Characterization: Digging Deep By Personalization

I'm not great at characterization. Years ago, I had an editor tell me my manuscript was lacking in character development. Good plot, but cardboard characters. So I picked up a book, Getting Into Character by Brandilyn Collins and began taking notes. I thought I would share with you what I've learned.

When you develop a character, the first place you start is by Personalizing. Most of you already do this by interviewing your character or filling out a questionnaire about them. Great! That is a good start! But now you need to dig a little deeper.

Basics:  General information, such as gender, age, work, social standing, etc...

Specifics: This is where you begin to ask questions. Say your character is wealthy. Has she been wealthy a long time or has she just come into wealth?  Knowing the answer to this will tell you her attitude toward her wealth.

Dig Deeper: Keep going with your questions until you can't ask anymore. Let's find out more about the wealthy character in Step 2. Let's say she had just come into wealth. How had she come into her wealth? Did she win the lottery or did she receive insurance money from the death of both her parents? Is she excited about the money, or does she resent the money because it represents the loneliness of being without family? Let's say she won the lottery and is excited about her money. Is she going to go crazy and spend it, or is she going to hoard it, fearful it might run out? If she goes crazy and spends it, what might she spend it on and why? She might purchase cars if she has had to drive old, beat-up jalopies. Or she might buy nice jewelry and clothes if she had been forced to wear hand-me-downs or shop at thrift stores.

But don't stop there...dig deeper. Why does she feel the need to buy nice things? Maybe she felt like people looked down on her for wearing old, worn-out clothes. Maybe she was teased or made fun of. Her self-worth is tied up in how she looks, so now she dresses nice and gets her hair and nails done to feel good about herself. She is worthy now that she has money. That is her inner value.

Traits and Mannerisms: What kind of traits or mannerisms will your character have resulting from their inner value? Our wealthy lady may continually push her hair behind her ears to show off her large diamond earrings. She may click her long, manicured fingernails together subconsciously. You don't need to give your characters an overabundance of traits, but you need some to reinforce their inner value and make them believable.

This is not a one time process. There will be times when your character will want to do something that is "out of character". Start the process over until you know your character's motivation and inner value. You can also do this process in reverse. Start with a quirky mannerism and work your way back to the specifics. Get to know your character inside and out.

This post is just a little taste of all the good information Brandilyn Collins shared in her book, Getting Into Character, Seven Secrets a Novelist Can Learn From Actors. Check it out!

What is your process for characterization? How do you build a character and make them real?

Repost from 2/14/2014

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Sherrinda Ketchersid is a born and bred Texan, preacher’s wife, mother of 4 children, and works part-time as a bookseller at Amazon. With the children grown and out of the house, she weaves tales of fierce knights and their ladies in a time where men were warriors and women had to be strong enough to keep them in check.

After taking time off from writing, she has returned with a new motto in place to spur her on. “Writers write. Everyone else makes excuses.” ~Jack Bickham.  No excuses this time. She is weaving her love of romance with history to bring joy and the hope of love to those who may one day read her stories. Her first book, Lord of Her Heart, will release May 2019.

You can connect with her through:

Personal blog: sherrinda.com

Twitter: @sherrinda

Instagram: @sherrinda

What I Learned About Writing from Star Wars: The Force Awakens

I had a nice, outlined blog post for you about 2016 goals. But then I saw Star Wars: The Force Awakens for the second time today, and my post has officially been hijacked by my nerddom.

There are major, major spoilers ahead, so if you haven't seen it yet, 1) bookmark this post for a later time and 2) get thee to your nearest movie theater!

This was my first Star Wars movie to view with fresh eyes since I began my journey to publication, so naturally in was the first in which I paid attention to the writing. Here are the writing tips this movie affirmed...

And, I repeat, there are major, major spoilers ahead! 

1) First, it's okay to include popular story elements as long as you do you and as long as you do it well. I read somewhere that there are really only a handful of plot lines in existence when you whittle them down to their bones. The Force Awakens "borrowed" a lot of similar themes and events from its predecessors in the series -- maybe not exactly, but close -- which I loved. In particular, the father vs. son theme stood out to me. Han Solo and Kilo Ren have the whole good vs. evil dynamic working for them just like Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader did. Han's death also mirrored the statement Darth Vader made in the murder of his mentor Obi Wan Kenobi in A New Hope. Another example? The Death Star vs. the Super Star Destroyer. Same spherical weapon station, different day.

