Blog for Bristol Services Intl.

QUESTION (from a mystery writer client): You suggested to me to have same trait or unique aspect to my main character. The interest, hobby, talent, foible, quirky, fun thing that pulls my character out of stereotype and into memorable: should it impact his job? Or is it just part of his personality that makes him memorable, but doesn’t really have anything to do with the plot line?

ANSWER: Everything about any personality somehow effects a person’s job. Even cultivating orchids. Think of the traits involved for the hobby of orchid enthusiast: patience (infinite, since they take forever to grow!), a gentle touch (delicate plants), and an eye of details (each cultivator has very subtle color and pattern differences). So these are 3 traits that DO help a main character in their job even if it isn’t directly related to running down a culprit. And any one of these 3 traits could become the deciding factor in the cop resolving a mystery.

BOTTOMLINE: YOU know your main character, I don’t. What might this man do on the sly, something he wouldn’t want anyone to know about (might seem too sissy or odd to others)? Or what might he want to be known for (the would-be singer or artist or whatever)? Or what calms and centers him when he’s off-duty? It needs to fit what you already have for him. And the traits that make him good at this unique and interesting thing should translate to traits that make him a good cop too.

HINT: Use the right-side menu and click through on Characterization in the bottom list. You’ll find the original article I wrote to this same client explaining more in-depth about character quirks, etc.

QUESTION (from one of my clients):  I was trying to think of things that would make my character unique but every time I think of something, I think, “Yeah, but lots of other people do these things, too. These aren’t all that unique.” Exactly HOW different and quirky should this interesting thing be? For instance, Nero Wolfe is obese and loves order, routine, and orchids. And Stephanie Plum is clumsy, had a hamster for a pet. But am I shooting for something like ‘weaves baskets out of homegrown reeds’ or ‘likes to dress up in medieval costumes twice a week and re-enact jousting battles’ ? Or am I taking something that is fairly normal, but adding it to his personality makes HIM more than normal?

ANSWER: Finding something unique does NOT have to be something off-the-wall weird. And even what might be considered “normal” hobbies can vary.

WHAT’S THE NORM? For instance, how many people do YOU know who cultivate orchids or (an adult) who owns a hamster? I know OF such people, but I don’t know one myself. So these are, yes, considered normal hobbies, but not so normal that every reader will know someone with that exact pastime. On the other hand, I DO happen to know two people who weave baskets from their own grown or collected materials PLUS a couple who participate in medieval fairs. So … what is and isn’t normal in a hobby is a matter of perspective–and your own acquaintances.

What matters is that you find a hobby or interest for your main character that fits that character’s overall personality. Something that readers say, “Well sure, considering how he does things at work the way he does, it makes sense he’d do this on the weekends.”

TRAITS vs. BACKGROUND: Some writers get traits (individual personality talents or quirks) confused with background. People in certain careers often share similar backgrounds. Any background you’ve seen more than a couple times (for instance, with a cop or detective: loner, military background, stickler for routine, past injury, etc.) can be okay to use again but do it with variations or down-played.

Why? Because they ARE typical of the type of person who becomes a cop. Many are loners (the job doesn’t make for a great family life), many have military pasts (as do many others who enter a service career after the military). They better be able to handle routine, because the job entails more routine than most people know. And any physically active person–which most cops are at least to start with–is likely to have had an injury, whether in sports, the military or on-the-job. Not all those in this career will have these backgrounds, but many will.

CONCLUSION: So one or more of these backgrounds is fine–each is typical and fits the role–but none are unique.

But what you need to ALSO find is another and unique hobby/trait that makes this character stand out. Something that pushes the envelope a bit, yes, but not so over-the-edge that readers groan when they hear it. Give him a pet, but instead of a dog or cat make it something unique. Have him talented in some unusual instrument or unlikely artform. Let him be haunted by something really great in his past (a twist on something really bad) that makes him edgey for some reason in the presnt. Or have him letter-perfect in details–but only in some areas and completely forgetful in others.

Whatever this unique trait is, make it an important part of him, whether he lets others know about it or keeps it a secret.

A writer wrote recently about sending me his book for my editing services and he included this comment:

“Smart as I know you are, you will not know what will happen next. I did not know and was surprised while writing it.”

The Writer’s Job:
To be honest, whenever I read this kind of statement by an author, I worry more than a little bit. This is really NOT a good sign. As a fiction editor I recognize that new writers are thrilled with their new task of writing. And it is true that readers love to sit back and read a story that provides fresh perspectives, interesting changes and twists along the way. But often new writers sometimes forget that they are not a reader anymore. They don’t have the option to just sit back and read this book as they write it—they have the responsibility as the author to stage, direct and produce the story for other readers. Not near as much fun, certainly not relaxing, and in fact, lots of work!

Stories Should Evolve, Not Mutate:
Yes, stories grow and change and evolve as they are written–that is all good and fine. This evolution of a story is what keeps the sparkle and vitality within the words. Writers have the joy of being inspired by those very changes as they fire off in the author’s creative brain. Yet all those changes need to be kept within the bounds of an original premise, idea or plot. If these surprises go too far afield, the whole concept of what you started with will fall apart. It is like a knitter who starts knitting a sweater and decides mid-way to make socks instead. Yes, the result will be interesting, but not wearable at all!

Keeping the Good Stuff:
I’ve read many stories whose authors were similarly enthused about their stories because it was so surprising even as they wrote it and in every instance the lack of direction, focus or continuity were obvious. As you write the initial draft, enjoy the surprises that crop up and keep as many of them as you feel work during that initial draft. Then, as you revise, determine which of these new directions really worked overall, which were fun but superfluous, and which really didn’t integrate into the story. Keep only the ones that really functioned well for the story at hand. But save the others in another file! Those great surprises that you just can’t get rid of, the ones that didn’t really fit this story but, gosh, are so great, can make the perfect starting place for … your next story!