I’ve Gotta Be Me, She Said

by Dan Walsh, @DanWalshAuthor

Believe it or not, my column this month is about the Characters in our novels. In short, the idea of making them seem and even feel like real people to our readers. This is a major priority for me. I think with good reason.

Last month, I quoted one of my favorite writing quotes: “The secret to great fiction writing is to create characters readers care about, then do terrible things to them.” That article mainly focused on the second part. Today, I want to focus on the first, creating characters readers care about.

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The Importance of Asking Why

by Lisa Jordan, @lisajordan

Until last month, I'd spent the last nineteen years of my life working as an early childhood educator. While working with young children, one of the questions I’d heard most often in my career was, “Why?”

Children ask this question constantly because they are sponges, soaking up all kinds of information. If they’re given one answer, chances are they’ll continue asking why to find another. Sure, it can be annoying, but it’s how they learn. Many times I’d ask them why and they’d usually tell me "because."

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Creating Sidekicks For Your Characters

by Lisa Jordan, @lisajordan

Laverne & Shirley. Lucy & Ethel. Sherlock Holmes & Dr. Watson. Batman & Robin. Shaggy & Scooby. SpongeBob& Patrick. Shrek & Donkey. Frodo & Sam.Monica & Rachel. Lorelai & Sookie.

Depending on your age, these names may sound familiar, but what do they have in common?

They’re all fictional main characters with their sidekicks.

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Help! I've Fallen Out of Love With My Story!

by Lisa Jordan, @lisajordan

As I wrote out my synopsis, I came to a heart-sinking realization—I wasn't in love with my story anymore. When I brainstormed the initial story, I was so excited and on fire to dive into character development and plotting. And yes, I still like certain elements of my work-in-progress, but the crux of the story left me feeling a bit...meh. If I didn't love it, how could I champion it to my agent, my editor, or most of all, my readers? So I asked a group of writing friends for some advice. I’ve compiled their responses to help other writers who may be struggling with story love as I have been. 

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5 Tips for Creating First Dates for Your Characters

by Lisa Jordan @lisajordan

Do you remember your first date? Or maybe your first date with the person who ended up becoming your spouse?

My husband and I had a unique courtship—we met in our hometown while he served in the USMC but had come home on leave. For the next 18 months, we communicated via handwritten letters, phone calls, and infrequent weekend visits.

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More Complicated Than Icebergs—But More Fun

By Peter Leavell @peterleavell

She spills on the fancy tablecloth again.

With practiced efficiency, my family finishes the dishes, whisks off the fine linen, and tosses it into washer.

My kids are good at cleaning up messes.

You’ve heard writing teachers compare character development to icebergs. Icebergs? Engines full reverse! Writing fascinating characters is so much more than a floating chunk of ice.

When the laundry is done, we put the cloth back on the table. The color across the center of the squared tablecloth is a cheerful yellow and blue. The bright patterns reflect our love and joy.

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5 Quirks to Rock Your Middle Grade Character

All fiction is character driven. At least fiction that sells. And all fiction that sells has a plot. May we, my friends, implant that stake in the heart of this argument once and for all? Without a character driving the story, there would be no plot.

The difference in the world of middle grade, however, is that no plot is strong enough to carry a mundane character. In the adult world, if the mystery is mysterious enough, or the romance romantic enough, a rather average protagonist might do. She must still drive the course of events, but she doesn’t need to be especially quirky.

Middle grade readers like quirky. They like funny, or disgusting, or obnoxious, or any of the other descriptive tags that you place on elementary school children. Mostly the ones you tell your kids to stay away from.

Your kids will not stay away, but that’s another problem.
For the mature among us, it may be difficult to come up with appropriate quirks for our middle grade characters. That is why I, your humble servant, am here to help. Here are a few sure-fire quirks that will make your dream child one that every young reader will love:

1. High IQ. Believe it or not, ultra-intelligent kids are quite popular (in fiction). But they can’t just get straight As in Algebra. Your high IQ protagonist should be able to do things like learn a foreign language in a week, construct difficult algorithms to help them sleep, rewire their dad’s old CB radio to receive interstellar transmissions. Pick one or pick them all. This is a smart kid your readers will adore. Give Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg a try for a taste of high IQ protagonists.

