How Much Do You Hide From The Reader

We all love a great cliff-hanger. We love that feeling as a reader of wanting to know more and the author getting us to "read just one more page" even though we promised to stop reading at one in the morning. However, there is a fine line between holding information back from the reader and giving us too much information.

I was recently reading a story where the author was doing just that. The author wanted to keep secret from the other characters what one of the main characters was doing. This is fine. This is what we want to happen. The other characters in the story are held in suspense of what is going on. However, here is where the author didn't pull it off just quite right. The author also held that information back from the readers. 

Now, if this was the bad guy in the story, there would be no problem (in most cases). This became a problem because what the author was holding back was part of the character profile that established the GMC of the character. For the readers, we didn't know WHY the character was acting the way the author had written the story. We didn't need the full backstory of how we got there, but without that information, the readers are simply lost.

It is OK to give us little nuggets of what is going on with your characters. We promise, we will keep the secret safe from the other characters in the story. 

We see this also when writers send in query letters to editors and agents. They have been told, when they write that blurb about their story, to model it after back cover copy material. While this is true, we need to know what is going on in the story and YES, we need to know "if the butler did it." That secretive back-cover material is used when we finally publish the book because, obviously, we don't want the reader to know what happened.

I always look at giving out information to the readers with a "need to know" approach. What information does THE READER need to advance the story and keep it moving on? What information does THE READER need to get a three-dimensional image of the character? Along the same lines, how much do we need. In the case of the earlier example, we just needed to know why the main character was acting that way. A single line or maybe a paragraph. We don't need the whole story, just a single mention is all it would take to satisfy our needs as readers.

Building A Three Dimensional Character

What is it about those characters in the books we always go back to and read over and over again. We love them. Right? Now, I know a lot of people will say things like, "Well of course I do! Jaime Frasier is like totally sexy!" But is that really it? Is it really about the sex appeal or the great lines?

Absolutely not.

It is all about the fact that the author has created a completely three dimensional character.

Too often, when I read submissions, authors are giving me very little to work with. Sure, they have a plot and sure they are telling me things about what the characters are doing and what they look like, but 

that is all they are doing. They are just telling me. They remind me of that wonderful character of Flat Stanley! (OK, I love Flat Stanley but you get the idea). These characters are two-dimensional. 

When I teach creative writing, one of the first fun activities I do is to have someone describe someone in the classroom. It is really fun if I am working with people they already know. What do they do? It is all about their physical traits - what they are wearing, their hair color and so forth? But is that all? Do I need to reference Romeo and Juliet here? (II, ii 40-43) "What's a Montague? It is not hand, nor foot, Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part belonging to a man. O, be some other name! What's in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet?" 

There are a lot of workshops out there teaching about character building and all are starting in the right direction. We often start with talking about their GMC, or their Goals Motivations and Conflicts. In simple terms, what are their goals in the story? What motivates them to achieve the goal, and what are their conflicts that are standing in their way? While this is great, you should see something about the way I have written this. The emphasis is often on THE STORY and THE PLOT! While this does indeed give us a bit more about who the character is, the questions is, do we have enough? Time to quote Shakespeare again. Hamlet III, iii, 87 "NO!" (I love that quote)

To really build a character is to take some time, on your own, outside of the novel and think about your character. This is something one of my directors had us do with each of our characters we performed. He had us tell us everything about our character, and I mean everything. I know this might sound weird but consider answering these questions:

• What value meal would your character order at McDonalds?
• Is your character left or right handed?
• Who did your character first kiss when he or she was a little kid?
• What would your character's play list be on Spotify?

I am talking about really mundane things. Because, if you think about it, what is it that makes you, you? It is all of those everyday things? We have to know what motivates your character to do those everyday things? 

Knowing this will also prevent you from adding in weird backstory dumps to create a "reason" for the character to do something in your story. If your Regency hero is almost ODC organized about everything, instead of coming up with something about his uncle raising him in this abusive structured home, maybe it was because, as a kid, he had a ton of Lego bricks and he had to keep them organized to build that massive Lego Death Star.

OK, maybe Lord Bibbington didn't have a Lego collection but he had toy soldiers. Still it is the idea behind the thought. 

So, your project this weekend is to think about your characters. Go beyond that Pinterest board you created with just pictures of your character. Think about the small stuff. Take your character to McDonalds and have her order something and see what she gets! It might be fun!!!!!

Writing Believable Characters

When authors are writing, too often I find that the story and the plot take over so much that the characters now become a bit unrealistic. Sometimes, the lack of believability starts with the simple premise of the story. While the writing can be well done, when the characters are either partially or entirely unbelievable, the entire story is blown. Surprisingly, this is actually something that is easily prevented or fixed if it happens in the middle of writing.

