Reader Whiplash: Developing Characters Organically

A couple years ago, I had just gotten my first brand new car, a cute little Civic, when I was sitting at a red light, and the woman behind me didn't come to a stop. Next thing I knew, my head lurched forward, and I heard that loud collision sound. My pulse raced, as my stomach sank. Not my brand new car!

Thankfully, Amelia (as I affectionally call my little Civic) took it like a champ and didn't need much in the way of repairing. But in the days that followed, I noticed my neck was very sore from the impact. I didn't have to get it checked out by a doctor-- and for that I'm very thankful-- but it was still no fun.

Photo by Sixninepixels at www.freedigitalphotos.net

It's amazing how sharp, unexpected movements can jar us, and even leave us confused, isn't it? If you've ever been in a fender bender yourself or had whiplash, you definitely understand!

So what does this have to do with writing?

All too often, when we're developing our characters, we employ a similar type of jarring motion in our stories. I know I personally have to fight against this tendency all the time. My theory is that this happens because, as writers, we know where our characters will end up, and we want to hint toward that. We get so very excited about their transformation that sometimes we allow it to happen a bit too early. We're thinking we're foreshadowing and layering our characters, while our readers are thinking, "What in the world is going on?"

Let me give an example. We know a good romance requires two characters who are attracted to one another, yet pulled apart from one another through challenges throughout the story, until finally, they reconcile and have their happily-ever-after. But have you ever read a romance that didn't keep that tension until the end? And what was your response as a reader? More than likely, it lost your interest.

So using our example of a romance story, consider a hero who can't find love because he's visiting a foreign country and doesn't want to start a love affair across an ocean. Early in a chapter, he may think to himself something like this (in so many words):

The woman glided across the deck of the cruise ship with a comfortable ease, as if she'd taken this day cruise before. Undeniably Italian, her dark hair formed loose curls at the ends. She smiled at him.

Had he been anyone other than Jack Johnson--Texas native who planned to stay that way--he would've swept that woman right off her feet like Frank Sinatra. But he was Jack Johnson. So he returned her smile and kept walking.

(By the way, I'm completely making this story up for the sake of example, so please excuse me if it sounds a little like An Affair to Remember. Ha!) These paragraphs set up the tension and let us know why Jack isn't interested in a foreign romance. Then, imagine that later in the chapter, Jack strikes up a conversation with the Italian woman, and you find a paragraph like this one:

 The beauty of the Isle of Capri was striking, and stirred something in Jack that had long been dormant. He fidgeted his hands, longing to catch the stray piece of Lydia's hair that had fallen into her eyes. Maybe, just maybe, moving here wouldn't be so bad, after all.

What just happened in this last paragraph? Jack has pretty much decided he's okay with the possible move to Italy, and the romance is now a go. Now, here's the problem. The tension has evaporated, and the reader is NOT going to take Jack seriously because he made this decision so impulsively. He initially tells us he has this serious qualm about ever moving from Texas, and then, in only a few pages, he's already changed his mind! While we may follow a story that flip flops around in this way, we are not going to allow ourselves to emotionally invest in the characters, because we'll never really know what page they are on.

So with that in mind, how can you avoid giving your reader whiplash?

• Remember that the reader doesn't know how your character is going to change. You might know exactly the arc your characters are going to take, but your readers don't. Take advantage of that. Keep them guessing. Don't "show your cards," so to speak. Which leads into the next point...
• Remember to take time to develop your characters at each stage, to create a deeper emotional impact. If you've created obstacles for the relationships and goals your characters might have, don't easily rush past those things. Make them count! If a character is hardened to love, make them actually hardened to it, and show us why. They shouldn't feel closed off one minute and totally open to possibility the next. Yes, we should see little moments of hope for change sprinkled throughout, but like pepper, don't add too many of such moments! If your readers believe in the struggle your characters are having, they will also believe in the redemption and healing your characters find. Consistent, slow-changing development (just as in real life) generally leads to much greater reader emotion, and much more believable characters.
• Don't shy away from keeping tension alive! When a character bounces back and forth between struggle and the end-of-the-book-resolution they will later achieve, that character is no longer providing your story the tension he or she could. By taking your time to develop each character consistently, rather than whiplashing your reader, you will amp up the tension in your story and keep readers desperate to see those characters find better ground.
• Be conscientious of this tendency during the editing process. Sometimes an initial read-through of a just-written manuscript can do wonders to reveal the whiplash moments. You will be amazed by how much stronger your story becomes whenever you get a hold of what your characters are facing, and you allow them to fully engage in that particular moment.