2. Over the top Outgoing. If you’ve never read Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli, do yourself a favor and take a Saturday to enjoy this classic (the audio version narrated by John Ritter should get an Emmy). Stargirl is so kind and loving that she becomes the most hated girl in her school. Of course, a novel wouldn’t work otherwise. But young readers are drawn to a kind character, wanting to show that kind of compassion themselves, though it simply isn’t in the DNA of most humans. A character who simply loves everyone is one your readers will love in return.

3. Adventurer. Pippi Longstocking, Peter Pan, Tom Sawyer, Harry Potter…the list goes on. Young readers, most of whom have rarely traveled outside their home town, love a character who is daring enough to shake off the shackles of the adult world and head into the unknown. Come to think of it, don’t we all? Make your protagonist a wannabe world (or time and space) traveler by the age of ten, and you’ve got a hit.

4. The Freak. Excuse my terminology, but there is no better word for it in the middle grade world. While kids in real life often avoid a child who is physically disfigured or burdened with something that sets him apart, young readers latch onto such a fictional character and root for him from page one. While Mask was technically an adult film, a child will react much the way we did when we first saw the movie. We wanted Rocky Dennis to overcome his disfigurement and live the normal, humdrum life we all take for granted. For a middle grade version, check out Wonder by Raquel J. Palacio.



5. The Animal. No, I’m not talking about your kid’s friend who never bathes or uses a fork. I mean real animals. This is cheating a bit, because we all know that animals in stories are usually humanized. They are likely to portray one of the other qualities I’ve already listed. From a high IQ spider to an adventurous dog (that’s a long list), animals have always been a popular alternative to the standard human protagonist. But remember, they’re still protagonists with very human desires, dark moments, and goals. Don’t let the fur fool ya. Check out The One and Only Ivan by K.A. Applegate for a recent addition to the long list of animal protagonists.

Of course, if you can come up with other quirks that don’t fit the standard list, you may have a new hit. But your best bet is to choose from among the kids you already know. Take those normal tween quirks and grow them into something outlandish. Remember, kids like to see a little of themselves in a protagonist, but they also want to see the person they wish they could be.

What about you? Can you add anything to my list here? What trait did your favorite childhood character posses?

Ron Estrada writes Young Adult and Middle Grade fiction. His first middle grade book, Scorpion Sumer, is currently with his agent and seeking a publishing home. His YA series is currently available on Amazon. You can find out what he's up to by visiting RonEstradaBooks.com.

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Oldies Hit Parade! What Are Your Favorite All-Time Reads?

It's late on Tuesday evening and I brought home a portable record player, like the the kind with a turntable and needle, from my mother-in-laws.

Digging in the closet, I pulled out an old Donny Osmond album, his last before the current era, that's never made it to digital. I thought it'd be fun to hear it again. It's been more than 20 years since I had a way to play it. #timeless

Music takes me back. It's a powerful tool that impacts our emotions.

But what about books? Can't they impact our emotions too? Become timeless in our hearts. Absolutely.

While driving to Tennessee for vacation week before last, my husband decided to listen to The Wedding Dress, a book I wrote almost six years ago, since it recently hit the New York Times Bestseller List.

I cringed off and on the whole time. I heard every mistake, every over used word, but at one point my husband said, "Wow, I just teared up."

And as the reader read the final scene, I teared up myself. Why? Because I loved the characters all over again and I didn't want to part ways.

When the book ended, we were both silent for awhile. The story took us some place, Impacted us.

That's the power of story. Never sell yourself short as an author to move the human heart.

My good friend Debbie Macomber said, "We don't write to sell units, we write to impact hearts."

Amen, sister!

The books that moved my heart are the ones I talk about, the ones I remember years after I've read them.

What about you? Do you have a book like that?

Softly and Tenderly, the second Songbird Novel I wrote with Sara Evans is still one of my all time favorites. Weird uh? A friend asked me during Christmas why I liked it so much. Don't you know I teared up telling her all the reasons!

