Characterization (part 1)
I don’t know how you start your stories, but mine always start with the characters. And while every writer has their own way of creating what will be a book in the end, I’m going to share a bit about my process. Keep in mind, this is what works for me. There is no right or wrong way to write a book. If it’s a book in the end, you did it the right way.
So, characters. Since I write four books in a series, I need four main characters to wrap the stories around. Each of those four people will have their own book at some point in the series but will appear in the other three books as secondary characters. So, once I have character names and occupations, I write short summaries of the main character and their story. Very basic, very vague, very much needing details at some point a little later.
For the Blue Justice series, I have four heroines all tied to the same family (think Blue Bloods).
For book 1, my summary is:
Police officer Isabelle (Belle) St. John loves her family. Her crazy, loud, law enforcement family. With three brothers and two sisters, she’s never without someone to hang out with—or fight with. From Sunday afternoon football in the backyard to being a bridesmaid in her cousin’s wedding, she’s happy with her life and knows she’s blessed. Her mother is the Chief of Police (a fact that doesn’t set well with some people who don’t think a woman can do the job); her father is a lawyer. Her eldest brother is commander of the SWAT team, another brother a beat cop like her, working his way up to detective. Her third brother—who is also her twin—works undercover most of the time, so she never really sees him much. Her two younger sisters are her best friends although she sometimes despairs over the youngest who is a freshman in college—and studying criminal justice. When Belle’s partner is murdered and Belle barely escapes with her life, she’s determined to find out exactly what happened. Her investigation tumbles her headfirst into a criminal organization with cops on the payroll—possibly including one of her own family members. She doesn’t believe it, but saw him with her own eyes. Belle is frantic to figure out who to trust. When homicide detective Ryan Marshall is assigned as the lead detective on her shooting, she’s leery about trusting him at first. But when he saves her life, she realizes that he’s on her side—even though allowing him to get close may mean sending someone she loves to prison.
I do this summary before I even do a character sketch sheet (which I will talk about in a later blog post). In this summary, I learn quite a bit about my characters already. For example:
- Isabelle St. John (who became Izzy, not Belle because she was just … Izzy. It fit her so much better when I started writing the story) is the heroine. We know she’s a police officer. She has a large family, and she’s basically had a good childhood. She grew up with type-A personality parents. She loses her partner in a shooting. Integrity is ingrained into her as she’s willing to send someone she loves to prison if it means she takes a criminal off the streets. This isn’t a lot to know for a character who needs to carry a story for 80-85K words, is it? But it’s a start. It’s gotten my brain spinning with enough ideas to go a little deeper into Izzy’s character.
- Let’s look at the hero. Ryan Marshall is a detective. He’s assigned to Izzy’s partner’s shooting. He saves her life and gains her trust. And that’s about it, right? Yes, I’ve got some work to do on Ryan, but here he’s becoming someone I’m interested in. Someone I want to know more about.
So, while I have a basic summary of my characters and a bit of the plot, there’s so much more I’m missing that’s required to create a story.
Come back next time for the next installment, and I’ll take you a bit further into my process that includes what you should know about a character before you start writing. Or, for the pantsers out there, what you should discover as you head into the story.
In the meantime, if you’re a writer, how do you start a new story? Do you have a process? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
What Are Agents Looking for in a Proposal?
Every day, now, is a story
that exists in its own right,
dedicated to God’s glory,
lit against the fall of night,
begun before the old day ends
for sleep no longer can be found,
and only story is what mends
a life become a death-go-round.
The savagery must find its meaning
in character, and arcing plot
that is real, not only seeming
to build me to what I am not,
the author who won’t deign to rail
‘gainst the hard ending of his tale.
My chief characters get a simplified Myers-Briggs.
Thank you for sharing! I’m very visual.
So for me, I also start with the character, and I create a vision board on Canva! At this point, it’s a bit of an info dump. Anything and everything I think of gets added to my board, but this allows me to narrow it down and eliminate what doesn’t work. It definitely gives me a place to start!
I usually start with a place (an abandoned house, a stand of trees…). Something that inspires me with questions. Who lives there? What happened? How did the H/H come to be there? Why? Sometimes the place writes the characters and their stories, sometimes I have to dig for everything.
