Small Town Mysteries. Big Time Suspense.
With all the advice about developing characters who are wounded, flawed, conflicted, or tragic, tips on how to create happy characters may seem out of place in 21st century books. But such characters are needed. There are happy people in this world, and to cram our stories only with bitter, cynical, desperate, or just plain… Continue Reading →
Finding the right name for characters is critical to me. Something about their faces or personalties suggests suitable names. So for the last prompt for this month’s theme of characters, I offer a naming game for characters. Look at the photos and the brief, character descriptions. Then tell me how you would name these characters…. Continue Reading →
I wrote this blog four years ago and I’m reprinting it because I now have an epilogue to it. I also think it’s important for a writer to know when to eliminate a character. The YA crime novel I refer to has never been published. Shortly after I knew “A Rose from the Ashes” was… Continue Reading →
As you pass the half way mark in NaNoWriMO, National Novel Writing Month, you may find some of your characters aren’t behaving as you planned. I usually start to build a character because I find a face that intrigues me. If you need a new character for NaNoWriMo, study the photos below. If you find… Continue Reading →
Minor characters can be a lot of fun. They can add color, humor, or some other element that you can’t include in your major characters because of the story you’re trying to tell. But you have to watch those vivid, minor characters. Let your attention stray, or pay too much attention to a minor character,… Continue Reading →
JPC Allen Writes