introducing characters – Almost An Author

by Laura L. Zimmerman

I went for a swim at 6:30 this morning.

Okay, not really, but in my story my I did. The characters in my book made the snap decision to hop in a pond and cool off. I hadn’t planned on this. In fact this swim doesn’t even have anything to do with the plot. But I wrote it, anyway. Ultimately, it was something they would do. So they did. It opened a door for conversation between two characters to grow closer and build trust.

This is a big deal for me. This never would’ve happened in the not-too-distant past. Until recently, I’ve functioned primarily as a ‘plotter’. I would plan and plot and outline my story, until I had it structured and polished. Then I would write.

But just over a year ago, I accidentally became a ‘pantser’. It wasn’t intentional. I had a scene for a new story that I wanted to get out of my head before it disappeared, but didn’t want to take the time to plot, since I was in the middle of writing another story. So, I sat and wrote the scene. Out of that scene came another, then another and another, until I had a third of the book written – something I hadn’t imagined possible without prior planning. The experience changed my perspective on a few things.

Here are four lessons I’ve learned about writing as a ‘pantser’:

Personalities stay consistent.We’ve all been there – after a beta reader or critique group finishes a section of your manuscript, the dreaded comment slaps you in the face: The action of a specific character isn��t consistent with what we know of him/her up until that point. Ouch. As a plotter, I would take painful care to review each scene and evaluate a character’s reaction. However, this didn’t stop those pesky personalities from wandering off their beaten path, because I was so focused on sticking to that plot. But whenthe character directs the flow of the book, it’s easier to think about what would come naturally for him/her. What would the next decision be for the character, not for the plot? The plot will eventually come to pass, but allowing each character to react in a natural way, will connect the reader to those characters.
There’s more conversation.I’ve spoken with plenty of writers who love the chance to tell their tale, but dread that dialogue! They agonize and worry over the words that come out of a character’s mouth. As a ‘pantser’, there’s no need to push to the next scene, as much asallowing the characters to take the reader to the next scene through conversation. I’ve found the characters share more meaningful words, once I allow them the privilege to speak freely.
Fewer worries about the plot.But what about that plot, you ask? Of course, don’t abandon it all together – we’ve all experienced frustration as we’ve read a book with plot holes and inconsistencies. But when the characters ‘drive’ the story, those characters and the decisions they make become more important. Plot holes and inconsistencies can always be corrected during revision and editing. But the general flow of the book will be more credible if you allow for deep, connected characters.
Beat that Writer’s Block. We’ve all cringed at that blank sheet of paper at some point. However, I’ve found this happens more often as a ‘plotter’, than it does now. When my brain felt forced to write something without inspiration, I couldn’t find the words. As a ‘pantser’, the words come easier when I ask myself, “What would this character do next?”

What about you? Are you a plotter or pantser? Which do you prefer? Feel free to comment below and share your experience!

Bio: Laura L. Zimmerman is a homeschooling mom to three daughters, and a doting wife to one husband. Besides writing, she is passionate about loving Jesus, singing, drinking coffee and anything Star Wars. You can connect with her through Facebook and Twitter and at her website, www.lauralzimmerman.com

First Impressions Matter–Part 1

Scientific studies confirm that we humans make a host of judgments about a person based on the first few moments of interaction. And once formed, those judgments can be surprisingly difficult to shift. Fictional characters face the same challenge.

The things that make us instantly like or dislike people we meet in real life are pretty much the same things that make us instantly like or dislike the people we meet in fiction. – Orson Scott Card, Characters & Viewpoint

However, unlike real life, the author has control over how that first impression will play out. Don’t waste that power.

By the time you write your opening scene, chances are you know your characters pretty well: Their physical description, their preferences, their inner demons. Pages and pages of backstory. But you only have a few sentences to make a first impression, so you’ll have to decide what bits of information are most important to introduce the most important essence of a character.

Introduction through physical description

In real life, a stranger’s appearance plays a big part in our first impression. It can work in fiction as well, but remember, our eyes take in tons of information in a single glance—much more than we can describe in a few sentences—so choose the most telling details. The examples below show not only how the character looks, but hints at both demographics and attitude as well.

Sarah waited in the office, wearing a black silk sheath dress and four-inch heels. Her lustrous chestnut hair, worn loose, fell halfway down her back, and one perfectly shaped eyebrow arched when I entered.

Sarah waited in the office, a thin woman with a prominent nose and bony hands clutched in her lap. She wore a white cotton blouse, pilled from too many washings, and black slacks with frayed hems. Her brown hair was pulled into a severe bun at the nape of her neck.

Introduction through context

You can tell a reader a lot about a person without giving a single physical detail. Notice how the context paints two very different pictures in the examples below:

This was the first time Sarah had invited Will to her apartment and she wanted everything to be perfect. She straightened the candlesticks flanking the vase of pink roses, and adjusted the volume on her favorite soft jazz playlist. The oven-roasted vegetables and coq au vin were already in serving dishes, keeping warm in the oven. Should she plate the salads now or wait until he arrived?

This was the first time Sarah had invited Will to her apartment and she wanted everything to be perfect. She checked to make sure no dishwasher gunk was stuck to the plates, and adjusted the volume on her favorite classic rock station. The pizza should be arriving any minute. They’d better get the order right this time—meat lover’s supreme. Should she nuke the wings now or wait until he arrived?

Introduction through voice

A third option is to immediately jump inside the character’s head and give readers a sense of how they view the world:

I knew it was going to be a bad day the moment I slipped my feet into my slippers. Cat barf. Normal people have cats that throw up in the middle of the living room. Mine had a preference for shoes. At least the slippers were washable.

I knew it was going to be a bad day the moment I laced up my boots. Twenty-two miles to the next shelter, and my blistered feet weren’t getting any happier, despite the moleskin and fancy hiking socks. But I would break an ankle before I let on I wasn’t enjoying myself as much as Gina.

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