This
month’s Round Robin Topic: How do you develop different personalities in your characters? Break-out secondary characters—the making of
a new story.
The
‘How’ of the writing is always interesting for me to analyze.
While
I have detailed plot lines before I write a story or novel, I am instinctive
when creating my characters.
As
I’ve blogged before, I begin with a sense of time and place. When the story in bubbling in my subconscious,
I heard snippets of conversations, a song playing in my head (you know that annoying
song simply leave you alone), or a impulse to cook a certain regional food.
A
few examples: When writing ‘Lynx” Rodeo
Romance book 1, “Amarillo by Morning” kept playing in my mind. I located by paternal grandfather’s Tex-Mex
chili recipe and made chili once a week.
And then a brassy woman speaking with a Texas-twang and popping her
chewing-gum would pop into my head (ala 'Flo’ in an old TV sitcom).
We
all know a novelist always falls in love with her ‘first hero’. My first romantic hero was Lynx Maddox. While his younger sister was only mentioned
in the first book of my Rodeo Romance Series, she became by break-out character
in the second book, “Brede”. Whereas Rachel Scott and Lynx Maddox were the
stars of my contemporary romance; Brede Kristensen and Amberlylnn Maddox stars
shine in my romantic suspense novel, “Brede” Rodeo Romance book 2.
My
characters also ‘drive my story’—often in a different direct, thus destroying
months of detail research. “Nooo! Not again.”
Yes, this is my first reaction. And,
of course, I rebel at the very thought of shoving my months of detailed research
back into my file overflowing file cabinet.
I’ve learned I am not able to force my characters to act against his or
her nature. Painful though it may be, I listen
and I shift my story-line.
When
did this happen?
The
first time I experienced this ‘traumatic’ writing experience, I was plotting, “Tanayia—Whisper
upon the Water” my sweet historical romance.
Tanayia
was to be a member of the Paiute tribe of Native Americans. She was being groomed for the ‘taking of the
shawl” (becoming a medicine woman). I
was involved in Native American Education Programs, served on a PAC Committee (parent
advisory council), and participated in powwows.
I interview tribal elders and traveled to historical sites, etc. I’d plotted by novel down to a puppy’s
freckle, so to speak.
While
Tanayia allowed me to keep the historical event which formed the opening event
of my 1st chapter, I learned she younger. She was also a member of the “Nde” Apache tribe. Tanayia was also strong-willed and
determined.
My
novel was not set in a different tribal area, difference climate, different
customs, beliefs. . .well, you know what that meant. Yes, more research. I live
within driving distance of Sherman Indian School in Riverside, CA. In fact, I attended powwows where the Apache (Fire)
dancers from the White Mountain Reservation danced each year.
In
the end, Tanayia was correct. My story
was her story. It was her life, her experience—it
was history, accurate, painful. It was
the personal growth of a young woman, torn between two-worlds. I must, in the end, thank Tanayia for the
awards this novel was awarded: The
Independent e-Book Award for YA Historical Fiction, The Dream Realm Award, and
a National Book Award Nomination.
Are
more break-out characters evolving in my novels?
Yes,
there are a few nudging me now.
I
also have a new hero, or two, with a foot hold in my plotting-world right now,
too.
Watch
for my flash fiction story in anthology available February, 12, 2019. Cover reveal and more info will be posted
soon on my blog (here) and at my website very soon.
Happy
Reading and Writing,
Connie
Remember
to visit the blog sites of these wonderful Round Robin authors:
> Helena Fairfax http://www.helenafairfax.com/blog
> Beverley Bateman http://beverleybateman.blogspot.ca/
> Anne Stenhouse http://annestenhousenovelist.wordpress.com/
> A.J. Maguire http://ajmaguire.wordpress.com/
> Fiona McGier http://www.fionamcgier.com/
>> Diane Bator http://dbator.blogspot.ca/
> Dr. Bob Rich https://wp.me/p3Xihq-1qI
> Victoria Chatham http://www.victoriachatham.com
Hi Connie. I have also gone through the plan everything out and have a character go their own way thing. Like Tanayia, it usually works out better even if it is very frustrating.
ReplyDeleteLove how your break-out characters evolve. And you are so right, you can't force your characters to act against his or her nature. Beverley
ReplyDeleteYes, characters have a way of making you tell their stories THEIR way, not the way you planned. And they can be very insistent, if you try to resist.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting about the tribal research. My husband read quite a few books of Native American philosophy when I was pregnant with our 4th child, and he encouraged me to find an appropriate name for her. I learned that "Wenona" means "1st-born daughter," and since we already had 3 sons, that seemed right. We used to take them all to Pow-wows, since they are fairly inexpensive, and the kids enjoyed the dancing, the crafts, and the food. We don't have any Native American blood that we know of, but we are respectful of traditions that were here long before our ancestors were.