Ready for the solution? 

Think like a real person.

I know this sounds strange, but it is that easy. What would a real person do in a situation like this? What would you do if you were confronted with this situation?

I discussed this with some writers during a recent workshop I taught on characterization? Consider this. You just came home from work after a busy day. Your teenage son should be home now, but isn't but you discount it quickly with the potential he is with some friends. Not an issue. You then listen to your voice mail and the first message is from the principal of the school who attempted to reach you at work (remember that busy day?) Your son has been suspended for the week due to fighting in school. 

At this point, you likely have a ton of emotions going on. Anger, frustration, a sense of being a worthless parent? The thing is that you are not likely to go rushing into his room to look for drugs. You're not going to go the kitchen and pour yourself a drink. You will probably call your son on the phone and, I am betting, have him come home to find out his side of the story. If there has never been an issue of this in the past, you are not going to go ballistic.

The same approach can be done with your characters from the start of the story. What is his or her profession? How would they likely act or behave? I bring this up especially for those of you who write suspense and crime novels. Look, the lawyer, detective, or other law enforcement person IS NOT going to get romantically involved with the client. This becomes a conflict of interest. Along the same lines, if your heroine is coming out of an abusive relationship, she is not going to be looking at a romance. 

In other words, JUST THINK. Don't just add something to the story to advance the plot. If the characters in real life would not do this, then don't add it.  

Let's Talk About Your Character's Ethics

This is actually a huge problem, I believe, for many authors out there. In an effort to create drama or conflict  in their stories, or simply a way to enhance the plots, they take their characters into an area that is likely hurting their stories. Their protagonists end up being unethical. Now, let me stress here, I am not talking serial killer level here. I am talking about things that your characters would likely complain about. These are also issues that many in the general public (specifically your readers) may not agree with.

I want to start with a big one for me. It is amazing that I even have this listed as a topic I will not acquire, and yet, so many authors continue to submit. 

A common theme in women's fiction, especially contemporary women's fiction is a wife having to deal with an unhealthy marriage. The couple have been married for a while, maybe kids, but they have pulled apart. She even suspects he is cheating on her (we almost always find out that he was). In an effort to make sense of all of this, she takes a trip (often a cruise to a tropical island) with her best friend. Along the trip, she meets this guy who she really falls for. He ignites passions in her she has not felt in a long time. She sees life in a new way. She sees herself in a new way. Wow! We're talking huge transformation and growth for her! 

But here is the problem...

She is doing EXACTLY what she hated her husband for. She threw him under the bus, the author made him look slimy, and yet, here she is, doing the same thing. Sorry, you can't just justify it and argue she has made great personal growth. 

Here are others in a bulleted list I often see that really cross that line:

• Graduate student has a relationship with her university professor
• Cops and detectives having a relationship with either the person they are investigating or a client
• Characters justifying "breaking into" the bosses office to determine if s/he is doing something criminal.

Now, I get it, these are the big ones, but you may have your characters doing things, or acting certain ways that come across as unethical, or simply unlikeable. If you want to sell that book, you have to make sure we like your character from the beginning and they don't end up doing the things they hated in Chapter 1.

Creating Realistic Characters

Your characters are the foundation of your story. For this reason, it is essential that your characters are as three-dimensional and as real as you can make them. Unfortunately, too many authors are so focused on their plot and "telling a story" that they often force those characters to do things that are simply not realistic. As a result, the readers simply cannot connect with the characters and their experiences.

So, how do you make a realistic character? The answer is surprisingly simple.

Think.

Start first with knowing who your character is. This does not have to be in the story and no, you don't need to do a full biography on your character. But you do need to think about it. What is their career? Why did they choose it? What motivates them during the day? This is all of that Goal, Motivation and Conflict stuff. Again, you do not need to put this into the story.

There is an angle to this I want you to take. Start with someone who is not over the top. Your character might not believe in one night stands because that was how they were raised and you can leave it with that. Your character did not need a traumatic experience in the past to get them to this point. It could just be the way they are.

Now think about situations he or she would be in. Again, what would a normal person do in this situation? Although someone getting dumped by their boyfriend in a restaurant might be normal (a shame but it does happen), the odds are the heroine is not going to take the glass of red wine and throw it across the table to soak the jerk. She might wish she did, but the reality is that people would not do that. It is more likely she would stand up and walk out. She could then go home and scream, but the odds are, the breakdown would not happen in public.

