James Callan on Writing Talk Tuesday: Protagonists

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.

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

• Website: www.jamesrcallan.com/
• Blog: www.jamesrcallan.com/blog
• Twitter: @jamesrcallan
• FB: James Callan

Who is James R. Callan? An Interview

Hi, Jim, welcome to my Whispers in Purple blog. It seems I’m in an interrogative mood–which explains the title of this post–so I have a handful of questions for you. Hope you’re ready!

 

: What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning?

I thank the Lord for another day, then jump up and head for a glass of high-pulp orange juice.

: What do you put off doing because you dread it?

: Marketing. I'd rather mow the grass than market. But, marketing seems to be a necessary evil, so I do manage to do some of it. Not enough, I fear.

: If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be?

: That's a tough one. One thing? Hmmm. I like to finish things. There's a bit of euphoria when a task is completed. So, when I have a non-writing task that can be completed in a day, and a book that will take months, I tend to do the nice, short task and feel that sense of accomplishment. But you know the problem with that. One of those shorter tasks pops up every day. So, writing gets pushed back and back.

: What is your ‘typical’ day like?

: The morning is typically taken up with things around the house or property. We have some acreage so there is always something that needs attention. The afternoon, which may start late depending on the property tasks, will cover e-mails, some marketing, and perhaps a blog. After dinner and the news, I get down to the important things: creative writing. This is not as bad as it sounds, because I believe I am more creative at night. That's a somewhat typical day when we are home. But we travel a lot, and then, there's not a schedule. Each day is different. But, I try to squeeze in some writing every day.

: If you could spend one day with one person currently alive–outside of family–who would it be, and why?

: A few weeks ago, I would not have had an answer. But after watching the extensive coverage of Pope Francis on his United States visit, I think I would pick him. After watching his address to the United Nations and the Joint Session of Congress, I believe he would inspire me. His message, attitude, seemingly true love of the people appealed to Catholics and non-Catholics alike. I expect I would be changed after a one-on-one day with him.

: What is the #1 thing on your bucket list? Explain why.

: I have been so blessed, my bucket list is pretty short. I am trying to teach myself to play the Rachmaninoff Eighteenth Variation on a Theme by Paganini on the piano. I'd like to complete that. I have visited all fifty U.S. States and six continents. I'd like to get to the seventh, Antarctica.

: Do you read your reviews? Do you respond to them, good or bad? Do you have advice on how to handle the bad?

: Yes, I read my reviews. I do not respond to them. The bad? First, read it with an open mind. Try to learn from the bad review. Is there some merit to it? Has that person pointed out an area that needs improvement? Did I really leave that out? Is was clear to me, but what about people who had not lived with the story for a year? If I don't find any merit to the bad review, then I forget it - quickly and completely.

: Tell us about your latest book.

: Reviews on my latest book, Over My Dead Body, have been good. It was published by Pennant Publishing and released the first week in May, 2015. It is a Christian mystery and is the second in the Father Frank Mysteries series. However, it can stand alone. One needn't have read the first in the series, Cleansed by Fire, to fully enjoy Over My Dead Body.

: Give us an overview of the story.

: A large corporation is taking land by eminent domain. Syd Cranzler stands in its way, threatening a court battle. After a heated meeting with the corporation representative, Syd is found dead from an overdose of heart medication. The police call it suicide. Case closed.

But Father Frank, Syd’s minister, and Georgia Peitz, another member of the church, don’t believe Syd committed suicide and begin to look for clues of what really happened. This has an ill affect on Georgia’s budding romance with the lead detective.

When the priest is almost poisoned, they convince the police to investigate further. Immediately, Father Frank becomes the target of rumors and speculation he might have had something to do with Syd’s death.

The more clues Father Frank and Georgia uncover, the more danger they find themselves in. Can they find the real killer before they become victims?

: I enjoyed Cleansed by Fire. What made you choose a priest as your ‘hero’?

: I wanted a person who received some information on a church burning, but couldn't tell anyone, not even the police. A priest, getting the information in the confessional, fit that mold. Plus, I got the added dimension of his personal conflict between keeping the seal of confession and his desire to prevent more church burnings.

: Would you please provide a buy link/s for Over My Dead Body?

: Absolutely. Both print and Kindle editions can be found at: http://amzn.to/1BmYQ0Q

:About James R. Callan

: 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 has had four non-fiction books published. He now concentrates on his favorite genre, mystery/suspense, with his seventh book releasing in early 2016.

Where can folks find you on the Internet?

First, let me thank you for inviting me to your site. It is definitely my pleasure.

• Website: www.jamesrcallan.com/
• Blog: www.jamesrcallan.com/blog
• Twitter: @jamesrcallan
• FB: James Callan

Thank you, Jim, for accepting my invitation. The pleasure is mutual.