Here's a list of novels that have impacted me:

The Little House book by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Introduced  to these stories in 5th grade, they became a permanent part of my DNA. While Laura was born 93 years before me, we were somehow alike, the same, sisters from a different time. We were both the second born, but while she lived on a prairie in little houses with three sisters, I lived in the 'burbs in little houses with three brothers and one sister, we were kindred. Laura's heart and strength were my heart and strength. Her life is a part of my life forever.

The Song of Abraham by Ellen Gunderson Traylor. I read this mass paperback in college and never forgot it. In fact, for a writing class, I wrote a Biblical story mimicking her style. Outside of the Bible, this book probably had the hugest impact on my spiritual walk. At a time when I was spreading my wings, growing up, figuring out who I wanted to be I read the story of a man who would be called Friend of God. And I wanted to be a friend of God. Traylor's story invoked a truth in me through the fictional depiction of a real life man.

Shouldn't that be our goal. To inspire? To point the way to hope and truth?

Rind The Wind by Lucia St. Claire Robson. The story of real life Cynthia Ann Parker, kidnapped as a girl in 1836 by the Comanche, eventually marrying one of their leaders. I've not read this book in eons, but it has everything. Drama, tension, conflict, humanity, glimpses of truth, a bit of fiction, and romance with a mysterious, notorious warrior, Peta Nocona as the hero. Look them up, it'll have you reading and thinking for a long while.

The Guernsey Literary and Potatoe Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. Loved this book, set in World War 2 on the English island that was occupied by Nazi's. The story of  Elizabeth McKenna, caught on the island when war broke out, is challenging, impactful, a woman with the strength I'd hope to have given similar circumstances. A story to be savored and not forgotten.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett. A piece of history, a story of the south. Engaging, real, I was drawn into the story from the get go. By the end, I could feel the truth, the heart and read the last few pages through tears. I love stories dealing with racial issues.

The Nightingale by Kristen Hannah. Another World War 2 tome about the Nazi occupation of Paris. Two sisters find themselves dealing with the war in very different ways, but each one finding the courage to fight the war on her doorstep. Moving, deep, detailed, engrossing, a story to stay with you for a long time. Again, challenging me to ask, "In the face of evil, what will I do?"

A Hundred Summers by Beatriz Williams. Okay, if you've been around me the past year and a half you know I loved, loved, loved this book. I wrote my editor and said, "I want to write like this." She read the book too and loved, loved, loved it. I was first drawn in by a story set in the '30s New England, then by William's writing style but quickly it became about story, story, story. Tears at the end. Even cooler is Williams endorsed my next book, The Wedding Shop! Pinch me!

There are more stories but I'll stop there. What about you? What books impacted you and linger with you through time?

As a writer, how can you aspire to impact your readers. Hint: It's about character!

*** 

New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Rachel Hauck lives in sunny central Florida.

A graduate of Ohio State University with a degree in Journalism, she worked in the corporate software world before planting her backside in uncomfortable chair to write full time eight years ago.

Rachel serves on the Executive Board for American Christian Fiction Writers. She is a mentor and book therapist at My Book Therapy, a conference speaker and worship leader.

Rachel writes from her two-story tower in an exceedingly more comfy chair. She is a huge Buckeyes football fan.

Here latest novel, The Wedding Chapel landed on Booklist's Top Ten Inspirationals for 2015.

Visit her web site: www.rachelhauck.com.

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Pilates for Your Imagination

Peter Leavell, a 2007 graduate of Boise State University with a degree in history, was the 2011 winner of Christian Writers Guild's Operation First Novel contest, and 2013 Christian Retailing's Best award for First-Time Author. Peter and his family live in Boise, Idaho. For entertainment, he reads historical books, where he finds ideas for new novels. For relaxation, he writes westerns. Whenever he has a chance, he takes his wife and two homeschooled children on crazy but fun research trips. Learn more about Peter's books, research, and family adventures at www.peterleavell.com.

Imagination—To create a picture without using your senses.

Does crafting the perfect sentence—both grammatically correct and rhythmically pleasing—get you published?

Does owning a bank account with free refills get you published?