Think of your characters as just moving through your plot. When you throw a roadblock or a situation in front of them, stop and determine what they would do in the situation. Not how you are going to get them to the next scene. One of my authors does this all of the time. She will often tell me things such as "I need to get the hero and heroine into bed and get on with the romantic side of things" but then will follow it up with, "But it can't happen yet because they would not likely be at this point of ripping each other's clothes off." And, it is this approach that often has reviewers talking about how realistic her characters are.

So, quit focusing on the plot and focus on what your characters would likely do in that situation. You will be pleasantly surprised.

Are Your Characters Truly Believable?

I think out of most of the things I obsess over when it comes to reading books is how believable the characters are. I think that for far too many authors out there, they focus so much on the plot and getting the characters from Point A to Point B that they fail to look at what their characters are saying and doing.

It is always important to stop and ask yourself "What would a real person do in a situation such as this?" As authors, if we do not do this, sure, we can advance the plot, but you lose your readers too quickly as they begin to question the motives, thoughts and actions of the reader.

Let me give you a few examples. These are from stories that I have seen over the years.

• Ministers who suddenly do things that they would probably preach against in church.
• Following a break up of a VERY serious relationship, the characters immediately dive into a new relationship with no problem
• Having in-depth conversations while in those "intimate moments"
• Detectives thinking it is perfectly fine to start a relationship up with the person they think is a potential suspect.
• Historical characters acting and behaving like they are living in 2020

So, as you write your stories, always look at your characters. Would these people really say these things or do these things in real life? If not, I don't care if it advances your story, it might be time to re-think that approach. 

5 W's & an H: Today WHO

I'll be starting a 6 part series today focusing on those 6 journalistic terms and the impact on your writing. These would be Who, What, Where, When, Why and How. I often find that when I am writing rejection letters to authors, the letters often address at least one of these issues.

Today, we consider WHO.

Obviously we are talking about characters here. For so many authors, they really don't take the time to understand who their characters are. Sure they may have idea boards over their computers or maybe they have gone digital and have pictures and ideas on a Pinterest account. While these are great, authors often only have a two-dimensional view of their characters.

They know what the characters look like and they fully get their "backstory" and their careers, but that is it. Essentially, all they have is a Wikipedia listing of this character. The effect is the readers will have absolutely no connection with the characters.

You have probably experienced this before. When you watch a movie or read a book and something terrible happens to a character. You should feel the pain with the character. You should express emotion as you live through the event with the character. Instead, you feel nothing. The reason is simply - you were not connected.

As an author, you have to really think about what drives that character of yours. What are going to be those things that have a huge impact on them? How will they react?

I was working with an author recently and she had a scene where the heroine was supposed to meet the hero. He shows up and she isn't there. He does this for three days and each time she isn't there. When we hit the third day, we realized we had some issues. The connection simply wasn't there. So we went back and looked at how he would react on each of the days. What emotions would be flowing through him.

•  Day 1 - He comes up with excuses. He can find a justified reason. He may be hurt, but he can overlook the ideas.
• Day 2 - Emotions are starting to go wild. Now he starts to think irrationally. 
• Day 3 - The reality sets in. She isn't coming and it is over.

On that day 3, if we have done our job right, his emotions won't be anger, but extreme sadness. It is over really is a big thing.

To accomplish this really meant understanding the character beyond simply two-dimensional feelings. 

You don't have to include all of these ideas in your story, but those ideas need to be fully in your head so you can tap into those emotions and feelings when you need to.

Realism In Characters Is Essential

Wolfgang Iser, in his article, "Interaction Between Text and Reader" makes several important points. He states "Central to the reading of every literary work is the interaction between its structure and its recipient." He goes on to say "the work is between text and reader" and is "an interaction between the two."

I wanted to start with this theoretical approach to writing to discuss an issue I often see in submissions. In simple terms, authors are not making characters realistic. The end result is that the reader is not able to fully be immersed in the story or the lives of the characters. This element is crucial in all forms of literature, but I truthfully believe it is even more important in the genres of romance and women's fiction.

When we read a novel, we want to experience that roller coaster ride of emotions of the characters we are reading about. If you think of great "tear jerker" stories or movies, your reaction to those emotional scenes is a result of your "connecting" with the characters. Let me explain it this way. If you have ever seen the musical Miss Saigon, when Kim sings in the second half of the musical of how she would give her life for her son, most parents really struggle with this simply because they too would likely give up their life for their own children. We can connect with Kim because the writers created a character who is 100% believable.

For many authors, they focus so much on the plot of the story and completely miss out on making those characters believable. These characters have become nothing more than a plot device to get the readers from one scene to the next. They are also only there to "give the reader additional plot information." You can really see this with the stereotypical "best friend" character in many Rom Cons. Those characters are often funny and provide light moments in the movie or novel, but are far from being truly three dimensional.