Have you ever read a book that gave you reader whiplash? Do you struggle with this yourself? I know I do! I would love to hear your thoughts!

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Ashley Clark writes romantic comedy with southern grace. She's dreamed of being a writer ever since the thumbprint-cookie-days of library story hour. Ashley has an M.A. in English and enjoys teaching literature courses at her local university. She's an active member of ACFW and runs their newcomer's loop. When she's not writing, Ashley's usually busy rescuing stray animals and finding charming new towns. You can find Ashley on her personal blog, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. She is represented by Karen Solem.

Hello Characters, Please Be Charming

Have you ever looked at your main characters and thought, "If only I could make you more interesting"? I know I have, especially when I'm writing the first draft and still trying to figure out all the quirks of my main characters.

Pepper wrote an amazing post last week on a similar topic after attending Susan May Warren's course at the Blue Ridge Mountains Writers Conference. I loved her idea of interviewing your characters to get to know their deepest thoughts. What a great method to use to discover the lie your characters believe about themselves and how you can use that lie to shape the plot.

So let's say you've taken Pepper and Susie's advice, and you've peeled back those layers your main characters have. What is the next step? How do you convey those deeper levels in the story itself?

This is something I've struggled with in my own writing. My voice tends to be more humorous and lighthearted, so at times I have to really make a conscious effort to step back and add in those deeper elements to really hook the reader's emotions. So, I thought I'd make a list of strategies we can all take to really pull out those layers and convey them in our writing.

1) External structure should mirror your internal character arc. A great DVD set I recently ordered on this topic is The Hero's 2 Journeys by Chris Vogler and Michael Hauge. Try to make sure all your turning points allow us to see a change in your character's internal arc. Really use those turning points to ramp up the characters' emotion as well as the reader's empathy. On the same token, strategically choose turning points that will allow you to do this well. If your character is afraid of heights, put her engagement ring on the top of the Empire State Building. If she wants to be on Dancing with the Stars... well, you get the idea.

2) Be sure your characters' reactions are appropriate. Give your characters something to react to. Think of it this way: would you find a ten foot hole in the middle of the street? Probably not, unless the Creature from the Black Lagoon showed up. You might, however, find a small pothole. Your narrative is the same way. You can give readers little glimpses of that lie your characters believe, but be sure you give them a major moment in the plot before letting them fall into a giant emotional hole.

3) Use secondary characters (in addition to plot points) to generate emotion. Secondary characters are great because they give us a lot more leeway in what we can get away with, both with their personalities and subplots. They can make terrible choices or be hilarious, and these characteristics give us a lot to go off when adding dynamics to our main characters' story lines. So when it comes to secondary characters, be creative in how you develop their interactions with the leading ones. And also be creative in how you allow your main characters to react. Think of the friend who's in a bad relationship, the one who's too obsessed with her job, the one who's flying to Africa to chase a guy.

4) Above all use, follow your heart. Allen Arnold, previous VP of Thomas Nelson and now with Ransomed Heart, always emphasizes this point, and I love the blog he wrote on this topic recently. Though he, of course, uses much less frilly language than "following your heart" because, let's face it, that's kind of a southern belle thing to say. The point is, God has written certain ideas and themes on your heart and into your story. You might not even realize that yet, but they are there-- I promise-- just waiting to get out. These inspirational messages are unique to you, to your calling, and it's very important that you trust God to let that out. Your story matters. Your. Story. Matters. So let your characters show that truth.

