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Breathing
Life Into Your Characters His was a gentle smile that could melt the stone-cold heart of any reluctant female. The deep azure depths of his flashing eyes were maelstroms into which a woman could fall happily forever and never once question where she was headed. Strong arms and gentle hands; powerful chest and sturdy thighs; a mop of tousled thick black curls all combined by the gods to create a brawny Irish outlaw. With a voice that could send shivers of pure sexual delight through even the most jaded courtesan, there was nothing this side of heaven more glorious than the touch of his eyes and his hands. And his name was Syn. If you can read the description of one of the characters in a novel and picture that character clearly, the writer has accomplished his/her goal. The description should flow swiftly across your mind; settle there for examination; then pass on to that mysterious part of you that controls your imagination. Breathing life into your characters is even more important than fleshing out the storyline. If you have characters the reader finds distracting--or boring--you are going to lose that reader's interest very quickly. She had red hair and green eyes. Not quite six feet tall, she was not what one thought of as a femme fatale. Her voice was a cross between soft Southern drawl and Cajun patois. And her name was Angelique. Can you picture her clearly? You have a great imagination if you can. Most readers will "see" the red hair and the "almost six feet tall," but there will be no definitive image in their minds upon which to build. The writer hasn't told you anything about her. You haven't gained any insight into what she is like other than-through inference--she might be from Louisiana. Is she a sexy siren? A striking partner for her delicious bonny Irish outlaw? Or is she a sorority sister from Louisiana State University? Angelique was a stunning beauty with flaming red hair and eyes the color of precious emeralds. Her tall, willowy form flowed gracefully on the tavern's stage. Her soft Southern drawl had a touch of Cajun patois to give it a distinctive quality as she spoke her lines. She was a saucy wench: a striking challenge to the black Irishman who sat staring at her over his cup of ale. You should be able to picture the two characters as they regard one another across the smoky room of the tavern. You should be able to hear the raucous laughter of the patrons; smell the unwashed bodies; sense the interest Syn is directing toward this woman he has decided he wants. You should feel Angelique's heart beating wildly as she stares back at this handsome stranger who has gained her notice. Watch! Do you see her tongue dart out to flick at the perspiration on her upper lip as she stands there in front of the footlights? Do you see Syn's azure eyes narrow with instant sexual response? Just from these two paragraphs from the novel, you should be able to assimilate all that and more from the description of the characters. A writer is only as good as the words he uses and if his words convey more than mere description, he has accomplished his goal. Lord Darthly Vanous, the Duke of Canfield and a swordsman of note, had a habit of clucking his tongue when he was annoyed. His prissy little mouth would purse and make horrid little smacking sounds as he contemplated whatever was irritating him. The noises were a clear indication that something was troubling the man. Most listeners cringed when they heard those sneering sounds for they knew Lord Darthly was about to explode and when Darthly exploded, men died. One of the worst mistakes a writer can make is excessively describing the characters' personal habits. Padding the description is probably just as much of a distraction to the reader as not giving enough detail to hold their interest. You don't want to bog down the story in extraneous words. Speak slowly; speak softly; and wield your pen wisely. Darthly was a man to be feared. When he pursed his lips and gave in to the sneer for which he was infamous, the wise man fled his company. It was rumored that a cluck of Lord Darthly's tongue was the last sound most men who had annoyed him ever heard before the Duke of Canfield's sword ended their lives. From reading that paragraph, can you see Darthly sitting in the shadows there at The Thistle and Rose Tavern? Do you hear the growl of annoyance as he watches the object of his pursuit becoming enthralled by the Irish upstart? Is there murder in the Duke's brutal gaze? Is his palm sweating as he caresses the sword at his hip? Do his teeth grind? Will there be a challenge before the evening shadows have given way to morning light? If the writer has done his/her job correctly, you should be able to envision what is coming next. You see Angelique's scarlet skirts twirl as she dances; you hear her melodic voice sing her lines; you see her ample bosom push against the white cotton of her blouse. You sense Syn's growing interest; you watch as he lifts his tankard for one last drink before he pushes from his chair, flinging a gold coin to the scarred table top as he rises; your heartbeat accelerates as he swaggers to the stage, his intention clear. You become expectant as Darthly rises, too; you smell the stench of too much ale on his breath; you watch the savagery of his frown increase as Syn lifts his hand to Angelique. Was that a cluck of the Duke of Canfield's tongue you just heard? Your characters have to be very special in order to grab the reader. It doesn't matter what color, creed, or nationality they are. It matters only to you if the hero has black hair or blond or brown. Some writers like brawny men with crisp curls on their chest; some writers prefer no hair at all on those chiseled pecs. The readers-if the character is well drawn-won't care so long as he has all the attributes that make him memorable. Is he a cowboy? A pirate? A medieval knight? A vampire? No matter what his occupation or avocation, make him so intensely unforgettable, he will forever be the epitome of that occupation or avocation in your readers' minds. Give him a trait that is all his; don't make him a carbon, cookie-cutter copy of some character about whom you have read. MAKE HIM SPECIAL! As for your heroine . . . Please, please, PLEASE! Don't make her a silly little twit who keeps getting her shapely butt into trouble every time you turn around. That will get as boring to the reader as it must be for the poor hero who has to extricate that shapely butt from its myriad perils. There is no quicker way of turning off your readers than to contrive a stupid situation into which you have the heroine thrust herself just so the hero can come galloping up at the last moment to save her. It's been done. And done. And done. Ad nauseum. Breathe fiery life into your characters. Give them special traits that will set them apart from all the others out there. Make them so unforgettable that when your reader puts the book aside, it will be with a great deal of regret. But then, there's always the sequel! , also known to her friends as Charlee, is a prolific historical romance and dark fantasy novelist. She has established a large following on the Web after e-publishing many of her works. Read more about her here. Copyright © 1998-200, Charlotte Boyett-Compo Originally appeared at One Woman's Writing Retreat (www.prairieden.com). Reprinted with permission.
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