I'm going to go out on a limb and assume you haven't been commissioned to pen the next installment in a beloved series, so I'm strictly speaking of story elements and structure and tropes. They can be similar in format to others you've read as long as you put your own original, compelling spin on it and spin it well. You have a great opportunity to draw readers in through your characters and what's led them to this point. Many who are familiar with certain patterns and rhythms in fiction love the predictable nature -- or at least seeing where the writers take it. But this also gives you the opportunity to tastefully weave the unexpected into your story to give it punch. The wow factor. Like a female-for-once protagonist with a lightsaber who kicks some serious booty.

2) I also realized that you have to put as much thought into your villain as your protagonists. I don't write suspense or mystery, but I think this applies to any kind of antagonist. The best kind of villains in my book (the figurative one) are the ones who garner my sympathy even though, on paper, they might not deserve it. I loved the dimension they gave Kilo Ren and can't wait to see what they do with him. His parentage, his betrayal, the devotion to Darth Vader, the fear that he doesn't have what it takes to complete his training.

Since we don't have the three-dimensional benefit of phenomenal acting, we have to convey our antagonists' motivations, goals, and layers in dialogue and our heroes' observations during their interactions. Doing this effectively creates a higher contrast between antagonist and protagonist, raises the stakes, and makes the plot all the more riveting, in my opinion.

3) It's important to be willing, as writer, to obliterate the path to happily-ever-after in order to maintain authenticity. 

Were you surprised that, despite their happy ending at the conclusion of Return of the Jedi, Han and Leia were separated decades later? I'm not, to be honest. Unfortunately, the real-life statistics are staggering for marriages after the loss of a child. In grief, the amplified self-preservation instinct can be devastating for a relationship as people deal with a loss in their own way. I'm glad the writers chose to mirror reality for many, because even though it was shell-shocking and sad, it felt real and authentic.

At the end, we want our characters to find peaceful resolution. But it doesn't always have to look like a fairy tale to be a happy ending.

4) Readers can fall in love with your characters from the start, and you don't even have to completely destroy their mystery in the process.

Let's begin with Rey. The story introduced her by showing her daily life with purpose. Though wordless, it spoke of hard work with little return on investment. Hunger. The desperation in scratching the day's tally mark into the wall of her abandoned AT-AT walker dwelling. We later learn, through her conversations, that she's waiting for her family to return after a long absence. We learn through her actions that she's loyal and determined to get the droid BB-8 back where he belongs.

Similarly, Finn's first sequence reveals his internal conflict with the life of a Stormtrooper, unwilling to kill and distraught over the death that's happening all around him. Through his actions, we learn that he has a strong moral compass And even though he doesn't have a plan most of the time, he will do whatever it takes to do what's right.

See the commonalities there? Without giving away the crucial mysteries of these characters that keep the audience thirsty for more, strategic portraits of characters' lives and actions are effective ways to reveal their goals, give a glimpse into why they tick, and help readers fall in love. 

---

The writers had a huge challenge ahead of them with this film, the successor to one of the most beloved franchises in history. But I think they did a great job of maintaining their brand and showing that with a lot of bravery, extraordinary things can happen to broken people.

Have you seen The Force Awakens? (I sure hope so if you've read this far.) What did you like and dislike about the movie?

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Laurie Tomlinson is a wife and mom from Tulsa, Oklahoma, who is passionate about intentional living, all things color-coded, and stories of grace in the beautiful mess. Previously a full-time book publicist, she owns a freelance copywriting, editing, and PR consulting business called 1624 Communications. 

She's a member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, a two-time Genesis Award winner, and the runner-up in the 2015 Lone Star Contest's Inspirational category. Her work is represented by Rachel Kent of Books & Such Literary.