On that same note, sometimes it's really easy to hide the deeper layers of our story because we are afraid of rejection. Rejection stings, doesn't it? And after a while, it can be really easy to hide behind all the critiques we've gotten over time. (Side note: surround yourself with people who encourage rather than discourage you when they challenge your writing.) But if we aren't willing to be vulnerable first to our characters and then to our audience, what kind of story do we really have? So be brave and believe in your calling. Some people might not like it or get it. That's okay. It's not their calling. And the only life you're accountable for living, the only story you're responsible for telling, is your own.

I want to hear from you! What are your thoughts? How do you deepen the characters in your writing? Do you have any questions or advice to share?

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Ashley Clark writes romantic comedy with southern grace. She's dreamed of being a writer ever since the thumbprint-cookie-days of library story hour. Ashley has an M.A. in English and enjoys teaching literature courses at her local university. She's an active member of ACFW and runs their newcomer's loop. When she's not writing, Ashley's usually busy rescuing stray animals and finding charming new towns. You can find Ashley on her personal blog, Facebook, and Twitter. She is represented by Karen Solem.

Deepen Your Characters - Tips from Susan May Warren

Well, as you already know from last week, I attended the Blue Ridge Mountains Writers Conference in Black Mountain, NC.

It was a wonderful experience in so many ways – but particularly the teaching. Since I was only there for two full days, my class list wasn’t very long, but the information was timeless. Over the next few posts I want to share with you some nuggets of inspiration I received while there.

Today, it’s a glimpse as Susan May Warren’s Becoming Your Own Book Therapist course.

Now, I’m a speech-language pathologist by-day, so I get the whole “therapy” idea. It’s what I do.

1.       See a problem

2.       Dissect the root of the problem

3.       Take steps to fix the problem through a series of questions/activities

4.       Celebrate your brilliance (I added that part, of course ;-)

So when I was introduced to a few of Susie’s techniques, it was a “light bulb” moment. Aha! There’s the problem. Let’s fix it!

Today we’re going to focus on Character Development.

If a judge/editor/agents says:

All of your characters sounds the same

What’s the problem? – Your characters are not developed enough. Not deep enough. He/she needs layers – like a coat. Each layer removed provides something ‘closer to the skin’ of your character. (okay, those last few statements were from Pepper, not Susie J

How do you deepen the character development?

Ask your character questions. Have an interview. Sound weird?

I’ll use one of my characters from the story I’m going to write next (so it’s BRAND NEW TO ME too) to show you how it can work.

I’m using questions from Susan May Warren’s FABULOUS book, The Book Buddy, and notes from her class.

1.       Who are you - the bio

Ava Paige Emerson

27 years old

High School History Teacher

2.       Tell me about the darkest moment of your past, something that shaped you.

My big brother dying in Afghanistan five years ago. I caused me to hold on to my parents – but then, a year ago they died in an automobile accident while they were away in England trying to salvage their marriage. One of them cheated on the other – I’m pretty sure it was my father. He travels for business and men are usually known for their faithfulness, right? If someone’s going to cheat, it’s most likely going to be them.

3.       What kind of person are you today because of that moment?

Hmm, well I guess I’m independent, and more cautious about possible romance. Okay, to be completely honest, I don’t date. I haven’t since they died. I can’t bring myself to try and trust somebody who is probably going to leave me in some form or other anyway.

4.       What Lie do you believe that drives you and shapes your spiritual beliefs? (okay, if this one isn’t obvious from Ava’s answers so far….)

Nothing is constant – especially a man, so I can’t trust one. I have to stay independent and rely on my own strength to be happy. A guy is just going to betray me and being numb is a lot easier to bear than hurting through loss.

5.       What is your greatest fear?

That I’m right, I guess. That being alone is the only option for me.

 The point is…you keep asking until you get to the heart of your character. You search for her greatest fear, the lie she believes, her deepest wound, and her greatest dream. Those are the heartbeat elements strumming through the pages of your novel pumping life into your one-dimensional character. It's my first time using these questions for my new book - but it's helped me to start fleshing out my heroine, and I love the twists it begins to develop in my novel.