I have also talked about this in the past when I have written about adding excessive "baggage" to stories to justify the behavior of a character. Consider this character:

• Mother in mid-life crisis
• Struggling financially
• Husband cheating on her
• Son who is "coming out"
• Daughter who is a drug addict
• Getting romantic feelings for her college friend that is border-line adultery

This character has too much going on. While we might be able to relate to one or two of these points, a reader is simply not going to be able to relate to all of these points. I would also add as a side-note, that frankly, someone going through all of these things probably would never be able to function at all.

I always like to remind authors to think of these characters as people we would likely live next door to. These are people we would likely see in our every day lives.

For those of you writing women's fiction, THIS is what I am looking for in a character!

How Much Is Too Much

Many writers share the same problem when it comes to creating a reason for their characters' thoughts and actions in their books. They simply add TOO MUCH! Most likely, due to a critique partner or a beta reader, someone said "I like this character, but I need a reason for this person to act this way." That part is fine, however, when an author goes a bit overboard with this, the story ends up with too much drama. This really happens a lot in romance and women's fiction.

Let me explain what I mean by the "too much drama" element. If we have a heroine who is a bit shy about wanting to date, the author, in an attempt to "explain this" has the heroine coming out of a

family where maybe the dad was abusive and then her first marriage or fiance was cheating on her. Really? Do we have to go that far to explain things?

Here is another one. The hero is a corporate CEO. He is determined to make this company the best ever and tends to be pretty tough, rude and insensitive. That part is fine, but again, in an attempt to justify the behavior the author has him being the son of a an equally tough father. He was sent away to boarding school or a military academy because the dad thought it would teach his wimpy son to be a man. Again, too much.

There are several negative effects of this on the story and certainly also with the readers. The first is that the author now has to spend valuable word count on explaining this whole back story. If the author would just mention this, the reader would then demand to know more about this back story, and now we are detracted from the main story and plot. When I see this and pass on a project like this, I often say that the author has now lost the focus that the readers need.

The second effect deals with the author-reader connection. We want the reader to be drawn into the story. We want them to connect with the characters, to feel what they feel, and to share those same emotions. Adding all of those other layers now distances the reader because their situation is not the same. They could relate to a real character, but with someone who has this much baggage, we lose that connection.

So, how do we fix this. The solution is really easy. People in the real world have natural tendencies. Some of us are workaholics. Some of us are overly organized. Some of use cannot organize our lives at all. That is just the way we are. So leave it with that. "Michael had always been a true leader. Even in school when they had group projects, it was always Michael who took charge and demanded perfection. Now running XYZ Company it was no different."

You can also just work this in as a plot issue. Why doesn't our heroine want to date Michael? Because she just doesn't believe office romances work. Again, no back story.

You will find that keeping your story focused like this will make the stories stronger. It will also give you that word count space to add the depth to your characters making them more three-dimensional.

Are You Thinking Like Your Characters?

I always remind authors to remember where literature falls in the area of education. Literature is part of the humanities division. These are stories that talk about the human experience and give us an insight into who we are as people. Now, why is this important? Because, as an author, you have to create the most realistic portrayal of your characters. And, the problem is, many fail to do so.

Too often, I find myself rejecting projects, not because the premise is not great. It often comes down to the fact that the author has simply written words on the page and not given the reader the depth of character development. We simply see characters talking on the page, but those characters are not really coming to life.

I also find that I end up passing on projects because the characters simply do not sound authentic. Their comments and behaviors are not what normal people would do in those situations. The author, instead, has used the characters' dialogue and actions simply to move the plot forward and not so much to give us a sense of the person.

So, as you work on your stories today, I want you to really listen to your characters. Would a "real" person say those things or act that way? Would a "real" person really have those emotions at that exact time? The more you do this, the easier it will be to draw your reader in.

More Baggage Does Not Make A Great Story

I was talking to one of the Greyhaus authors over the weekend. She is madly reading through all of the RITA nominations that arrived and she needed to vent. She was overly frustrated. These characters had more baggage than some of those travelers you see heading over seas. It was ridiculous! In the case of one of the books, she rattled off all of these prior problems these characters had to deal with:

• the heroine had family interpersonal issues
• the heroine had a family member who was also a criminal
• the heroine, in a prior job she had apparently was responsible for a death of her colleague (yes this was a romantic suspense trope)
• the hero knew of this heroine in the past and felt responsible that he should have handled that case
• the hero has interpersonal issues and cannot get along with anyone

...and now they have to deal with a case together so not only do they have to address the issues of the case, they also have to address the interpersonal baggage as well as the high level of sexual tension (should we be working partners and have a relationship stuff?).

