With my debut novel, Shrink Rapt, in print and the first draft of my new one, Tell on You, nearing completion, I thought I might share some of the lessons I’ve learned about character development along the way.  I can’t claim to have invented these insights, but I’ve come to appreciate how important – and frequently challenging – they can be.  So here they are, in the form of five gifts for writers to bestow upon our characters.   

1.     Give them goals.  What does your protagonist want badly enough to pursue in the face of all the obstacles you’re going to plant in her way?  Even more importantly, as Alan Watts asks, what is your hero’s idea of what that goal will bring her?  It’s the quest, usually for something unattainable, that drives our characters’ stories.

2.     Turn them loose.  One of the coolest discoveries I’ve made as a novelist – and heard from fellow writers – is that our characters can surprise us.  They go off in directions we didn’t anticipate and even seem to take on lives of their own.  I got nervous the first time this happened, afraid I was losing control of the narrative.  Over time, I’ve come to welcome these unforeseen developments, which often serve to move the story forward in exciting ways.

3.     Let them fight.   Conflict is a page turner.  Whether it’s a protagonist’s inner struggle or clashes between characters, good stories thrive on the drama of contention.  Look for opportunities to play up these moments, via climactic showdowns and simmering tensions in between.

4.     Make them suffer.  One of the downsides of caring about my characters is a tendency to feel protective of them.  I hate to see my darlings suffer, but they must get roughed up on their journeys.  I have to constantly fight my squeamishness in order to beset my protagonists with the adversity and anguish needed to turn them into heroes.    

5.     Have them learn.  Our job is to teach our protagonists to grow up.  The arc of their development requires characters to discover something about themselves, their goals or the world that frees them from their limitations.  Whether they end up triumphant or sadder and wiser, our heroes must transform.  As must we, their creators.

In my two-part post of November 14th and 20th – Ten (Ahem) Mature Genre Writers and Why I Love Them – I led off with Ruth Rendell (aka Barbara Vine).  Today, I’d like to review her latest book, further proof of her status as reigning queen of suspense.  In future posts, I’ll review new books by the others on my list, as I read them.  

The Girl Next Door

Ruth Rendell

It ain’t over till it’s over.

There’s the mystery.  A cold case, in the form of an unsolved murder from 1944.  A pair of lovers’ hands, buried together inside a tin box in tunnels outside of London, unearthed by construction workers sixty years later.  Who were the victims?  Who was the killer?

And there’s suspense – where you’d least expect to find it.  The ongoing lives, loves and losses of a group of septuagenarians, the children who once played in those tunnels, interweave with the past to create a story that is both riveting and inspiring.  

Brava to Rendell, author of more than sixty books and recipient of numerous awards and accolades, for revealing old age as a time of discovery, fulfillment, passion, loss, and regret.  This is Cocoon without the space ship.  Rendell quietly renders the narratives of her ensemble of seniors, the writing never coy, apologetic or condescending, and draws us into caring deeply about love, growth, acceptance and justice.  Read and be enthralled.  

On Thursday, I participated in a live radio interview on BlogTalkRadio! I was interviewed by Sage Adderley of Sage’s Blog Tours and had a great time talking about writing and my novel, Shrink Rapt. The interview was recorded and is now available to download, which you can do here. Then you'll be able to find out how long it took me to write my novel, why writing groups are important, and what I think of constructive criticism. 

Also, a few friendly reminders ...

There are a few stops left on my blog tour:

December 8th The Gal in the Blue Mask
December 11th Reecaspieces
December 12th Boom Baby Reviews

My book giveaway is still running, enter below!