You can connect with Laurie here:

Facebook - AuthorLaurieTomlinson

Twitter - @LaurieTomlinson

Web - www.LaurieTomlinson.com

Characterization: Digging Deep by Personalizing

photo by Stuart Miles
freedigitalphotos.net

Ever since I was given the "okay" to start back writing again, I have been trying to learn more about characterization. You see, I had an editor tell me that my manuscript was lacking in character development. Good plot, but cardboard characters. So I picked up a book, Getting Into Character by Brandilyn Collins and began taking notes. I thought I would share with you what I am learning.

When you develop a character, the first place you start is by Personalizing. Most of you already do this by interviewing your character or filling out a questionnaire about them. Great! That is a good start! But now you need to dig a little deeper.

Basics:  General information, such as gender, age, work, social standing, etc...

Specifics: This is where you begin to ask questions. Say your character is wealthy. Has she been wealthy a long time or has she just come into wealth?  Knowing the answer to this will tell you her attitude toward her wealth.

Dig Deeper: Keep going with your questions until you can't ask anymore. Let's find out more about the wealthy character in Step 2. Let's say she had just come into wealth. How had she come into her wealth? Did she win the lottery or did she receive insurance money from the death of both her parents? Is she excited about the money, or does she resent the money because it represents the loneliness of being without family? Let's say she won the lottery and is excited about her money. Is she going to go crazy and spend it, or is she going to hoard it, fearful it might run out? If she goes crazy and spends it, what might she spend it on and why? She might purchase cars if she has had to drive old, beat-up jalopies. Or she might buy nice jewelry and clothes if she had been forced to wear hand-me-downs or shop at thrift stores.

But don't stop there...dig deeper. Why does she feel the need to buy nice things? Maybe she felt like people looked down on her for wearing old, worn-out clothes. Maybe she was teased or made fun of. Her self worth is tied up in how she looks, so now she dresses nice and gets her hair and nails done to feel good about herself. She is worthy now that she has money. That is her inner value.

Traits and Mannerisms: What kind of traits or mannerisms will your character have resulting from their inner value? Our wealthy lady may continually push her hair behind her ears to show off her large diamond earrings. She may click her long, manicured fingernails together subconsciously. You don't need to give your characters an overabundance of traits, but you need some to reinforce their inner value and make them believable.

This is not a one time process. There will be times when your character will want to do something that is "out of character". Start the process over until you know your character's motivation and inner value. You can also do this process in reverse. Start with a quirky mannerism and work your way back to the specifics. Get to know your character inside and out.

This post is just a little taste of all the good information Brandilyn Collins shared in her book, Getting Into Character, Seven Secrets a Novelist Can Learn From Actors. Check it out!

What is your process for characterization? How do you build a character and make them real?


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This post is brought to you by

 Sherrinda Ketchersid

Sherrinda is a minister's wife and mother to three giant sons and one gorgeous daughter. A born and bred Texan, she writes historical romance filled with fun, faith, and forever love.

The Why IS the Heart of Your Story

So it's pretty basic. We've learned it since primary school...the 5 W's...the what, the when, the who, the where, the why (Okay, I wanted to ignore the how, because really, isn't that what we're doing now?) As authors, a few of these basics become a little more complex than a simple one word answer.

On freedigitalphotos.net by Stuart Miles

When you start a new story, usually the when and where are pretty quickly established. The what is a lengthy answer...but we're all trained to sum it up to a two page summary, a one page synopsis, a blurb, a promo sentence...a tagline. It's “what” it's about.

But the why? It's so much more than a simply-put answer. The why is something that I want to look at today, because it is essential to a story's believability, credibility, impression, expression... hmmm. It's answer(s), in my opinion, is the very essence of a good story.

Today, I will use the story that's near and dear to me...one whose “whys” took many many tries to answer. It is my third novel, Her Cotton Heart:

The 5 W's 

When: The beginning of World War II on the home front.
Why? Ugh, already? We have to answer that one already?
ABSOLUTELY...you need to know why at ever step of the way! And I chose this era because my original inspiration is from my husband's grandmother...and this is the time period when she would have fallen in love (and I write historical romance, duh.) :)

Where: This is so fun for me...I love place. There are lots of places out there that I'd like to discover on a fiction level...but for this particular story, I chose rural Northeast Texas just bouncing back from the Great Depression. Why? I was inspired by my husband's family's century old cotton farm (different side than the above-mentioned grandmother).

