How to develope characters for a novel Author: Johnny Ray
DEVELOPING CHARACTERS

A DISCUSSION OF

BEING OUT OF CHARACTER

VS

PLACING A CHARACTER IN EXTRAORDINARY SITUATIONS

by

JOHNNY RAY

I think all writers know how important it is to have characters come alive and become as real as possible on the printed page. But readers can tell in a second when a character is not authentic and does something out of character. This often happens when the writer has an opinion of the character and has not prepared the reader properly. Many times it comes from trying to make the story more interesting for the reader.

You have to know your character when you write. This includes knowing what they would and would not do, or what they are capable of doing. For example, you would not expect a New Yorker who has never been out of the city to suddenly be a bull rider in Texas. This is totally different from the New Yorker who suddenly inherits a ranch in Texas and has to go there to see what he/she now owns. Taking characters out of their comfort zone is what makes a story interesting, but leaving them in their own personality and as who they are builds credibility.

When a writer builds character sketches or outline of characters, it is important to know what they would do in a situation. It is nice to know something the character would never in their lifetime expect to do. The fun part for a writer is to place that same character in a situation where they have to do the unthinkable.

Another part of building a great story is giving the reader small tidbits of who the character is early. If the character is to suddenly run a marathon for example, then the reader needs to see that the character loves to run earlier in the novel and not have it given as a surprise at the end of the book. Another example is where she is capable of defending herself because of her martial art training, but nothing was said about that for the last three hundred pages, and especially if she is being abducted and had been acting like a weakling for most of them.

Many times in a novel, the characters evolve, but it is up to the writer to make changes to the story to make it realistic and interesting for the reader.

Johnny Ray

Award Winning Novelist

www.sirjohn.us

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/fiction-articles/how-to-develope-characters-for-a-novel-5689773.html

About the Author

Johnny Ray is a full time, Award Winning Novelist and blogger Be sure to check out his bio and and novels on Amazon

SCANDAL--THE DEATH OF A LEGACY

A LOOK INSIDE

 

Chapter 5

 

Kristina entered the front door of her condo and saw her mother waiting on her with panic stretching her face into a strange convulsion. “I’ve been trying to call you. Where have you been?” Her mother glanced over her shoulder before taking Katrina’s arm and pulling her to the activity room, which was off to one side of the vestibule. “Hurry, before your father sees you.”

“What’s going on?”

“The maid found your test strip and told your father.”

“She had no right to search through my stuff!”

“Right or no right, your father has been trying to call you.”

Kristina’s heart beat faster as she struggled with another onset of dizziness which was a strange feeling she hadn’t experienced until recently. “I turned my phone off and wanted to be left alone to think.”

“He heard Shawn, the head of security, had taken you shopping. He’s trying to reach him now.”

“He dropped me off a few minutes ago.”

“Damn, that means he’ll be looking for you any minute.”

A loud knock on the door announced his presence as he didn’t stop to wait on an answer. His face flashed a bright deep red. She had seen such a look before. “There you are. Shawn told me he had been with you all day, and dropped you off here a few minutes ago. Do you want to tell me what you were doing with him today?”

“Dad, he was my driver.”

“I know who he is. I’m not stupid. But . . . what I want to know is where he drove you today. And I bet it has something to do with this.” He presented the pregnancy kit.

“Mom told me a few minutes ago that the maid found it. She had no right in searching my things!”

“She apologized, but she said she found it putting away some of your clothes. She thought I should know, and I’m glad she confided in me, which is something I wish my own daughter would do.”

“Look at you. Do you think I really want to talk to you about this right now?”

“This is one time your partying ways have caught up with you. I hope you’re happy.”

“Dad, I don’t sleep around!”

“Really, then tell me who’s going to be my new son-in-law?”

“I don’t know who the father is, and I’m not planning on marrying anyone!”

Kristina watched her father extend his hands into the air above him in frustration. “I do my best to try to raise you right and show respect for the family, and this is how I’m paid back.”

“Dad, you might as well know.”

“Know what?”

“I think I was raped.”

The words appeared to dazzle him. With his ragging attitude silenced, he staggered. “And . . . you’re just now telling me this!”

“Dad, I don’t have many answers yet. I went looking for them today. Based on what I think now, I was given a date rape drug.”

“Have you contacted the police?”

“No, I have no proof, other than I’m pregnant. What do you think they’ll do with that?” Kristina felt another wave of nausea overtaking her as the world swirled around her.

###

Kristina woke in her bed later with a warm cloth on her forehead. She pried open an eye to gain her bearings, and saw her mother rush to her from one side. “You’re awake.”

“What happened?”

A man on the other side of the bed reached for her hand. “My name’s Dr. Davison, your father called me to come check on you.” He leaned forward to stare into her eyes. “You passed out. It happens to some women when they first become pregnant.”

Kristina glanced at her father. With his rage slightly diminished, he had tears in his eyes. “I’m sorry, baby. Forgive me.”

She closed her eyes again, knowing that this would only be the beginning. When she opened them again she saw Shawn on the far side of the room. What was he doing here?

Her father walked over to Shawn. “I think she’ll be okay now. I really appreciate you helping me get her to her room. I’m much too old to do any lifting these days. We need to talk tomorrow morning, since I’ll need your help in containing this. I also want you to see to it Kristina stays out of site and for you to personally take her wherever she needs to go. The rest of the guys on the board will have to settle for someone else who works for you for a while.”

“You know you can count on me, sir. I’m glad you called me to help.”

As Shawn turned to leave, her father walked to him and shook his hand. “I’m sure you know none of this leaves this room.”

“Yes, sir. I understand fully.”

“Good, be here by eight and we’ll talk over breakfast.”

Kristina watched him move closer to her and smile. “I’m sure everything will work out for you. Get some rest.”

“Thanks for all of your help.” She knew she would worry all night about what her father had asked him. She would be sure to make the breakfast meeting tomorrow morning.

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