The Writing Coach - Column from Woman’s Way Magazine
Week 3
|
If you think you
might have a novel or even a short story in you, read on!
Welcome to week three of The Writing Coach, the column that gets you writing.
Characters that linger in the mind long after you’ve read the last
page make a book truly memorable. Think of Rachel Walsh in Rachel’s Holiday by Marian Keyes, a flawed character if ever there was one, but a woman whom many of us identify with; or Bridget Jones by
Helen Fielding. Like her or loathe her, Bridget has certainly touched a universal nerve.
Creating believable characters is one of the most exciting and rewarding
elements of being a writer. To write great characters you must know them as well as you know yourself. In her excellent book, From Pitch to Publication, agent Carole Blake says ‘To make the reader
care for your characters and storyline, you must certainly care for them.’
If you can’t create vivid and interesting characters then you can’t write a good novel, it’s as simple as that.
» Click Here for the Top Tips from Cecelia Ahern
|
 |
So how do you invent authentic and believable characters?
Your characters must be three dimensional, and you, their creator must know everything about them. Ponder real people’s motives. Why does your friend excuse her ex
husband for regularly forgetting to ring his young daughter? Why does your sister think her husband’s having an affair? Ask questions all the time, you’ll be amazed at what you hear. Make the
world your laboratory.
Before you start chapter one, here’s a practical tip that might work for you. Get your notebook out and write character sketches for each of your main characters.
Start off by giving them names. Choose these carefully. Where possible make them easy to read and to pronounce. Try the phone book or a baby names book for ideas if your mind goes blank.
Build up a detailed character sketch or biography for each main character. You need to know everything. For example - What type of person are they? Their height, hair
colour, eye colour, size. Can they dance, play any instrument, sing? Do they have parents, siblings, friends?
Here’s another tip: if you’re finding it difficult to form a strong picture of what your character looks like, make him/her look like a real person but make
modifications to suit. Give him/her the girl in the video shop’s curly hair, the milkman’s nose, the librarian’s smile. I wouldn’t suggest using friends or family for obvious reasons.
Magazines like Woman’s Way are excellent for inspiration. If you see someone in the magazine you like the look of, tear the page out and keep the picture beside your character’s biography.
Continuity is another reason for keeping detailed character sketches. You don’t want your character’s eyes changing colour half way through the book; by keeping
detailed physical notes, you can check back and get it right every time. Your editor will love you for it. And one final word, don’t have too many main characters. More than six and it gets
confusing for the reader and for you.
Now get working on your characters! Because next week your characters will get the chance to tell their story as we move on to plot.
Happy writing!
Question from a Reader
Hi Sarah,
Last week you mentioned keeping a writing notebook - what kind of things should I write in it? And what kind of notebook would you suggest?
Oonagh, Dublin
Hi Oonagh,
Before starting every book I buy myself a lined, chunky spiral bound notebook, large enough to have plenty of room to jot things down in, small enough to fit in my
shoulder bag. I’d recommend spiral bound as they sit open nicely on your desk. And as for what to put in it - character sketches, plot ideas and plans, inspirational postcards and photos. I would
also suggest jotting down a daily or weekly word count. This doesn’t suit everyone, but it’s a good way of keeping track of how your writing is coming along. You’ll be surprised how quickly the
words add up if you write regularly.
Best,
Sarah
Top Tips from Cecelia Ahern
|
|
1. Write about something you feel passionate about. You must write about something that evokes genuine emotions within yourself and not a piece of work you think other people
want to read.
2. Listen to what your characters are telling you. If you're becoming bored with your story and are rushing by one part to get to another, then that means the reader will feel
exactly the same. This means you're heading in the wrong direction in the book, you're taking the characters to a place that they don't want to go to. This is when you need to listen to your
characters, I find that even though I'm trying to steer a story in one direction, the character is dragging me in another. When you listen to your characters it helps you stay away from going down the
predictable route and you want to have your readers hanging on until the very last minute.
3. Always carry a pen and paper with you. You never know when an idea will jump into your head while you're out and about. I find that it's best to write while the idea is
fresh in your mind as the words will flow more freely.
4. Keep a notebook of ideas. Even if you begin a story and it doesn't work, keep it for another time and it may work in the future when your mind has had the opportunity to
think it over.
5. Give your work to somebody to read while you're writing. It's a good idea to choose someone who is open minded and willing to accept different ideas and not just one style
of book. There's no point asking someone who loves only romances to read a book on crime. It's good to have a critical eye view your work, someone who is not attached to the story as you are.
Cecelia’s latest book is ‘Where Rainbows End’, published by HarperCollins. Cecelia’s tips first appeared on Amazon.
|
