| Recently, one of my favorite authors, a very well | | | | say the main character's grandparents were born |
| known one, published a new book. I always buy | | | | in England, or do they need specifically to be born |
| her books as soon as they come out because | | | | in York or London or Penzance? How does where |
| they are often a few years apart, and I can't | | | | his grandparents were born make a difference to |
| seem to get enough of her wonderful quirky | | | | the main character? Even if you never give |
| characters and their interesting existences. | | | | specific years or dates in your novel, it can only |
| Precisely because I respect this author so greatly, | | | | make things easier for you in knowing these |
| I will not reveal her name in discussing the literary | | | | details for yourself. |
| faux pas she made in her latest novel. | | | | It may seem like you are just creating |
| The mistake was in regards to the main | | | | unnecessary details, but these details will help you |
| character's age. The main character is sixty years | | | | avoid discrepancies later so if you can't remember |
| old. He is divorced with three daughters, the | | | | how old the main character's third daughter is, |
| youngest of whom is still a teenager. At one point | | | | you can go back to check, and you can always |
| in the book, he meets another person who is age | | | | change the facts in the genealogy program so |
| thirty-eight, which makes him recall that when he | | | | long as you also change them in your novel. You |
| was thirty-eight he had already been divorced and | | | | will also be learning more about your character so |
| had three children. The math here just simply | | | | he becomes multi-dimensional. |
| doesn't add up since his third daughter is a | | | | Interviewing characters is another great way to |
| teenager when he is sixty. | | | | get to know and even to create them. I |
| Granted, the error is not as bad as when James | | | | recommend you make up some kind of standard |
| Fenimore Cooper switched a character's name | | | | interview sheet, and you keep one for each |
| halfway through a novel, but it is still a fairly large | | | | character-especially the main character, but minor |
| mistake. To avoid such errors, authors need to | | | | characters as well. The neighbor next-door |
| know every little detail about their characters, far | | | | character might need his own sheet-he might |
| more than they even tell their readers, and to | | | | even need his own family tree. Most of the basic |
| keep good records of those details. | | | | interview questions you would ask should already |
| Two helpful suggestions for tracking character | | | | be in your genealogy program-name, date of birth |
| details are to create a family tree for the | | | | etc. so the interview sheet is the place to find out |
| characters and to interview each character. | | | | not just details but what makes the character |
| Family trees can be simple or elaborate depending | | | | tick. |
| on the story, the number of characters, and the | | | | Be sure to include physical descriptions here. Of |
| detail required. The tree can be drawn on paper, | | | | course, ask the basics about hair and eye color, |
| but I highly recommend using a genealogy | | | | height and weight, but then also consider how |
| software program because much of the required | | | | these might have changed. Was he born with |
| information is laid out in a format for the author. | | | | blond hair but it turned brown by the time he was |
| Begin with the story's main character, creating a | | | | twenty? Did she weigh 250lbs in high school but is |
| listing in the genealogy program for him or her. | | | | only 130lbs by the time she's twenty-five? And of |
| Most programs will then ask basic genealogy | | | | course, how did she lose the weight? What is |
| information such as: First, middle, and last name, | | | | your character's most distinguishable feature? Is |
| nickname, title (Mr. Dr. etc.), birth and death dates, | | | | he happy with his physical appearance? Why or |
| places of birth and death, place buried and | | | | why not? |
| sometimes place of baptism. Then a notes section | | | | Find out all the details you can. Ask your |
| will allow you to write additional information about | | | | character about his or her favorites: What is your |
| the character and to provide sources for your | | | | favorite movie/book/flavor of ice cream? Find |
| information (the last you may need for genealogy | | | | out the character's past. What jobs have you held |
| but probably not for fictional characters). | | | | and when? What schools did you attend? When |
| Beyond the individual person, the program will | | | | was your first date? When did you decide you |
| then allow you to create a marriage for the main | | | | wanted to be an astronaut? |
| character, another separate entry for his wife, a | | | | How do other characters influence each individual |
| date and place for the marriage, a box to check | | | | character? If the main character's grandpa died |
| if they were divorced, and individual listings for the | | | | when he was sixteen, how did that effect him? If |
| children. Of course, if the character is not married | | | | the main character decided when he finished |
| and does not have kids, no need to do so, but | | | | college to move to Florida, how did his mother in |
| perhaps your novel ends before he meets his | | | | Pennsylvania feel about her son being so far |
| future wife, but you secretly know he will marry | | | | away? When Grandma left Italy after World War |
| two years after the novel ends so you would like | | | | I, whom did she leave behind, and did she stay in |
| to create this information anyway. | | | | touch with her family? How did Grandpa and |
| Almost as important as the character's current | | | | Grandma raise the main character's father, and |
| marriage and children is information about his | | | | how did that in turn effect how the main |
| family background. Even if his parents and | | | | character was raised? |
| grandparents do not appear in the novel, I think | | | | The questions you can ask are endless. The point |
| it's important to figure out where this character | | | | is to ask a lot of questions. You are responsible |
| came from. Create entries for his parents and | | | | for telling the story of this character's life, even if |
| grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, and cousins. | | | | the story only takes place over a few days or |
| Perhaps you had not thought about his | | | | years. You want to get it right. You want to |
| grandparents before, but now if you decide they | | | | know the main character and all the minor |
| were immigrants from Croatia, it could make a | | | | characters inside and out. Often this additional |
| big difference compared to if they were Jews | | | | information can lead to ideas for more |
| from Brooklyn or Japanese immigrants to Hawaii. | | | | books-even sequels or spin-offs. |
| The family background is what usually shapes the | | | | Be a good data collector. Not only will it prevent |
| character, his worldview, his motivations, fears, | | | | you from making a mistake about your |
| hopes and dreams. | | | | characters, but it will create richer, more realistic |
| Be sure you are specific with all the information | | | | characters that your readers will enjoy. |
| you provide. In terms of dates, at the very least | | | | The great magic of writing fiction is in the details, |
| provide a year. Your character may be thirty | | | | and the more you know the better. I have never |
| years old and you're writing the book in 2010, but | | | | forgotten the words of E.M. Forster: "Expansion. |
| by the time it's published, it will be 2012. So does | | | | That is the idea the novelist must cling to. Not |
| that mean he was born in 1980 or 1982, or is | | | | completion. Not rounding off but opening out." You |
| your book set in the 1960s, so maybe he was | | | | want to create a world that appears real, a world |
| born in 1932 or 1938. You might even want to go | | | | that feels like it will live and continue on by itself |
| so far as to make his birthday April 12 or | | | | even after the last page of the book is read. |
| December 3. Give birth years and possibly birth | | | | Keeping good details about characters is the start |
| dates to all the other characters. Is it enough to | | | | of making that fictional world appear a reality. |