Does marrying the CEO of a publishing company get you published?

Help your odds at getting published—write a stellar plot. I don't want to read a book you published through manipulations. I want to read a stellar book, one the publisher was forced to publish because the plot was brilliant.

You’re going to need an imagination, and no bottomless bank account’s going to buy one. Here are a few tips to exercise your plot-making skills.

—Daydream. In pictures, not words. If you can’t, I’m sorry. So sorry.

—Imagine a smell. Then imagine a taste. Next, a touch. Now a sound. And finally a picture. Anything. Then try combining two. Can you mix three? All five?

—Read. Turn off the blasted TV. Throw it over a cliff.

—Study gorgeous paintings. Make the figures move. Give them a story.

—Think of a sarcastic statement to everything around you. WARNING: Choose what comes out of your mouth carefully.

—Talk to children—toddler to teen. Brainstorm anything with them.

—Make your main character your imaginary friend.

—When telling stories to friends, work it. Make it funny, visual, and expressive.

—Spend time with creative people.

—Don’t resist. Observe people. Make up stories about them.

—Don’t keep your imagination in your comfort zone. Challenge yourself. Be curious. Be daring. Be naughty.

You’re responsible for your education. Work it!

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Casting Call: At Love's Bidding by Regina Jennings

Every author dreams of seeing their work portrayed on the big screen, or even the small screen. When the time comes I want to be as helpful as possible, so here are my suggestions for the cast of the blockbuster production of At Love’s Bidding.

Natalie Portman as Miranda Wimplegate

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/294704369337736382/

Miranda is a beautiful woman, but she prefers to stay behind the scenes. She is most comfortable surrounded by the majestic works of art in her Boston auction house. When she travels to the wilds of the Ozark Mountains with her ailing grandfather, she’s forced to speak for herself and deal with an impossible situation. 

Scott Eastwood as Wyatt Ballentine

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/294704369346006679/

Wyatt Ballentine is the manager of the local livestock auction in Pine Gap, Missouri. Feeling like an outsider in his own town, he works tirelessly to prove himself. His older brother Isaac takes delight in antagonizing him and when the auction is bought by some stuffy Bostonians, Wyatt fears that his dreams to run his own business are coming to an end.

And here’s another picture of Wyatt, because, Wy-not?

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/294704369339875956/ 

Sean Connery as Grandfather Wimplegate

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/294704369346006324/

Grandfather is a dignified gentleman who embodies kindness and intelligence, but Grandfather is losing his edge. Lately he’s made some unexplainable mistakes that have put Miranda and her parents in jeopardy. Sir Connery would be able to handle this role with grace and dignity.

Johnny Lee Miller as Isaac Ballentine 

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/294704369337850930/

Wyatt’s older brother is a poet at heart. Isaac makes a great first impression and uses his considerable charm to oppose baby brother at every turn. When the lovely Miss Wimplegate and her grandfather come to town, Isaac gleefully welcomes them knowing that they are the last people Wyatt will want around.

Elle Fanning as Betsy Huckabee

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/294704369346006203/ 

Betsy Huckabee is a twelve-year-old terror. Part angel, part wolverine, Betsy is everywhere, gets into everything and spies on everyone. Miranda can’t make a move without Betsy reporting it to Wyatt.

William Moseley as Josiah Huckabee

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/294704369346005987/

Betsy’s big brother Josiah has a reputation as a prankster. He’s finding it hard to stop fooling around and be responsible, but if he wants to catch Katie Ellen Watson’s eye, that’s just what he’s gotta do.

Matt Smith as Cousin Cornelius

Miranda’s Cousin Cornelius is a doctor. He’s a phrenologist to be more exact, and that means that he can read your character and intelligence by measuring the shape of your skull. Cornelius has done an examination of Miranda and assures her that she does not have the capacity for courage. If Wyatt ever meets him, he’ll want to put a few new lumps on the doctor’s noggin.

John Mortlock of Cambridge and Abington Hall as the Painting of Monsieur LeBlanc

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/294704369338831764/

This is the painting that starts it all. This is the painting that sends Miranda and Grandfather on an adventure, but Wyatt’s life will be forever changed as well. Although technically an inanimate object, Monsieur LeBlanc has a lot to say about his journey. He was one of my favorite characters to write.