What: Well this takes a little more thought... a little more planning...or shall we say, plotting? The plot is the what. Sometimes the what is what drives you to write the story in the first place. That's partly the case with this story of my heart. I wanted to write a sweet love story. I wanted to write a character- driven story. Really, the what becomes a second-level type question....like I said before, this might be summed up in a pitch, or a promo sentence. And if you are anything like me, the what might take a while to form, perhaps it takes a whole draft or two to really know what your story is.

My What: A cotton farmer's daughter discovers her true identity when forbidden love unearths family secrets. 
 Why? Wait for it....

Who: Well, a cotton farmer's daughter...a farrier's son...and a whole slew of broken family members and distraught best friends. ;) And really, in my story, the why of the who is VERY important because it is character-driven. And perhaps, all my focus on the who (not the band), is what made me realize how important the why really is. Wait for it...

On freedigitalphotos.net by David Castillo Dominici

So we have the what, the when, the where, the who, with a sprinkle of why...but not the kind of why that's the Why—the big giant scalpel cutting through all the layers to really get to the core of every element of the story...the what, the when, the where, the character, the scene, the conflict, the dialogue....you name it, you've got to dig into each with this tool in hand...it's the WHY. And just like the what, the first broad sense of Why drove me to write my story...

Why write it? To show Grace vs. Legalism. Simple? Eh. How many stories out there can use this answer to my why? This is good to know, good to show, but why cuts so much deeper in so much more than a birds-eye view of the story.
The answers to why should run through your story like blood in the veins. Every part of your story should seep with the answers to why.

 Not just: Why is it when it is? Why is it where it is? Why is it what it is? Why'd you write it? Why is it storming at this moment in the story? Why is Gwyn the fifth child? Why is her sister mean? Why is her father hateful? Why does Will love her? Why does Lyddie take risks? Why did she hold her books just so? Why did she look to the horizon? Why, why, why?

Why did I WRITE THAT? Ever felt like you wrote a line because it sounded good, and then you realize it answers a major why? Sometimes you don't even realize the why is needed until an a-ha moment comes out of your character that had been a part of him in the first place. This next passage from my story kind of wrote itself but gave me the answer to a major why:

“I don't understand it all.” He nodded his head toward the dingy window, which no doubt hid Mr. Stanford in all his hatred, and then turned to Gwyn. “Do you?” Gwyn's lip trembled and her brows knitted together. 
Consideration shimmered in her ice blue eyes just before she squeezed them shut and slightly shook her head.
She doesn't understand it, either. She's not like a Stanford at all. 
Will swallowed back a smile and the pride that swelled from deep in his heart. Over eight years, he'd been right to think that Gwyn was different than her family. 

 Before I wrote this, I figured Will just saw Gwyn as a victim, a beautiful one, and wanted to rescue her. But when I started asking why, I discovered a whole layer of Will's backstory and perspective that would have remained hidden without the why. Why has he been attracted to Gwyn these years?Because he felt a connection with her. She didn't buy into the feud, either. She was the one way he could cross the forbidden line drawn between their families and find acceptance on the other side.

Why is essential in every aspect of your story. Why is a critical thinking element that gives depth, width, height to the “what” you are trying to accomplish. When you have your reason behind each element, then you have purposeful, meaningful, writing that might just pour the heart of your story into the heart of the reader.

And when they understand the answers to all the whys along the way, the what that you write, might change a life or two...on purpose.

What's your big why? Have you stumbled across another answer to why in your story lately?

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Angie Dicken first began writing fiction as a creative outlet during the monotonous, mothering days of diapers and temper tantrums. She is passionate to impress God's love on women regardless of their background or belief. This desire serves as a catalyst for Angie's fiction, which weaves salvation and grace themes across historical cultures and social boundaries. Angie is an ACFW member and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency.

Tuning Into A Brainstorm: Exercising Your Mind's Eye

on freedigitalphotos.net by tiverylucky

During our annual twelve hour trek down south for Christmas, my husband turned to his typical entertainment, NPR (National Public Radio). I am NOT a talk radio fan. I absolutely am not. I'd much rather engage in conversation with good music in the background. But it was early and I was tired, and I did not protest his choice.