If you want to learn more, purchase Susie’s tool, The Book Buddy – a GREAT buy.

You can also check out my very first VLOG where I mention The Book Buddy and tell a little more about it.

Do you have any tools you use to help deepen your characterization? Any books you'd recommend?

What is your current heroine's greatest dream?

Creating The Lie

Writers take time to develop their characters. They figure out their history; they give them goals; and they give them obstacles to overcome.There is a lot to character development, but I learned something new recently at My Book Therapy that completely changed the way I look at it.

Character development hinges on The Lie. You see, your hero needs to overcome something in his life. There needs to be some lie he believes that taints every part of his belief system, every action, and every thought process.

Example: In the movie Cinderella, she (Cinderella) believes the lie that she is not worthy of real love or family. She is just the servant, and she does her job while trying to find happiness and purpose in caring for the mice in the house, hopeful that one day she might be raised up as a true daughter.

The Lie must be confirmed by a Dark Moment. There must come a time when the lie your hero believes becomes reality. It is confirmed by circumstance or another characters words. This is the point when your hero resigns himself to the fact that the lie is true and lives accordingly.

Example: Cinderella is told she can attend the king's ball if she gets all her work finished and have something suitable to wear. She will be included with the family at last. Getting her work finished and decked out in a dress made by her animal friends, she joins her step-mother and step-sisters, only to be mauled by the sisters and left in tatters. She is rejected once again. She is not worthy.

The truth is hinted at. Somehow your hero needs to feel a hint of truth in their lives. They must begin to question the lie and wonder at the truth that is hinted at. Using a secondary character to do this is a great way to teach the truth.

Example: Cinderella's fairy godmother shows up and says she only needs one thing to go to the ball and enjoy the festivities. She just needs a dress...and a carriage, and livery, and so on and so on. She is worthy to go to the ball, with or without a family, and the fairy godmother is going to make sure she goes!

Another example is when the prince sends out servants with the glass slipper to find his future bride. He deems her worthy and is searching for her. She is filled with hope and excitement when she learns of this.

The Black Moment brings the Lie back into focus, forcing the hero to choose between believing the lie or choosing the truth. This is the the point of no return. It is the lowest of the lows and brings your hero to a point where he must choose. Does he believe the lie and sink back into his deluded life? Or does he choose to believe the truth, confronting the lie and pushing past it.

Example: When the servant with the glass slipper arrives at Cinderella's door, her step-mother locks her in the tower so that Cinderella couldn't claim the slipper (for the step-mother has discovered Cinderella is the one the prince is searching for). Cinderella could have just cried herself to sleep, resigned to the fact that the prince would eventually find someone who would fit into the slipper and live happily ever after. But no, she decides to fight and find a way to escape. She enlists the help of her mice friends and eventually is freed. In believing the truth that she is worthy, she has the confidence to run down the stairs in her tattered servant clothes and ask to try on the slipper. She is the one. She is worthy. She is now living in the truth.

Every book has a spiritual road, and every hero must travel on it. Whether it is a Christian book or a secular book, there is a spiritual/emotional journey that the characters experience. It is up to the the writer to give the characters the starting place and a final destination.

The Lie is the starting point. It is the basis of the journey, for the character must search for the truth and find it. That is the final destination - the Truth. It really will set them free...and satisfy your reader in the process.

What is the LIE your character believes? Why do they believe it?

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This post is brought to you by

 Sherrinda Ketchersid

Sherrinda is wife to "Pastor John" 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.

My MC Interviews Me

Recently the MC of my WIP asked if we could have a powwow. She was a little concerned I’d been dancing around the outskirts of her personality, not getting to the heart of who she was. She indicated that by interviewing me I might learn a good deal about her character. Skeptical, I agreed.

