighed. “I was such a fool back then, Doc.” High school life was filled with great gobs of loneliness. No amount of wishing took that away.

“Yeah, Doc, I’ve dated some since then. If going out even though I don’t really like the guy counts as dating.”

“Why do you go then?” David asked.

Emily shrugged. “Why not? At least it gets me out.”

“Do you enjoy those evenings?”

“No.”

“Do any of the dates lead to sex?”

“No.”

“Why not?” David paused. “Emily, you’re a normal healthy human. You must have a sex drive. Why not fulfill it?”

“Just because everyone else does?” Emily shook her head. “Not my style.” She expected David to ask her if she was a virgin.

David tapped his empty pipe in the empty ashtray. Pins and needles prickled at Emily as she waited for his response. She was scared of what he might say and yet she desperately wanted to hear his words.

“Waiting for Mr. Right?”

“Something like that.”

“I don’t think that’s it.” David hesitated. “What are you afraid of, Emily? What is holding you back from loving and being loved?”

Emily sucked in air. “Whatever is under that ice.” Her voice was barely a whisper. “That’s what.” An ache deep inside almost made her cry.

Inspiration

Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.

Thomas A. Edison

Edison may very well have been right, but what good is the ninety-nine percent perspiration without the inspiration?

Where do our stories come from? Daydreams, life experiences, the people we meet, nightmares, what we hear, see, read, and imagine? Every author will have a response unique to their life experience and their interests. The answer, for me, is all of the above.

We listen to the news, read the paper, and build in current events. We laugh with friends and build in camaraderie for our characters. We yearn for love and romance and give it to our hero and heroine. The adventures we long for belong now to our players. The lives we’ve led, or wish we’d led are, in part, imbued in our characters and plot lines.  

But there is another aspect to inspiration that is often unforeseen. As we write, our stories take on a life of their own. Characters develop and lead us in directions we hadn’t anticipated or planned. A minor character creeps in and takes over. We try to contain him, but he has a mind of his own and insists on playing his part.

The hero’s friend becomes our friend. The heroine’s fight becomes our fight. And as we edit and polish and rework our novel, we worry about our characters, love them, perhaps hate them, and can’t leave them behind. They become as much a part of our lives as are the people around us. They,too, are our inspiration.