The point is, this is simply too much.

Not only does adding all of this extra stuff to the story make it difficult to tie it all together, it bogs the story down. Readers have to now juggle all of these issues. What, unfortunately, gets left behind, is the central story arc.

I know that a lot of people add all of this extra stuff (I keep wanting to say another word but I want to keep this clean) because they were told that their characters "had to have a reason for doing this." Do you want to know something? You don't!

People CAN be who they are simply because of their personality. I am pretty much a business type of person and tend to keep things pretty serious simply because I have always been that way. No, I was not abused by parents. No, I did not have a traumatic experience in a prior job. I just tend to be focused that way.

If you want to tighten your story up, the best thing you can do is get rid of that baggage. You may be surprised that readers will be able to connect with your characters better.

Use Your Introspection and Narration Properly

Authors have a fantastic opportunity to really add depth to their stories if they use those narrative and introspection portions of their stories properly. For me, that depth of storytelling really adds a lot to understanding the characters, the plot and the situation. I would also add, that it is often that same depth that I find myself passing on projects. I am just not drawn into the story as much as I had hoped to be.

Here is the situation, however. Writers are often using that internal dialogue of the characters in an
inefficient way. They have the characters doing what the author should be doing in the narration. So, let's start with the basics.

The narrative portion of the story is where the author can lay the groundwork for the characters and their scenes. This is where the author can tell us what the world the characters are living in looks like. This is the world building element. We need to know what the restaurant looks like. We need to know how that small town feels. We need to get a feel for the weather and the climate of that location. This is the external information. Because it is external, however, the author will want to take on the responsibility of telling this information to the reader and leave the rest of the story to the character.

For example:

Stacy walked into Johnson's general store. Unlike those major "big-box" stores, this one seemed to have been drawn right from the pages of a history book. The entire store looked like a jumble of every tool and part that a person could ever need. Shelves were lined with jars that held single nuts, bolts and screws for the time when a person just needed one to fix a shelf...

OK, the writing might not be the best, but you should get the idea. This is all scene building. We aren't working in anything about the character. Yes, it is from Stacy's point-of-view but the focus is entirely on the external. This is different than the internal dialog and introspection we would see when we get a real sense of who she is.

The introspection element focuses instead on the feelings and emotions of the character. This is where the reader can really empathize with what this person is going through at that moment.

For example:

Stacy looked up from the package she dropped on the floor only to be met with blue eyes she had hoped she would never have to see again. These were eyes that sent shivers down her spine and brought back memories of nightmares and terror. Buck Johnson, who she thought was in prison was now in front of her and her gut churned with sick dread. 

Now, while we are getting some back story information as well as physical descriptions of Buck, the focus is, instead on the emotions and the feelings.

What I see, all too often, are characters who simply tell the readers what we are looking at. We don't get any sense of the character. As a result, we cannot connect with the situation they are in.

Yes, this information can be combined, but it is crucial that you insure we are getting that emotional introspection from your characters. They aren't going to blurt out to the other character how they really feel at that moment, We get that! But the reader wants to hear what is going on in the head of the characters. It is that dialogue that gives the story the depth.

Hopefully this makes some sense. It is early and my coffee is still brewing. But, I do want you to take some time to examine your own writing. How are you using those moments in the story to get us into the minds of your characters? Are you simply telling us how they feel? Are you wasting those precious moments so they can act a tour guide? If so, as the author, take that burden off of their shoulders, tell that part for them and let your characters "feel" and "breath."

Think For Your Characters Because They Aren't

One of the reasons I often reject projects stems from the actions of the characters. In all honesty, there are authors out there writing novels with characters who make those on America's Funniest Home Videos or America's Stupidest Criminals look normal. Even Jerry Spring looks normal.

I understand that many of you are "trying to create drama" or "developing conflict," but the truth is your readers simply cannot relate to characters that are doing things that are not realistic. Even though we call this writing fiction, the things your characters say and do must be realistic. We have to be able to say that our next door neighbor would likely do something like that.

One of the biggest one I see is when an author, in order to transplant a character into unfamiliar territory is when we move the big city person to the small town. That part is fine. We see a lot of people try to do this, BUT it is most often in a vacation type of format. But here is where it becomes unrealistic. When you have someone with a perfect 6 figure job in a great company decide it is "just time to quit" because that last board meeting was tough, it starts to take the wrong turn. And then the authors push it even further. The heroine's are going to start up a B&B or Cake shop in a hole-in-the-wall city with no experience. The hero is going to start up a small practice law firm in a town that probably only deals with wills. Really???

