Tuesday, November 3, 2015

James Callan on Writing Talk Tuesday: Protagonists

let's-talk-writing-purple-James Callan

How do I know your Protagonist?

(Or any other of your characters)

As writers, we want the reader to identify, or have a feeling for, the protagonist. Likewise, we want the reader to get to know all of our major characters.

Sounds good and we can agree with that premise.

But how do we accomplish that?

Here are four ways the reader can get to know your characters. (For sake of clarity, I'll use Jill, a female protagonist.)

First, you can tell the reader about Jill with descriptive narrative. This is perhaps the most common method, often used during the first meeting of the protagonist. Jill Hanson barely measured five feet tall and weighed less than a hundred pounds. Her dark hair was cut into a flat top. Her brown eyes were as serious as the nine millimeter pistol she aimed at the man. The reader gets the picture (or as much as you wish to give at this point) exactly the way you want to present her. This is quick and clear. It is also the easiest. And many would say it is the least effective, but it has its uses.

The second method is to let others in the cast tell the reader about the protagonist. This is most effective if one character is describing the protagonist to another character. I'll tell you this, Becca, Jill is smart, determined and driven. This method has a distinct advantage of letting the reader know how others feel about Jill. At the same time, the reader is learning something about this other character. Is she jealous of Jill? Or perhaps in awe of Jill. And here it is easier to get in certain types of qualities that might not come easily in descriptive narrative.

A very important way to show the reader about your character is through her actions. "Actions speak louder than words" is a cliché because it is has been true forever. You can impress a characteristic on the reader by having Jill act a certain way. The ice pellets bounced off the pavement. Jill took off her coat and draped it around the shivering girl. Often this is contrary to what we were lead to believe by the second method above.

The most powerful way to let the reader really get to know Jill is by using internal dialog for her. Now the reader has the actual thoughts of Jill. And the reader will believe those. It is at this point that whatever was revealed before can either be confirmed, or completely contradicted. Jill straightened her stance and held the gun steady. I'm terrified, she thought. But I can't let them know that.

Keep in mind the strengths of each. Number one, descriptive narrative, is easy, straightforward and quick. The second method adds depth to your story. How others relate to Jill can be very important. Different characters may give quite different pictures of her. The third method is the embodiment of the cardinal rule: show don't tell. Show the reader who Jill really is. And the fourth method shows the reader how Jill feels about herself and the people, things and situations surrounding her.

Which of these should you use?

All four. Every book.

jim-color-formal

After a successful career in mathematics and computer science, receiving grants from the National Science Foundation and NASA, and being listed in Who’s Who in Computer Science and Two Thousand Notable Americans, James R. Callan turned to his first love—writing. He wrote a monthly column for a national magazine for two years. He has had four non-fiction books published. He now concentrates on his favorite genre, mystery/suspense, with his seventh book releasing in spring, 2016.

Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/1eeykvG

Over My Dead Body, is available at: http://amzn.to/1BmYQ0Q

17 comments:

  1. Jim Callahan is one of the best mystery authors I've read in ages. I finished his first Father Frank book and am almost through with Over My Dead Body. I love Frank! He is such a delightful character, as is Georgia. I hope he has another book coming out soon.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I agree with you about Father Frank, Bonnie. Jim's stories remind me of an old (OLD) TV series about a priest-turned-sleuth but for the life of me I can't remember the title today. It was on the tip of my tongue last week, but it has vanished now that I want to remember it. Does anyone reading this know the show I mean? If so, please let me know :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks, Bonnie, for the kind words. I do have another book ready and it should be published in the spring, 2016. But, it isn't a Father Frank mystery. Instead, it's the second Crystal Moore suspense, following A TON OF GOLD. There is another Frank book in the works, but it will be late 2016. Frank and I both appreciate your comment.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Peggy. Could you be thinking of the Father Brown stories? I would be happy if you thought of my books in the same light as the Father Brown stories by G.K. Chesterton. They did make a series out of some of his books. If you know a Hollywood producer (or ANY producer), give them my e-mail address. Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment.

    ReplyDelete
  5. And here's a special thanks to Peggy Phifer for inviting me to her great site. I feel honored, Peggy.

    ReplyDelete
  6. The honor is mine, Jim. Or could we agree it's mutual? :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Those are four good ways to introduce or describe a character, Jim. To add another dimension, one that enhances each of these four ways, you can show Jill at the moment she changes in some significant way: Jill had never even held a gun before, but after Jack had pushed her down the hill she was amazed how easy it was to pull the trigger.

    ReplyDelete
  8. It was the Father Dowling Mysteries! http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096582/ Starring Tom Bosley and Tracy Nelson, daughter of Ricky Nelson

    ReplyDelete
  9. Gret example, John! Thanks for dropping in and leaving a comment.

    ReplyDelete
  10. You're absolutely right, John. You can, and should, enhance those. Showing a change is important. Thanks for adding that.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Right. Father Dowling. Glad you thought of it. That was on back around 1990, I would imagine - shortly after we moved back to Texas. I'd forgotten all about Dowling. While it was a TV series, I believe it was based on a book or a series of short stories. That part is only a hazy memory.

    ReplyDelete
  12. We watch Father Brown on the PBS station. He is a priest in England who always solve the murder even when the police cannot. Very enjoyable.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hi, Elaine, so glad you dropped in for a visit. We no longer have a TV so I've not seen that show, but I'm sure I'd enjoy it :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. You always do such a good job delineating information. Of course, we all use these approaches, but you give us a good shorthand reminder, making the unconscious conscious. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  15. You always do a great job of delineating what we do in writing. We do it, but you make the unconscious in writing conscious. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Thank you Lesley. You are so kind. And you write great books. Waiting for the next one.

    ReplyDelete
  17. As I said earlier, I completely agree with you on adding that other dimension. In my book CHARACTER: THE HEARTBEAT OF THE NOVEL, I suggest creating not three-dimensional characters, but four dimension characters. The fourth dimension is change. Certainly your protagonist needs to change. But in fact, many of the characters should show the reader some change. Thanks for pointing that out. I should have added it myself. But being a good editor, you caught the oversight. And certainly your main characters in your fantasy THE KING'S EYE changed a lot. Thanks, John.

    ReplyDelete