character

If you’ve ever watched the Golden girls, you won’t forget each one’s attributes.

I have laughed with, cried with and cheered on the three hilarious ladies who make up the Golden Girls.

My mom loved the program. Above all, she loved the characters. More than once she’d giggle for no apparent reason. When I’d ask what was so funny, she’d tell me she had thought of something one of the girls had done or said. Often it was Blanche.

Each one of the girls portray a fantastic character in their own right. I can’t imagine any other actor playing any of the parts either…because they do it so well.

Which leads me to wonder if any of my written characters are as memorable. They are to me, of course. I’ve had readers write to tell me how much they loved a storyline, but most often it was a particular character they wanted to read more about.

Readers know how to make your day, or a week or a month. I cherish each and every reader.

I hope I can always put my heart into a character, give them an interesting life regardless of their issues, and a happily ever after.

Gone With the Wind’s characters remain memorable to me.

Do you have a special book with memorable characters?
Until next time…I wish you Music, Butterflies and most of all…Love.

When I woke up this morning I had no idea what I was going to blog about. Oh, I’d thought about it, albeit in the back of mind, all month. I’ve been hitting the edits and re-writes for Defending Destiny pretty hard the past few weeks and honestly I was gearing up to begrudge the time blogging takes…yea right…it’s fun and it only comes around once per month, sometimes twice if I’m feeling engaged in the process. That’s when it hit me, like a SHASZAM LIGHTNING BOLT, to the brain.

It’s in the rewrites that I actually fall in love with my characters. TAH-DAH…BLOG!

About a third of the way through any Work in Progress — WIP — I begin to really feel who my characters are. Their motivation for what they do, and don’t do in some cases, gets more nuanced and textured as I get into the rhythm of the story.

I begin with a rough character profile for every character…before I ever start typing. Some characters get added as the story goes because they write themselves in. I know I’m the one writing, and yes I know they aren’t real, but sometimes these characters push until they are on the page. For me that generally means a future book of their own and I welcome them. They get a profile too.

Profiles for me include: Name, sex, age, race, distinguishing characteristics (scars, tattoos, etc.) body type, educational background, social/family background, hobbies, employment, fears (if I know them), aspirations (short & long-term), financial status, favorite food (sometimes this plays into quirkiness), favorite shows/entertainment, religious alignment/spirituality, eye color & shape, facial structure, voice, languages, prejudices, what they love… This list can go on, but basically it’s less than a page and gives me an idea of who they are before I start and it also makes keeping track of details easier. Most of the time I find a photo or image that represents my hero to me as well. Here’s Magnus in Defending Destiny. YUM!

These profiles I make at the beginning are rarely who my characters turn out to be when the edits and re-writes are complete. Most of the physical description is the same, but that’s about it. I learn as I go, I guess. Not the quickest way to complete a novel, that’s for sure.

So as I’m gearing up for deep edits, something that’s more conducive to a deep sigh and a “here we go again, when ARE you going to get this right the first, second or third time, Woman?” This morning I’m thankful that this is when I really get to fall in love with these larger than life, flawed, yet sincere characters. This is when the magic happens. And magic is hard work, my friends!

So, I’m curious. If you’re a writer, what’s your process? (I’m hoping that book five finds mine more streamlined) If you are a reader — and we all are — what makes a character worthy of your love? Is it the small quirks? Is it his or her kindness or sense of humor? Who are your favorite characters? What makes them resonate with you? As you can tell I write character driven stories…I love a good plot, but character is why I turn the page when I’m reading, so it’s why I write like I do.

I can’t wait to share Defending Destiny with you. Here’s a sneak peek at my cover in progress:

Happy Writing. Happy Reading. And here’s hoping that we create magical worlds readers want to return to again and again! Happy Wednesday, my friends! May February find you steeped in romance :),

Leigh