Do your characters have character?

Image by Kristin Shoemaker via Flickr

Part of the fun and excitement of creating a new story is creating the characters. Before I begin writing, I like to iron out as many physical characteristics and personality traits as possible. There’s not many things worse than a heroine with blond hair, blue eyes and no personality.

I want to nail down things like: their strengths and weaknesses. Are they patient, clumsy, hot-tempered, shy, or sassy? Are they adventurous or timid? Do they speak before thinking, or careful with what they say? Do they have a real hatred for Brussel sprouts?

I believe that it’s a good thing for the reader to be able to connect or relate to the character in some way. What is your character’s life experiences that have brought them where they are today? If that is taken into consideration, I believe it is easier to build the character traits. Certainly, the experiences a person faces in life can shape the type of person they become.

I just recently read a romance whose main character, I struggled to like. I’m guessing that, in a romance, the reader is supposed to want the heroine to get the guy, or vice versa. In this case, I wasn’t sure she was right for him. His character was warm, charming, and thoughtful. I can’t really tell you what she was like because her personality bounced from shy to outspoken, from careful to careless, from certain to unsure. I also disliked the fact that she had to be nudged by her friend to make the right decision.

With that said, I also believe it is okay for your characters to make mistakes. This can make them appealing to the reader. After all, nobody’s perfect. However, be careful not to make the reader feel as if the character is deceitful, unreliable or unremorseful.  

On the other hand, too much of a good thing can also be an issue. If your character is always letting people run over him/her because he/she is too nice, the reader might become irritated with them. Hero or heroines in a story should be someone we want to root for. I don’t want to question if they can be trusted, or, in a romance, if the guy/girl could do better.

Oh, and never give the hero or heroine of a romance bad hygiene! Not even the slightest little thing. No, I’ve never encountered this, but I thought I would throw it in for good measure.

Have you ever read a story where you didn’t root for the hero or heroine of the story? What was it about them that you didn’t like?

Sailing on...

Image by Kenneth Garcia via Flickr

Sorry for my lengthy vacation. Lately, I've been swamped. Work has been busier than usual in the last few weeks, home projects are starving for attention, and I've been going back and forth with an agent who I soooo want to work with. I've not talked much lately about where I'm at with finding representation for my novel, but that's because things haven't really changed. I'm still submitting to multiple agents, and getting rejected regularly. However, recently, one agent, I'll call Agent A, has given me another chance to prove my talent.

This particular agent is at the top of my list. I really want to work with her, and hope that after she reads my revised story, once again, she will want to work with me as well. However, I'm learning that it's so important to have a plan B, not to put all of your eggs in one basket. Never stop querying other agents, and here's why... After receiving a long list of No's, I also, just recently, received another request from an agent, I'll call Agent B, to review my full manuscript.

Agent B definitely has the credibility I'm looking for, and even though I prefer Agent A, I know I need to consider that there's a chance God has other plans for me. Since Agent B requires exclusivity when reviewing full manuscripts, I can't send it to her until Agent A makes her decision. This is undoubtedly the hardest part of this process. Waiting.

On the bright side, I'm now freed up to work on my other to-do items, like this blog. It is summer after all, for most, a less stressful time of year. Right now we complain of the heat, but soon we'll be bundled up in our Snuggies and woolly socks, complaining about our high electric bills. For me, I plan to soak in as much summer as I can, drinking iced tea, swimming with the kids, or just lounging on my screened-in porch. When fall comes, watching the leaves change, visiting the pumpkin patch, and shopping for sweaters and boots.

One thing is for sure, I'll keep sailing on, continuing to seek representation, and hoping and praying that my potential will finally develop into something deemed "talented enough" to take a chance on. I'll let you know how it goes.

Where are you, lately, on your writing journey?