By now, you’ve done a pretty good job of developing some characters. Maybe you’ve answered some questions or gotten some ideas for the story itself.

Now, it’s time to start putting all this together.

Who it the protaganist?

You may already know (or think you know) who your protaganist is, but don’t let that blind you to other possibilities. In my current novel, I thought I knew who the protaganist would be. Cheryl is smart, resourceful, and completely wrong as the lead character. I was surprised to learn that Fred not only turned out to be a decent guy, he stepped up and took charge of the novel too. If that happens, don’t resist it.

Getting along, or not

How do the characters get along? Who likes whom? Who can’t stand to be in a room together? These personality conflicts may play into the novel’s story line, or they may just provide fodder for sub-plots. Either way, letting your characters relate to each other naturally can make the novel much richer for your readers.

Remember, your novel needs conflict to keep readers turning pages. Will one of your characters be the antagonist, or will it be something outside of them? How do they relate to the person or force they’re up against?

As your characters struggle, you’ll be able to show how they react under stress. Doesn’t that often show what people are really made of.

Avoid repeating yourself

Watch out for things that can make your novel awkward. I started off with characters named Jen and Jan. Big mistake. How will readers tell them apart? If your heroine is named Paris, you’re going to be inviting your readers to make associations (with someone currently wearing an orange jumpsuit). Do you want that?

Don’t make your characters too much alike in other respects either, unless you’re aware you’re doing it, and you’re sure it’s right for the book. Think about their economic status, professions, religion, etc. In all likelihood, there should be some big differences between them. Those differences, and the conflicts they cause, can help build realistic characters and situations.

Avoid cliches like the plague

Sorry, I just couldn’t resist. I like a crappy joke as much as the next person.

But to be serious, avoid cliched characters, unless you really mean to do it. See if you recognize this person.

• She’s extremely attractive. Large eyes, long hair. She’s very petite, probably around 5 feet and under 100 pounds.
• Although she’s quite sensual, she’s practically chaste. Maybe not a virgin, but chaste.
• She’s tough. Amazingly, unbelievably tough. Despite her size, she can kick butt. She can kick many, many butts, in high heels and a tight dress. Don’t mess with her.
• She has a talent that no one else has. Maybe it’s supernatural, maybe not, but she’s special.

If this sounds anything like your heroine, rethink her a bit. It’s been done. A lot.

Worksheets

I’ll try to get some worksheets together in PDF format later this week. They’ll recap what I’ve done in the series, and give you something to write on and keep for each character.