MC: What led you to write me?
Me: Fun question. Well, for starters, you’re feisty. I like that about you and you have a specific memory weighing heavily on you. I find that relatable. Your past intrigues me. Heck, your present intrigues me. I want to know more.
MC: Aren’t you afraid they won’t believe I’m real?
Me: Um…how do I put this delicately? You’re not real. I just have to work insanely hard so you’ll come across authentically.
MC: I feel as though I communicate readily to you, why is it then that you only devote blocks of time to me?
Me: Wow, okay, how to explain this…I have a family and a boatload of pressing demands on me at any given moment. Take it as a compliment I carve out time for you.
MC: Do you already know how everything turns out with me? I mean, do you plot out my whole life before you even begin revealing my story?
Me: Kind of. I know a lot about you and what’s going to unravel, but there are still events and other characters in your life that surprise me as I write (much like how it is in my own life).
MC: How do you decide how badly you’ll hurt me and why do you pick the situations you do?
Me: I identify with them in some way. I haven’t experienced everything you have gone through or all the hardships I’m having you endure, but something about them resonates with me. It goes much deeper than outer circumstance. There’s an aspect of the experience that is innately identifiable and I’m trusting other women will feel it, too.
MC: Will people think I’m weird if you write me honestly?
Me: We’re all weird. I think it would be a sham, a dishonesty, to falsify you in any way.
MC: Do things end well for me?
Me: Well is a relative word. I actually don’t know exactly how this one will wrap up. I like it better that way. This way I feel like I can live the novel out with you. You don’t die, does that make you happy?
MC: Uh…but there are some pretty ugly alternatives you’ve been contemplating, aren’t there?
Me: Of course, but not for the ending. Those come first, then comes the resolve. I’m hoping that word gives you some comfort.
MC: I trust you. However, do you think you’ll ever pay me the respect to show up to write me in outerwear other than your pajamas or some getup you slept in?
Me: You know I love you, Hannah, but I just can’t make any promises on this one.

So glad I took the time to hear my MC out. Just this simple exercise reminded me of why I chose to write Hannah. Have you ever tried something out-of-the-box like this to get to know your characters better?

*lake photo from Flickr
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Wendy Paine Miller writes women’s fiction, crafting stories with the hope of poking brains and moving thoughts. She graduated with a BA in English from Wittenberg University, where she earned an Honor of Distinction for her accrued knowledge of literature. Wendy feels most alive when she’s speeding in a boat, reading, writing, refurbishing furniture, running, and trusting God. To interact with her, visit http://thoughtsthatmove.blogspot.com/

Conquering Show vs. Tell

At first, I was bummed when a few contest judges suggested my main character's motives need more show vs. tell...What? You mean my perfectly crafted fictional best friend wasn't oh so perfectly portrayed? And besides, I was finished writing the manuscript, how could I fix it now, when the story was concluded just as I wanted it. But after a few days of chewing on it, something clicked.
As I edited with pen and paper in hand (it is so much easier than editing on the computer!), I was on a treasure hunt to find appropriate places to weave a new character and new scenes giving a solid boost in my protagonist's motivation. A few things helped me do this for my Historical:

• A peek at General vs. Specific- I had to face the fact that I took a general motivation for my character, and expected the telling of this to carry the weight I needed for character growth.

My example: Her aversion to having to wed has been done countless times, but it is up to me, the author, to sculpt it into a unique fit for my story alone.

• Thought life is not enough sometimes. If the struggle is something that is pivotal in your character's make up and arc, then it needs to materialize in her/his interactions with other characters. An internal struggle that doesn't, seems flat and wasted space to a reader.

My Example: My protagonist thought an awful lot about how she despised the attitude of the men in her village, but her interaction with them barely made the page.

• Determine if a new character is needed to react with the protagonist. This will give opportunities of showing versus telling.

My Example: So, if she hates the idea of being married because her father has chosen an abusive ogre as her match, it gives plenty of showing possibilities.

• Let the thoughts you've written, spur new scenes and new dialogue. And don't be afraid to tweak those thoughts to sync with your changes.

My Example: So when she falls for the man of her dreams, I had to tackle how the big bully would weave into the plot, and not just hang out on the side for show. A battle between the two men at some point? What woman wouldn't be flattered?

In the end, this criticism about my protagonist inspired a whole new twist to the plot, giving me more active, vivid scenes that give my character's inner-self credit with the world around her.