I love reading this post! Thank you for sharing your process. As a Developmental Editor, I am always curious how good authors are coming up with their stories so I can pass that wisdom along to those who need the help 😉
What I see is, yes, you start with character—a brief “who she is” and her family. But then you drop her into a plot (also light, not too complex yet). It’s layers. Broad strokes. Then a little more detail will be added. Then some more. You don’t have all the beats yet and you don’t have to for the start.
(By the way, welcome to the Laube team! I’m so excited for you. Also, I heard Barb had her hands on your latest manuscript—can’t wait. Actually it’s my 16 year old daughter who’s most excited. Thanks for doing what you do! It seems you have your hands in a lot of fun things right now.) 🙂
Usually it’s quite random, but I get inspiration from books or movies. After watching an episode of Heartland I wanted to write a story about a hermit who used to rehab abused horses with her sister until her sister’s tragic death. I added in a lost teenager with an unusual gift, a herd of wild mustangs, a Colorado mountain setting, and I had my 2022 NaNoWriMo project!
Some characters start out as fanfic characters until they’ve been so developed they grow into a mind of their own, ready for their own story and setting.
My most memorable WIP inspiration is when I first heard about the O’Malley series, how all these former foster kids “adopted” each other as adults. I wanted to write a story where a bunch of foster kids from different abuse situations get adopted by one woman who runs a horse ranch, so I created four girls– Cheyenne, a former St. Louis rebel teen with a prison record and PTSD from her father’s abuse, Vicky, a “perfect” girl hiding her life with her drug-addict mother, Corey, a kidnap victim who hasn’t seen her family in nine years, and Kristen, a young girl who lost her parents in a car accident under suspicious circumstances and hasn’t spoken a word since. I’ve randomly plotted different adventures they could have and they are quite dear characters to me.
I don’t have a set method. Some stories start with a character, some with a setting, some with a question.
When it comes to characters, most authors come up with their protagonist first, right? For my YA fantasy novel, I got the antagonist first! She’s still my favorite character. haha!
For my children’s books, I mostly get characters first, although not always. I have a story simmering in my head for a picture book right now because of a friend’s mulberry tree and the chickens in her backyard. And I don’t have time to write it! So I made notes.
Lynette,
For my next book, a stand alone which could become a series, I only had a title. I knew there would be a group of friends from high school and or college. I had no names. I’m a pantser who is learning the value of planning ahead to save time later. With just one chapter written but so many ideas running through my mind, I’m anxious to get at it. It has already won first place for fiction in one contest. Now, to get this story on paper.
Great ideas! Can’t wait for your next installment.
Blessings
Debbbie
As a published poet, journalist, ward-winning screenwriter and Literary Guild author, I’m very visual, so I have to see my opening first. I then work on my characters in detail and a beat sheet, or outline. I’m doing initial research for a novel at the moment. It is a genre I have not approached before, but I have a story in my head, inspired by a true story, that I must tell. I know I have a lot to learn, but when I see the beginning and end in my head, lots of conflict, high stakes getting higher, I have hope that there is something to write about. Thanks so much for your suggestions.
Anne Mount
Thank you so much! This was very helpful.
Hi Lynette–
I usually pick a setting or event, work out something horrific that happens to the lead character(s), personalities & physical traits. After that, I outline the External, Internal, and Spiritual conflicts. I’ve noticed that spiritual conflicts are missing in a lot of secular novels which could enrich the character’s attributes and goals. Finally, a quick outline of the story (James Scott Bell’s 10 pt. outline). …Then, I jump in–but give myself ample opportunity to make changes and do a lot of SOTP writing as I go along! 🙂
Great post. I have had a family of characters who have lived in my head for decades now, a mother and her four children. They have grown and changed over the years, but will not move out of my head. I know them as well as I know “ real “ people. Recently a grandchild has joined the family. I am now motivated to put them on the page. Thank you.
Thanks for this post, Lynette. My novels usually begin with a scene, then the main character develops from that. I’m a ‘panster’ so sometimes that can lead to unusual places and new characters. 🙂 My first novel began with the protagonist in a canoe on the Yukon River – the scene was very clear in my mind since I’d been there done that, but then I started thinking about that character and he became a composite of many people I knew in the north who were running from something and often from God. God released me from a two year hiatus from writing fiction when that story presented itself. He graciously has allowed me to continue. Looking forward to reading your next post. 🙂