By
DiAnn Mills
Our
characters can be stubborn. Just when we think we know them inside and out,
they toss us a wrench. We struggle to push them into a story-line that forces
them to change and grow—or slide downhill as in the case of antagonists—then
they behave contrary to how we sketched them.
We
work hard at shaking them inside out to ensure they are unique, memorable, and
fit the plot and genre. Our goal is to achieve the proper balance of complexity
in an unpredictable story.
What
causes characters to spin in the opposite direction?
Sometimes
the problem with our characters is not what we believe about them, but what
they believe about themselves.
Lies,
big and little, influence the character’s dialogue, behavior, goals, wants,
careers, how they journey through our story, and a host of other attributes.
What
are some of these lies? These pesky confidence-destroyers and killers of
relationships, careers, views of God, and distorted truth stop our characters
from reaching their full potential. These lies begin as children when life
experiences and role models taint the character’s personality.
Our
characters have a rich backstory that has molded and motivated them into who
they are in chapter one, line one of the story. Every moment has the potential
to create misconceptions about life.
For
example, a character may believe:
I
have no choice but to be perfect.
Life
isn’t fair.
I’ll
never be happy unless I have lots of money.
Everyone
is out to get me.
God’s
love must be earned.
Morals
are a personal preference.
Relationships
are 50/50. Any less and I’m outa here.
The
only way for someone to love me is for me to take care of them.
See
what I mean?
How
characters respond and initiate action regarding their lies show who they are.
You can use these additional internal issues to add stress, tension, and
conflict to the story. Create situations that force characters to face their
lies head-on and the story demonstrate powerful crafting.
How
does a writer find the resources to help their characters out of their psychological
mess? I use psychology books, consult psychologists, and research quality
websites that focus on human behavior and counseling techniques.
Writers
may need to stick their characters into a chair and find out how and why they
are misbehaving. When we discover what prompted the character’s lies, we can establish
means to get rid of them. The result is an unforgettable novel that will
entertain and inspire readers.
What
lies do your characters believe?
DiAnn Mills is
a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She
weaves memorable characters with unpredictable plots to create action-packed,
suspense-filled novels. DiAnn believes every breath of life is someone’s story,
so why not capture those moments and create a thrilling adventure? Her titles
have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and
been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice,
and Carol award contests. DiAnn is a founding board member of the American
Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers
Association, Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International
Thriller Writers. She is the director of The Blue Ridge Mountain Christian
Writers Conference, Mountainside Marketing Conference, and the Mountainside
Novelist Retreat with social media specialist Edie Melson where she continues
her passion of helping other writers be successful. She speaks to various
groups and teaches writing workshops around the country. DiAnn has been termed
a coffee snob and roasts her own coffee beans. She’s an avid reader, loves to
cook, and believes her grandchildren are the smartest kids in the universe. She
and her husband live in sunny Houston, Texas. DiAnn is very active online
and would love to connect with readers on: Facebook, Twitter, or any of the
social media platforms listed at diannmills.com
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