It doesn't just stop with the plot elements either. You have these characters saying things and doing things within the story that, again, the odds are human nature would say they wouldn't do. Characters arguing in the middle of church. Marching into a business office in skimpy clothes to "turn on the boss" she has the hots for... The list goes on and on.

While these scenes might be funny at times, when the entire book is composed of these, or the scenes are too extreme, you simply lose the reader. I have mentioned this comment before, but another agent I worked with made the comment during panel saying "Don't give me a reason to say no." If I am on the border with your story and then you throw something like this in the story, you just got to no.

Keep it real. Keep your characters out of trouble. Think for them. They need your help. You need to be in control of their emotions.

See Your Characters As Your Characters Do

One of the toughest things in writing is character development. As an author, you know everything about your characters, but for your readers, they are along for the ride. They are discovering new things about the characters and the plot WITH the characters in the book. This the joy of reading. As we turn pages, we learn things and stop every now and then saying things such as "Why didn't I see that?" The thing is, if the author did it right, you did see it, but didn't recognize it.

In romance, this is especially important. The purpose of a romance is to show the growing relationship over time. We want to sense that the hero and heroine are falling in love early on in the book, but that realization is not going to happen for the characters until well into the plot. The problem is that too many authors have them seeing this too soon and this all stems from how they are writing their stories and how they are viewing their characters.

A simple solution to this is to view your characters through the eyes of the other characters in the book. Let's look at just the basic relationship of the hero and heroine. The key here is to think like them.

So let's say the heroine works at a local general store in Smalltown, USA. This is a normal day for her, stocking shelves and so forth. The bell rings over the door like it does everyday and then the hero comes in. What does she see?

She will not immediately get horny. She will likely just be drawn to this guy. She won't be able to put to words what she is thinking but her eyes will be drawn there. You have all experienced this before when someone in a room draws your attention. It is magnetic. It doesn't matter where they are in the room, but your eyes always seem to go to that person. For the heroine, she might try to put words to this but she won't be able to. "Ah, a new guy in town," might be all she can come up with.

Let's say that for some reason they start seeing more and more of each other. It is still just a casual thing. For example, maybe he comes in every morning to get a cup of coffee and a doughnut. Now she might watch how he holds that coffee cup. How he stirs the cream into the coffee. How he eats the doughnut. Again, she might not recognize what is going on, but her brain is being drawn to behaviors that she finds appealing. I know drinking coffee and eating a doughnut might not be something "outwardly" we would say is appealing, but the brain sees something.

Now maybe she really hangs out with him. She might see things in his hands. The way he holds the steering wheel. The hand gestures and so forth. Maybe she is drawn to his eyes. Again, she doesn't need to pool up when he looks at her, but maybe the attraction is that she can't help but look at his brown eyes when he talks.

If you think about when you are drawn to people, think of what you look at. There are probably TV or movie actors and actresses that you find you are simply drawn to. You aren't in love with this person, but it is that magnetism. It is that same attraction you are feeling that needs to be seen in your characters.

The problem is that too many authors are eager to tell us how the characters are feeling. It is like being around kids at Christmas time who are too excited to not tell you about the package they have given to you. But, like Christmas packages, the joy comes from watching them open the packages. The joy comes from watching the kids as you open their package. The joy does not come from just telling people what they got.

Dialogue Is Great, But Don't Forget Introspection

During this last round of submissions I was reading, I found an interesting trend. Authors were relying heavily on dialogue between their characters. While this is certainly a tool you want to use as an author, there are a lot of limits to what you can really do with your writing. The biggest is the depth of character development you provide for your reader.

When it comes to learning about your characters, we can get information from a variety of sources.

• Descriptions you provide as the author.
• Things the character says or does
• Things other characters say and do around the character
• And introspection

It is this last area where we really see the depth of character coming through. This is where we really see the GMC of the character (Goals, Motivations and Conflicts). While it is good to hear the characters talk and say things, and certainly putting in a dialogue tag that gives us a sense of the character's emotion, it is only when we get into their heads that we truly know what is going on.

For example.

The couple sat quietly across the dinner table. Sally quietly asked Dave, "Is anything bugging you?"

"No, it was a tough day at work, that's all" Dave said squirming in his chair.

Now, with these two lines, we can sense something is not right at the dinner table. The adjectives the author used give us that feeling, but other than the empty words, we really don't know anything. It is here where the introspection would come into play.

If this seen was in Sally's POV we want to know the thoughts running through her head. What was it she was seeing in Dave that would make her break this silence. If it was quite for a long time, we would want to hear that inner dialogue going on in her head to build the tension. It would also give us more of a sense of her concern and worry.

