A writer faces many challenges during the planning and execution of novel. What is the main theme? Where in the world will it occur? What will the main characters be like? How will they look? How will they sound? And, more importantly, how will they act?
As personal god to your raft of characters, you get to say what’s so about them. Still, if you want to be successful, you will have to follow some rules.
Image: Alex Ross
Tyro novelists often make the mistake of forcing their characters into actions which are “uncharacteristic” to resolve an issue or move the story along. For our purposes, “characteristic” means actions within the defined character.
The trick I use for this is to ask myself, “What would Superman do in this situation?” No, I do not model all of my characters on Superman. The trick works because the big S has a very tightly defined set of moral directives. No killing. No lying, and the like. I use the name Superman as a reminder that people for the most part have rules.
Establish the nature of your character. Determine how far he or she will go, and where is the line that cannot be crossed.
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio... and isn't it time you experienced some of them?
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