As we ventured into the plains of Kansas and Oklahoma, and watched the temps climb higher and higher, the radio took us to new places altogether. We stepped into the worlds of Northeastern fishermen, Mexican Corn farmers, British actresses, Christian musicians, and Oklahoma tornado victims.

on freedigitalphotos.net by James Barker

Opinions.

Conflict.

Personalities.

And....

Settings only developed in my mind's eye. 

Just like a book. Just like a newborn idea for a story. 

As I sat and listened to the the stories, strained my ear to hear the background noise on location, I realized I wasn't just hearing a good story, but I was experiencing new characters--trains of thought I might've never considered, scenarios that presented outpours of emotions in new  ways-- AND, an opportunity to imagine God's hand in each situation. 

What happens when a writer is exposed to a new perspective, a new setting, new conflict?

Perhaps, just perhaps, a wild rush of God-inspired breath stirs up our creative ocean and causes a storm of new ideas and untraveled waters for our characters to explore...or unique, fresh characters welcomed to our story world.

on freedigitalphotos.net by David Castillo Dominici

Studying the world around us is so much more broad than what authors of the past could've imagined. We have media that transports us to different places and cultures, and gives glimpses at the human condition in a vast amount of scenarios.

If you ever feel like your creative juices have dried up, and you are just writing the "same ol' same ol'", perhaps you aren't utilizing all the wonderful tools at your finger tips?

The mere turn of the dial on the car radio brought color and potential to my mind's eye, proving that I've hardly begun to fill my creative bank with ideas and study cases for new stories.

on freedigitalphotos.net by feel art

The most brilliant thing about exercising your minds eye is, once you allow the stories to transport you into the shoes of the particular person spotlighted on the radio [or t.v. or magazine....], you'll begin to tap into your own emotions and stir your own opinion...using  common human fibers to comprehend someone different than yourself. 

Exercise your mind's eye. Awaken your writer's heart to new passion that might drive you to your next brilliant story idea! 

Any good ideas lately? Any places or people you'd like to write a story about and experience life in their mind's eye?

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Angie Dicken first began writing fiction as a creative outlet during the monotonous, mothering days of diapers and temper tantrums. She is passionate to impress God's love on women regardless of their background or belief. This desire serves as a catalyst for Angie's fiction, which weaves salvation and grace themes across historical cultures and social boundaries. Angie is an ACFW member and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency.

Character in the chrysalis: preparing yourself for your destiny

Recently I watched a message by Joyce Meyer on TV. She talked about the many people who are waiting for God to “promote” them – to open the door to their destiny. This grabbed my attention immediately. Like so many of us, I’m waiting on a dream: the dream of one day being a published author. Perhaps Joyce had some key to share about how to reach our dreams more quickly and effectively?

I turned up the volume on the TV and leaned forward slightly. Joyce pointed her finger directly at the camera, and with great intensity in her voice, she said something to this effect: “You’d better pray that God doesn’t open that door for you until you have the character to walk through it.”

That line stuck with me. It wasn’t exactly what I wanted to hear. The truth of it, however, resonated with my spirit.

Image by Nattavut, courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

The blessing of the closed door

I’ve spent a lot of time over the past decade of my life banging on the closed door of publication and praying fervently for God to open it.

But am I truly ready for him to do that?

Could it be that during this waiting time, God has been protecting me from… myself? He intimately knows my weaknesses. He knows the strength of character I’ll need in order to walk through that door without self-destructing. And so, with infinite tenderness and mercy, he forces me to wait.

I’m reminded of Saul, a man promoted to kingship who lacked the character to fulfil the call on his life. His reign was characterized by jealousy, insecurity, fits of rage, and rash decisions. Reading his story is like watching a car careening out of control in slow motion. The wreck is inevitable. It’s easy for us to judge Saul – but let’s not forget: this man was called by God. Chosen. Gifted. Annointed to be king.

How many of us are called, gifted and anointed to write… and yet sabotage ourselves in the same way Saul did because we never develop the strength of character to match our gifting?

The boy who dreamed

The story of Joseph gives me hope. Like many of us, he too was a dreamer, called by God to a destiny beyond his ability to imagine. And yet, at the beginning of Joseph’s tale, we find a prideful young man who thought his dreams were all about him.