What do you think of the casting? Is there someone else you’d rather see in a movie version of At Love’s Bidding?

To see more inspiration for the cast and the setting of At Love’s Bidding, visit my pinterest page:https://www.pinterest.com/reginaljennings/novel-at-loves-bidding/

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I Hate That Guy: Crafting Likable Characters

Even despicable characters need to be lovable.

post by Michelle Griep

I love sarcasm. Give me a character who's snappy and snippy with their dialogue and bam...instant like fest. So it surprises me when snarky characters aren't always well loved. What's the deal?

Well...apparently I'm in the minority. Sarcasm doesn't head the list of likable traits. So what does?

Top 3 Ingredients of Crafting an Endearing Character

Admirable motivations.

Even if your protagonist resorts to doing something naughty, give him an empathetic reason for doing so. Maybe he's trying to protect a more vulnerable character, or perhaps he's trying to hide a potentially debilitating flaw. A reader must feel that the mean justifies the end.

Show him capable of love.

No matter how self-centered your character may be, how vile or criminally minded, the teddy bear factor must be present. Give the character a pet, a younger sibling, or something else cute and cuddly to love.

Vulnerable vs Capable

Too much vulnerability makes your character a wuss. Over the top confidence labels him as snooty. The ironic thing is that you should have a blend of both in your protag . . . and also in your villain. No one is all bad or all good. To make a believable, relatable character, you need to include both.

For further reading on character development, I recommend Save the Cat! by Blake Snyder. It's really a book about how to write screenplays but one that every fiction writer should have on their shelf -- especially if you struggle with connecting your characters to your reader. And honestly, who doesn't wrestle with that?

Like what you read? There’s more. WRITER OFF THE LEASH: GROWING IN THE WRITING CRAFT is a kick in the pants for anyone who wants to write but is stymied by fear, doubt, or simply doesn’t know how to take their writing to the next level.

Michelle Griep’s been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. Follow her adventures and find out about upcoming new releases at her blog, Writer Off the Leash, or stop by her website. You can also find her at the usual haunts of Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.

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The Unavoidable Truth of Fiction

The Unavoidable Truth of Fiction
by DiAnn Mills

Novelists understand fiction is truth. Story enters our minds with a moral or spiritual premise. Sometimes characters enter our brainstorming stage first with their uniqueness, strengths, weaknesses, challenges, flaws, and a specific goal. Other times a plot sails into our minds and we search for specific characters to learn and grow from the trials ahead.

In seeking truth you have to get both sides of a story.
Walter Cronkite

No matter how the planning stage begins or evolves, truth is king. Without it, we fail miserably in the arena of entertainment. What reader wants a hero or heroine to sink into the pits of tragedy and never rise again? Good overcomes evil—always. The hero or heroine will sacrifice much, but their efforts will be rewarded.

Truth defined is a belief system that an individual holds as a fact or a state of reality. In the world’s culture, that is determined by a personal evaluation of a set of circumstances. Writing from a Christian worldview means God’s Word is our go-to source for our values and priorities.

What does that mean for the fiction writer? It means we create story that triumphs in God’s good overcoming His definition of evil. It’s subtle, so we can reach the unbeliever with a solid, enjoyable story without pounding Scripture into the reader’s head. We do this by having a character show his or her beliefs instead of declaring them.

How is this accomplished?


1. Cursing is an often debatable technique to reveal authenticity. But haven’t we all heard foul language? Why not write: he cursed or she swore?

2. Graphic violence, which means violence for the sake of showing the degradation of the human mind. I write suspense, and I include brutality. But I refrain from glorifying the worst of behavior.

3. Sex is a part of human nature. But I’m not interested in viewing it on the written page. We can’t deny our emotions, but we can react and respond according to God’s principles.

4. Show how a character is a multilevel and fascinating individual. Convince the reader that the character solves problems according to today’s culture of from a Christian worldview.

