I sat up very late last night, actually into the wee hours of the morning, reading a mystery... Grave Surprise by Charlaine Harris. What lured me on wasn't necessarily the intricate mystery or the complicated plot. No, it was the fascinating cast of characters.
I don't remember reading a book with such an assortment of characters in a long time--not even another one of Ms. Harris' books. The characters were drawn in such detail that you could clearly visualize them in all their infinite variety. I want that. That ability to make even the most minor character stand out.
Even the ghost was vibrant and unforgetable.
To often, we writers fail to draw our secondary characters in a way that makes them more than cardboard cut-outs. In Grave Surprise, each character serves as a jewel to enhance the story. Yeah, that's what I want.
That's my new goal for the year. Well developed, unforgetable characters in my stories.
Anny
Drop by Amarinda's Place to see what new strange direction she's taken the Saga in at http://www.amarindajones.blogspot.com/ and then pop over to Kelly's Blog to see what she's up to at http://www.kkirch.blogspot.com/ Blessing on you day!
Strange direction? Oh please I leave that up to you and Grasshopper
ReplyDeleteAhem, Grasshopper is right here listening.
ReplyDeleteI'm working on the More Than Words book at the moment. I'm finding I have to make all the secondary characters stand out in some way so the reader can keep them straight when they start getting killed. Morbid, but it's helping and so far, no confusion.
But this is something you do so well, Anny. It's what keeps those of us who love your books glued for the next one. We are already invested in your secondary characters. They are what hooked me when I read Dancer's Delight. I had to know what happened to the others.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a great read, Anny.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing.
Anny you do secondary characters brilliantly! My problem is that my secondary characters try to take over the story.
ReplyDelete