Writing Series - Character planning

Previous blog posts have talked a lot about my use of location as a character in my books. As the locations are places I know well and exist in reality I don't need to plan or develop or define them. The other characters in my books, I do.

Goodwin?

Why? For many reasons. I need to know what is behind my characters, what motivates them and what traits to display. I need to know as a crib sheet so I am consistent across books and I need to know because, especially with main characters, only by knowing or being my character can I write authentically from their point of view. I need to know and be consistent on how they would react in a given situation.

If characters aren't developed and real then everything they do or say or are in the book isn't either. They can evolve, and do, but some basics do need to be understood and known at the outset. And I am not talking just about looks, that can be superficial at best, it's motivations, back story, losses, loves, childhood, everything that makes each of our own characters and history into who we are, main characters need too.

I have a character Profile that starts me thinking about my characters and where they are in life, what motivates them and where they have come from and are going.

Here is a my character questionnaire https://helentaylorauthor.co.uk/characterprofiletemplate

Members have access to the original character design of DI Goodwin and then also the evolved character profile. Profiles of the team and key characters in Connecting Trains and then Aloha Goodbye have more mini autobiography profiles of the key characters.

All of these help to create authentic characters with genuine motivations and the ability for me to remember who they are and how they evolve and their relationships with eachother.

Look out for a competition to create your own characters to be included in the next DI Matthew Goodwin novel.

Have a great week,

Love

Helen x