Fiction is truth. We use a principle that indicates how our story will twist and turn and eventually honor our faith. For the believer, he/she gets it. For the unbeliever, he/she may be inspired to seek out why the character was different.

Go writers! Truth reigns!

Story - Truth in Action

DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She combines unforgettable characters with unpredictable plots to create action-packed, suspense-filled novels.

Her titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests. Library Journal presented her with a Best Books 2014: Genre Fiction award in the Christian Fiction category for Firewall.

DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers; the 2015 president of the Romance Writers of America’s Faith, Hope, & Love chapter; a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, and International Thriller Writers. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country. She and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas.

DiAnn is very active online and would love to connect with readers on any of the social media platforms listed at www.diannmills.com.

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Building Believable Characters

by Linore Rose Burkard

[I'm honored to be joining the talented writers of Novel Rocket who really show what it means to have iron sharpen iron. Thank you, Novel Rocket, for having me! This month, I share a portion of a workshop I give for newer writers.] 


Author Joanne Reid has said, "One of the leading causes of rejection by a publisher is poorly developed, one-sided characters." Just as deadly for an author is to have a reader reject his or her work after publication for  the same reason. Cardboard characters. Like Flat Stanley, they lack depth. In short, a lack of character development means a failure to enchant the reader. 

Don't let "Flat Stanley"enter your novel!

So the question becomes, how do we avoid being that writer? Is there a key to creating characters that aren't one-sided?

Publishing experts agree there is. Believable, well-rounded characters share basic building blocks that any writer can use. Some may seem obvious, but even published authors can fail to include one or more of these elementary features of a well-rounded character, so take note.   

1. Individualized Appearance 
Seems intuitive, right? But I read a book that despite being generally enjoyable, failed to let me know what the heroine really looked like! I had a great sense of who she was emotionally, but I wasn't even sure of her hair color. Don't make that mistake. 

From hair color and style to fashion statement or lack thereof; posture, facial expression, body language--it all counts and you can use any single feature to distinguish a character simply by highlighting that feature. Anything that sets them apart from the crowd is what you want your reader to notice. It doesn't even have to be something "different" as much as something peculiar to that person. 

 At the same time, don't overdo it. Keep description short unless you have a thematic reason for emphasizing it; but be specific. Include the basics such as ethnicity, hair and eye color, stature, etc. Don't make it a boring catalog or include every attribute, but use context to convey  information in as unobtrusive a manner as possible.  

Example: At six-foot-two, Jared's height made Sheri feel like a dwarf; she didn't like it. (In one sentence you learn how tall Jared is--and Sheri isn't. You also learn Sheri doesn't like feeling short.) 

2. A Solid Background
Heroes, heroines, and all main characters need a past, a history that is specific. Most of this history will not need to appear in your book, but if you are going to write the character well-rounded you'll need to know it. Many authors find they rely heavily on the past history of their characters as they write, often creating plot twists that work ONLY because of that history. Nearly all of Jane Austen's novels use this as a plot-device. She carefully hides details of a character's past until the seemingly sudden twist rocks the world of the novel--at which point the truth is revealed (discovered), everything makes perfect sense, and the story can end satisfactorily. 

Never forget that the reader desperately wants your story to make sense. It gives a feeling of completeness to the book, a satisfaction that mustn't be denied them. Your characters don't have to be likeable or loveable--but they must make sense. Even if they are comprehensible to no one else but themselves (and the reader) they must at least be that. Background is the key to what makes sense for them. 

3. Emotion (or Motive) 
This digs deeper into the idea of a character making sense. Their actions must align with their beliefs, or result in conflict. If actions result in conflict, it has to be crystal clear why they did whatever they did. One of the driving forces in some novels is simply a quest to answer that question: Why? Why did Johnnie kill Susie? Or, why did Susie marry Johnny? In other words, motive and emotions are everything in a novel, just as they are in real life. Real people do things for a reason, and don't do other things for a reason. Fictional characters have to be similarly engineered.   

When it comes right down to it, most plots hinge on the emotions or motives of characters, because conflict arises where feelings and obstacles meet. When you have a character who is forced to do or say things he or she doesn't really mean or want to do or say, you have conflict. When you have conflict, you have a story. 

