Did you ever have a character who wouldn’t leave you alone? Sometimes, she wants to steal the scene. Other times, she wants to hijack the story into a completely new direction. One you never intended to follow and one you’re not sure you could get back from. In other blogs, …
This is a question I ask myself quite often. As a pantser, I tend to introduce characters as I write along in the story. Sometimes they ‘re minor characters who are only in for one scene to provide info, add some comic relief, or increase tension and conflict. Or a …
One comment I hear frequently from readers is how much they like my characters, especially my secondary characters. I’m often asked how I find them and develop them or what techniques do I use to create them. In my first Riverbend novel, Journey to Riverbend, readers expressed a genuine liking …
Today, I’m on the ACFW blog discussing why we kill characters. Why Did I Kill a Certain Character
Debbie Lynne Costello has enjoyed writing stories since she was about eight years old. She raised her family and then embarked on her own career of writing the stories that had been begging to be told. She and her husband have four children and live in upstate South Carolina. She …
Frequently, when speaking with readers and other writers, the subject of theme or message comes up. What is the message of the story? What themes run through the story? What does the story say about the human condition? Themes are not always blatant or obvious. If they are, it may …
The writer’s life does not take place in a vacuum. Especially if your work is published. Suddenly, there is a community of readers who have questions about the story and why did certain things happen. Why Did You Kill Old Thomas A frequent question I’ve received is why, in Journey …
This week, I have a guest post on the ACFW Blog. Follow the link below: http://www.acfw.com/blog/bringing-characters-to-life/
Over the weekend, I was meditating on the love scripture in 1st Corinthians 13 and comparing it to what an author does. We profess to love our characters but… Love is patient. The author is not patient with his characters. He moves them quickly from one crisis to another. He …
This question seems to have been around since God carved the commandments in stone. I’m sure some Israelites argued about why he wrote in second person with the implied “you” at the beginning of each one. I know I’ve searched for the right way to write since I began this …