If this was in Dave's head, we would get the same thing, but we would also (my bet) know more about why he was squirming in his seat. Did something happen during the day that would have set up this uncomfortable situation. How does he feel about it? Is this messing with his internal conflict and now possibly creating an external conflict between the two of them.

I do know that a lot of new authors are told to hold back from huge blocks of narration. This does not mean to eliminate it all together. It is fine to include internal conversation and narrative. It is here where we really get to the heart of the character.

How Does Your Main Character Change?

One of the things I look for in a submission is character growth and development. In many cases, when we talk about character development, we often only look at the depth an author goes into when creating a truly three dimensional character. While this is certainly important, there is another issue we need to see. How does the character grow throughout the novel?

The character that starts the story should not be entirely the same when we close the book at the end. The experiences the author goes through, the conflicts that the character has to overcome need to make some significant changes in the character. What did the character learn through each of these adventures?

When the hero meets the heroine for the first time, we need to see that new character start to emerge. Maybe, up until now, the hero has only thought of himself. It might be work or it might be a past experience, but this guy has not really "seen" anyone else. But now, the heroine is bringing something out inside of the hero. The hero should now struggle, at least a little, with these "new feelings and thoughts." As they progress through the novel, we see those slight changes taking shape in the "new hero."

The problem with stories where that growth does not appear is significant. The readers are left with a big "so what?" We are left with the thought that things probably will not last with the hero and heroine. These are the same characters who, at the beginning of the story either didn't know each other, or maybe even disliked each other. The only thing that has changed is that they are now "together". But will that be enough? Probably not.

Now, I do know a lot of writers think they are showing these changes. You tell me this during pitch sessions. You tell us this is a story of how we over-come obstacles. But the thing that is missing is the showing it in the story. This cannot simply be an implied message in your story. The changes have to be an integral part of the plot and the character development.

Make Your Bad Guys Better!

The villains in your story are certainly integral to the plot. We are really looking for those characters who seem to have a way of really ruining a great day. But, creating a truly strong villain takes a lot more than simply having him (or her) do bad things to the other characters. What makes that

character work so well is the connection.

I have written here before, that the key to many of the stories we read is the connection the author builds between the characters in the story and the lives of the readers. The more the readers can relate to the characters the better they can get sucked into the story. With the villains, we don't want, so much, to relate to the characters, but we do want to somehow find something interesting and appealing enough to want to watch. At some level, we can even find ourselves justifying their behavior.

For some of the characters, the appeal is simply sex appeal. Making these villains amazingly attractive, through money, power or looks can be very powerful in making us justify their behavior.

Consider a few...

ARCHIBALD CUNNINGHAM - I love this character from the movie ROB ROY. Tim Roth's characters is complete slime. This guy is just walking cruelty. And yet, his skill in manipulating people, his fighting skill and, more importantly, his back story makes us watch everything he does and say, "I understand how he got there."

DARTH VADAR - We have watched how he was raised. We saw he was once a good guy. And yet, what do we do. We seem to justify all that he has done and simply say, "But it wasn't his fault." Even

more so, we are attracted to the power he has by simply walking into the room.

DEMI MOORE - Ms. Moore and her role as an executive takes this one in the movie DISCLOSURE. This is sexual harassment people! And yet, she has the looks, she has the power, and she is not afraid to use it.


We can probably come up with a few more, but I think you get the idea here. The key is to find a way to make us justify and get sucked into the villains world. If you make these people too extreme, or lacking any appeal, then we have a hard time really buying into the story.

Back Story Doesn't Have To Be Depressing

I don't know if it is the phase of the moon, the weather or something in the food writers are eating lately, but I have to say, but the stories I have been reading lately have been pushing the boundaries of sheer depressing plots. It isn't the main plot that is really the issue, although there are impacts on that, it is the back story of each of the characters.

It seems that, in an effort to create a real conflict and to create real drama in the characters, authors are going to such extremes that back stories are sounding like either true crime novels or those case stories we hear about in social work. It is as if the authors feel, the more the better. Instead of having the hero's dad just being someone who took life seriously, we have now moved to that dad being not just serious about life, but abusive to the kids, an alcoholic, and heck, let's throw in suicidal, or even better, the last three generations have been suicidal. Arrrggghhhh!!!!

The problem with this approach is the impact on the plot. It becomes a distraction. It becomes a character that needs equal representation in the story. In the case of a romance, not only do the characters have to work through their relationship with one another to that happily ever after, they now have to contend with that outside conflict you added plus all of the personal baggage each of the characters have. This is really going to turn into a counseling session from hell. In fact, these two won't even be able to deal with the relationship because of all the back story. But remember, the main story arc is that romance. It is that central story line. Add in all of that other "stuff" makes the book cumbersome, tiring and frankly, something readers will not continue reading.