A character can be at odds with himself, his surroundings, his family, even God--any obstacle can work, just as long as the reader understands why it's a conflict. This means you have to imbue your character with emotions. Figure out what makes your protagonist tick--then put something in the way that makes them reel, and you've got a plot that's moving forward.      

That's about all I can fit into one post, but if you suspect your characters are flat, try using these building blocks to flesh them out: Individual Appearance, Background and Emotion. Soon, instead of a cardboard dummy like Flat Stanley, you'll have a genuine person on your hands. 

What about you? Do you have a favorite device or "building block" to flesh out your characters? Share your method with us in the comments.  

Happy Writing,
Linore

Linore Rose Burkard is best known for historical regency novels with Harvest House Publishers, including Before the Season Ends, the award-winning The House in Grosvenor Square, and, The Country House Courtship. As a writer noted for meticulous research as well as bringing people to life on the page, Linore’s books delight fans of historical romance with “Heyeresque” humor and Austen-like manners.  Linore teaches workshops for writers with Greater Harvest Workshops in Ohio, is a homeschooling mother of five, and has recently finished a YA novel. Keep up with Linore by subscribing to her free newsletter at LinoreBurkard.com

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Three Hero Essentials

Writers get story ideas from all kinds of crazy places. Snippets of overheard conversations. A phrase from a fortune cookie. The back of a milk carton.

What attracted my interest as an author recently was an old London newspaper advertisement from the late 1700’s. It encouraged the public to send a note to Bow Street as soon as any serious crime occurred so that “a set of brave fellows could immediately be dispatched in pursuit of the villains.”

I wondered about those “brave fellows” and what kind of villains they might come up against, and thus was born Nicholas Brentwood—a hero who’s a little rough around the edges, colorful as a Dickens character, and observant enough to be a forerunner of Sherlock. Shameless plug: check out BRENTWOOD’S WARD for more of Nicholas Brentwood.

The thing about heroes, though, is that most are too good to be true. The best are unpredictable, someone who’s not necessarily safe to be around but always has his loved one’s interests at heart—a man who will put his head on the chopping block to save them if need be. But that’s just one aspect of a great hero. Here are a few others . . .

Flaws

Perfect characters make readers want to punch them in the head. Nobody is flawless, so make sure your super stud isn’t either. This can be something as small as an inability to balance a checkbook, or maybe it’s a fear. Indiana Jones was afraid of snakes but that didn’t make him any less heroic.

Secrets

Yo, buddy. Step a little closer. I’ve got a juicy secret to tell you. Are you leaning toward the screen? That’s because you want to know what I’ve got hidden. Secrets are like big, plump nightcrawlers wriggling on a hook, irresistible to literary fish. Heroes with a secret reel in a reader.

Motivation

Everybody wants something. A brand-spanking-new Tesla. A mutton lettuce tomato sandwich. The stupid hangnail on your thumb to go away. Your hero wants something as well, or at least he should. Make that clear to your reader.

Incorporate these traits into the crafting of your next hero and you’ll have readers begging for more.

See if you can match wits with my recent hero—an experienced lawman—as he tracks down a dangerous criminal in BRENTWOOD’S WARD.

There’s none better than NICHOLAS BRENTWOOD at catching the felons who ravage London’s streets, and there’s nothing he loves more than seeing justice carried out—but this time he’s met his match. Beautiful and beguiling EMILY PAYNE is more treacherous than a city full of miscreants and thugs, for she’s a thief of the highest order…she’s stolen his heart.

Available in paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other fine booksellers.

About the Author

Michelle Griep’s been writing since she first discovered blank wall space and Crayolas. She seeks to glorify God in all that she writes—except for that graffiti phase she went through as a teenager.

She resides in the frozen tundra of Minnesota, where she teaches history and writing classes for a local high school co-op. An Anglophile at heart, she runs away to England every chance she gets, under the guise of research. Really, though, she’s eating excessive amounts of scones.

Follow her adventures at her blog WRITER OFF THE LEASH or visit michellegriep.com, and don’t forget the usual haunts of Pinterest, Facebook or Twitter.

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