by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner
Because of the dramatic restructuring of my first novel, I now have a lot — A LOT — more space to go into character. This is both good and bad. It’s good because the novel is now more character driven, but bad because, well, it takes time to think up characters and their motivations.
The heroine of my novel looks like Morena Baccarin.
And as my storytelling ability gets better and better, I will occasionally pause and mull how hard it will be to make the novel both a page turner and have really well-though-out characters.
In my quest to think through my characters, I may watch Fleabag again in an effort to figure out how Phoebe Waller-Bridge did what she did. I think I can learn a lot from her that respect. What makes a good character? What makes one compelling enough that people get upset or emotional when something happens to them?
My heroine has a sleeve tattoo similar to the one Megan Fox now sports.
I have a long ways to go and short time to get there. The thing is — for a number of years, I’m been so busy working on just establishing some stability with the story of this novel that I’ve totally been oblivious to the importance of character.
Now, like waking up from a dream, I find myself realizing how important character is to this novel and how I need to start fleshing out my characters ASAP.
So, we’ll see.