It is OK to keep things simple. It is that simplicity that makes the characters people the readers can relate to. Going over-board simply makes your characters look ridiculous.

Love Is Hard - Understanding Emotional Conflict

We have spent a lot of time talking about conflict here on the blog. We have talked about external conflict and we have talked about internal conflict. What I really want to focus on today is the concept of emotional conflict in romance novels. In honestly have to say, this is one of those biggest struggles I see so many writers have with their stories. Sure, they have things getting in the way of

the hero and heroine getting together, but for the most part, there isn't that emotional barrier they have to over come.

To understand this concept, it is best to, once again, return to the real world. It is time to think back to those first growing emotions two people have with one another.

Those early stages are pretty fantastic. These are the moments when everyone is seeing the world through rose colored glasses. But here is the thing. In the majority of cases, there is no formal commitment of "getting together". The couples are hanging out with one another. They are enjoying the company of one another. But, taking that next step to something more permanent is not getting in the way of things progressing.

When one of the members of that relationship then considers "taking it to the next level" things get complicated. And, it is here that the romance novels, in my opinion, are missing the mark. In the real world, that move is all about emotions. It doesn't involve whether or not our bosses will approve. It doesn't involve whether or not there is a financial gain. The barrier the couple faces is all about that emotional move of "do I dare move on?"  It is that fear of the unknown.

For the most part, these problems are occurring because of the set up of the relationship in the beginning. In an effort to get that romance going so soon in the story, the authors have failed to set up that growing phase of attraction. This leaves nothing more than an external conflict to get in the way.

One of the reasons romance is so hard to write is the struggle an author has to convey a feeling, which, in the real world, is often one that we cannot describe. Again, think back to when you first feel in love, or when you were first at this moment of not knowing if you could take the next step. Everyone around you would try to rationalize it, but for you, the only answer was "I don't know why but..."

To truly convey this emotional conflict requires authors really understanding their characters and what makes them tick. They have to know why their character would even be attracted "emotionally" to the other character. They have to know how they think and why they think the way they do. This is all internal. The reasons for getting together cannot simply be because the company doesn't allow inter-office dating.

Creating Characters We Like

Creating characters can be tough. Not only do we have to give them a plot to work through, we have to also give them the depth of emotions and conflict to create that plot. Add in the three-dimensional qualities and you have a real mess on your hands. Unfortunately, you have an added dimension to consider - the reader. Your readers have to like your characters, and on some level, that includes the bad guys.

Let me first remind you of something. Writing and literature is part of the field of studies known as The Humanities. As the word states, this is a field that explores and examines human qualities and so forth. For those characters to have life, they need the interaction with the reader. It is through the reading of the story that your characters have their living qualities. Obviously, if no one reads your book, the characters are dead, or at least in a coma like state until someone does open those pages.

But the other element to the interaction with the reader is how they can interact with the characters. If you have a joyous moment in the story, you want your reader to feel that same feeling of excitement and happiness. If your characters are sad, the reader should feel it too. That can only happen if the reader has built a connection and a bond with the characters.

All too often, however, readers have created a characters that we simply cannot like, and this can be especially devastating if it is the protagonist. This often happens when authors create characters that have issues in the beginning and they want to solve those problems later in the book. In simple terms, we cannot feel sorry for the characters if they created their own situation and now want sympathy and help for it. The readers have no problem providing sympathy to the characters, but when they are begging for a "pity party" we just can't go there with them.

I have talked here about creating characters that are real. This is that same situation here. We want to create characters we would like to be around. We want characters who we would want to help solve their problems.

If you create a romance where the heroine has had her marriage fall apart due to the husband cheating on her, we can work with that. If, however, we see that she was doing the same thing, then we cannot now feel sorry for her. Why is her situation somehow fine when it wasn't right for someone else? Maybe the husband started cheating on her because she created a family life that steered him in the direction of the other woman. If that is the situation, then we cannot feel sorry for her when she complains he has run off. Of course, that doesn't make him any better either, but I think you can see where I am going to with it.

Even the bad guys need to have something inside of them for us to see it was an unfortunate circumstance for them to be in. If you consider, Malfoy from Harry Potter, this kid is just mean, but we can learn to see that maybe, just maybe he can be saved. We can see his issues have stemmed from being in the Malfoy family and under the watchful eye of "He who shall not be named." These are not problems he did to himself,

As you create your characters, continue to ask yourself if these people are people you or your reader would really want to hang out with. Are these characters people worth saving? Or, are these people deserving of everything they have coming to them. Remember, you want us cheering for your protagonist and wanting to do all we can to get them through their problems. This is what keeps us turning the pages.