Excellent Part Two of Series on Novel Writing Characters Make Your Novel by RaymondJohn

Category:  Writing Non-Fiction   Posted:  May 19, 2009      Views: 648

RAYMONDJOHN  IN PRINT   ABOUT RAYMONDJOHN  Raymond John is a hopeless FanStory addict who has at times spent as many as twelve hours in a single day reading, reviewing and writing for the site. His three purposes are based on three "Es" which are Explain, Enlighten and Entertain. His greatest fear is to take himself too seriously. He may not always smile, but he always has a twinkle in his eye. Knock his socks off with a fantastic write and he'll be your best cheerleader and give you a banner award, to boot. He has written two novels and numerous short works. His first book, The Cellini Masterpiece, has sold nearly 3,000 copies and received an Honorable Mention in the 2006 IPPY awards. It is now available in a Kindle edition from Amazon.com. An audio version (ISBN 9780615268125) is now available read by the renown actor, James Cada. MP3 edition, downloadable for IPOD, is 14.95. Order at www.raymondjohnbooks.com. His second mystery, Mix and Match Murder, which was originally scheduled for release in September of 2008 is now in print and available from Amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com and North Star Press. A scholar born in the golden age of radio, Raymond always appreciates hearing a well-told story, especially one with action and believable dialogue in a historical setting. I have written and received many reviews. I have a thick skin, so if constructive criticism is forthcoming, bring it on. He has won several contests. The contest submission Mousie, Kittie and Booger was the first place winner in the contest Tales of the Weird.. Gold In Them Thar Words was the first place winner in the contest Tales of the Weird.. Lot 386 was the first place winner in the contest Tales of the Weird.. He is a top ranked author and is currently holding the #22 position. Portfolio | Become A Fan One of the first books I ever read about writing a novel was entitled, Characters Make Your Story, by Maren Elwood. Written more than sixty years ago, it still has tremendous value for the novice novelist. I found a wealth of information, and still return to it for help. Her advice? First and foremost, show your characters in action. One of her first examples deals with a white man who is traveling in Africa. A member of the tribe speaks to him. Listen to the drums. They are talking about you, and what they say isn't very complimentary. The native goes on to say the man is greedy and doesn't like people with black skins. In just a few words you learn as much or more about a character than you could tell in narrative with a page. You are already aware of what he is like when you see what he does. It is economical and it is realistic. Another similar trick uses your characters own thoughts. "Jerry, come in here," Chief Hanson called. Jerry Arnold cringed. He never felt so black as he did when he was around the chief. This tells volumes about Jerry, and the Chief both. Speech is another important tool. It is also one of the oldest devices in writing. But please remember, it is a double-edged sword. If done poorly, it is one of the quickest ways your novel will be rejected. Even done well, it has its dangers. Everyone loves Scottie's burr in Star Trek, but it soon wears thin. Black dialect is probably the oldest and most abused of all. One of the most important aspects is characterization of physical and inner traits. The author suggests that you use direct characterization for the secondary characters, and indirect for your main. If you use indirect, your reader will join in the fun of finding out what your character is like. Here is an example of direct characterization. A gorilla in a mansuit guarded the door. All the hair from his head had somehow migrated to his arms. His mean eyes were honed to perfection by his profession. They said "You shall not pass!" Can you guess what he is? He's a bouncer. You won't meet this character again in the story. He has a role to play, speaking his piece or acting, then he will slip away in the pages until the next reader comes to him. Do be careful that you don't make him him/her so interesting that that they take on a life of their own and impossible to consign to oblivion. You don't want to give out so much info about your main characters at one sitting. Rick Olsen, the hero in The Cellini Masterpiece, is tall. Instead of simply saying he's tall, I show him getting out of his seat on an airplane and barely able to duck under the overhanging cargo shelf. My heroine, Caterina, is also tall. Rick first mistakes her for a man because of her height and the way she dresses. Her cab is Tarbija, a '37 Chevy Caterina that has been restored and painted orange. When Rick first sees it, he mistakes it for a miniature World War II aircraft. Indirect characterization can be done exclusively in action. It can show physical and interior characteristics equally well. Caterina asks Rick what brings him to Malta. "My brother sent me an e-mail asking me to come. He said he needed my help." "And you just dropped everything and flew here?" Surprised at the note of admiration in her voice, he said, "Of course. Wouldn't anyone?" In the course of the story we find out that he is generous and compassionate. He is also an intellectual who wears his knowledge lightly. My last suggestion is to invent a biography for your main characters. Even if you don't use it all, it helps to explain their actions and motivations. And who knows, you may want to use it in a sequel once your novel has become a best-seller. Remember, characters do make your novel. Use skill to create them. Nothing holds a reader in place as strongly as likable characters. They will stay with you to the end. Don't disappoint them. My next article will deal with creating a strong plot. 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