It might just be one of the least offensive pick-up lines out there, but it also happens to where I am with the last book in my YA series. Currently I’m getting to know a new character and it’s a fun, but time consuming task.
Creating a character involves building a backstory and more often than not some intense research. While I could write characters based on someone I know, for example, a middle-aged mom who loves to sing, paddle board, hates clowns and whose pet peeve is people clipping their nails in public. But I don’t know that there would be a huge market for that sort of book based on someone like me. So instead I have to I turn up my imagine and turn to the internet while I figure out who my characters are and what makes them tick.
None of us dropped out of the sky as a fully-developed person. Rather, we have a long history of experiences, both positive and negative, that make up who we are. Layer upon layer of life –formative years with our family, school years, first loves and heartbreaks – combine to create to our personality and motivate our choices and behavior. I could create a character and have them do anything I want, but the characters who resonate with readers are the ones who are more than just a one-dimensional plot vehicle. Nuanced and driven, good characters act not only because the author needs them to accomplish certain things, but because it is true to who they are and how they’ve been created. Their choices and words make sense because of the life they have lived prior to that time in the story.
But including every childhood memory or awkward coming-of-age experience in a novel just isn’t possible. Anna Kareninawas long enough without including why she was scared of the dark as a kid. But thinking about these things as an author, knowing where your character has come from and what they’ve been through before they enter your novel (either to save the day or wreak havoc) is time well spent in creating a character that can leave a lasting impression on your readers.
In my first YA book, all of the backstory for my adult characters was heartbreakingly cut out in order to amplify the voice of my teenage main character, Dani. I was gutted because I wanted the world to know why these adult characters were making the choices they were. But in the end, I realized the story isn’t about them, but about Dani, so I needed to focus on her alone. Yet all the backstory I created for these characters wasn’t a waste because they each had their own distinct voice and quirks which come through in the writing.
I’ve learned to write a little cleaner and more concise since my first book. I still do all the research and deep-diving into my characters’ history, but I keep most of that to myself now. I can always throw more details in if my editor feels more details are needed, but I try not to flood the story with lots of extraneous details that aren’t necessary for the reader. It’s enough for me to know they’re there.
These days my search history is filled with research about manicures, southern idioms, the emotional significance of wearing certain colors, dining room furniture and the most expensive briefcase you can buy. It might not make sense now, but it will all fall into place soon. Just like building a relationship in real like, I’m taking time to get to know my new character and see what really makes her tick.
Happy reading!💕