Image by sakhorn38
freedigitalphotos.net

Remember the way he boasted to his family about the dreams God had given him? Joseph thought he was pretty hot stuff. Through this attitude he demonstrated his unreadiness to step into the very destiny he was bragging about.

First, he had to be humbled and tested. Joseph needed to learn how to serve God with excellence and humility in the lowliest of positions: as a slave in a foreign land, and then a prisoner. He needed to do this even when no-one was watching and the world had seemingly forgotten his existence. He developed his character through suffering, obscurity, and endless years of waiting. And through this painful process, Joseph realised his dreams weren’t all about him. They were about what he could do to help and serve others.

When Joseph had learned this lesson – when his character finally measured up to his calling – it was then that God promoted him.

A call to character

Let’s be Josephs, not Sauls. In this in-between time of waiting on our dreams, let’s make a conscious choice to grow in character so we’re ready to step through the door of our destiny.

Here are some things to work on as we wait:

1. Pride

The world esteems people with gifts and talents, and it’s easy to get sucked into this mindset and let ourselves get a big head from our achievements or the flattery of others. But actually, we can’t take credit for our abilities. They’re a gift from God. We didn’t do anything to earn them. What we should esteem is character, because that’s something we have to work at to develop.

How we handle praise is a test. If we let it puff up our egos now in obscurity, how will we handle the praise of many? The pressure of notoriety? The Bible teaches that God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Like Joseph, we won’t be promoted until we’ve learned the lesson of humility.

2. Insecurity

Paradoxically, this often goes hand-in-hand with pride. God doesn’t want us to be insecure any more than he wants us to be proud – one day up, the next day down, blown about by the winds of others’ opinions or the conflicting voices inside our own heads. He wants us to be humble and confident. Humble, because his gifts are undeserved. And confident, because He is a good God and has given us everything we need to succeed.

Saul suffered constantly from feelings of not being “good enough” to be king. He hid amongst the baggage at his own coronation ceremony. Because he was so insecure in himself, he felt threatened by anyone else who came along displaying any sort of ability or gifting. If only he had realised that his worth didn’t come from his title or his abilities as king. Our worth never comes from what we do. Our worth is inherent, because we’re children of God.

3. Jealousy

You can see already how this flows out of insecurity. It’s all too easy to compare ourselves to others on the publication journey – “She found an agent before me” or “He’s finalled in more contests.” Stop the comparison game. If we don’t nip this in the bud, later on we’ll be comparing publishing houses, advance sizes, marketing budgets, copies sold, and number of contracts. The jealousy battle won’t stop once you’re published – the stakes will just get higher, the comparisons more marked.

4. Discouragement

Likewise, this won’t stop once you’re published. I’ve heard a successful author published in the CBA say, “This industry will chew you up and spit you out.” Another one says, “Rejection doesn’t stop once you’re published. It just hurts worse.”

Our joy and contentment can’t come from our circumstances, or life will be a roller-coaster ride of disappointments. We need to learn to be content where we are before God will promote us.

In the face of rejections, can you encourage yourself in the Lord? David did this in his darkest moments before he became king. And once he learned how to do that, everything turned around for him (1 Samuel 30:6). God responds to faith and thankfulness, not fear and ingratitude.

5. Abide

Lastly, develop the ability to abide in him. Make God the center and the compass of your life. If he’s not, you’ll be thrown off course the minute the first storm hits. Do you have what it takes to ride out the rough waters of the publishing industry? With God as your center, then yes, you do. Practice this when it’s easy, so you have the steady strength to stand firm when it’s hard.

Image by Christian Meyn,
courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

The chrysalis

The chrysalis is a chamber of waiting. A place of transformation.

In the chrysalis of a Monarch butterfly, the caterpillar literally dissolves into slime. It has to die to itself in order to enter the next phase of its destiny.

What are you doing in the chrysalis to prepare your character so you’re ready to step into your destiny?

Karen Schravemade lives in Australia. When she's not chasing after two small boys or gazing at her brand-new baby girl, she spends her spare minutes daydreaming about the intricate lives of characters who don't actually exist. Find her on her website, on Twitter or getting creative over at her mummy blog.