Instititute of Children's Literature

Rx for Writers

Transcripts

"Creating Characters" with Elaine Marie Alphin

Thursday, September 14, 2000

MODERATOR is Kristi Holl, author of 24 books for children and teens, plus over 100 articles for adults and children. Kristi is also the web editor for this site.

Elaine is Elaine Marie Alphin, author of 14 books and 200 magazine pieces for readers from preschoolers to teens. Her book, Creating Characters Kids Will Love, is due out now from Writer's Digest Books.

Names color coded in blue are viewers who asked questions.

Interviews are scheduled every other Thursday: 9-11 p.m. Atlantic/Canada, 8-10 p.m. Eastern, 7-9 Central, 6-8 Mountain, and 5-7 Pacific.

MODERATOR: Good evening, everyone! I'm Kristi Holl, your moderator and web editor for this site. You're in for a treat tonight as we visit with Elaine Marie Alphin on "Creating Characters." Elaine has published 14 books and 200 magazine pieces for readers from preschoolers to teens. Her characters range from elephants to Civil War ghosts! Her book, Creating Characters Kids Will Love, is due out now from Writer's Digest Books. Welcome, Elaine!

Elaine: Thanks, Kristi! I'm very pleased to be here with writing friends.

MODERATOR: Tell us about your publishing background, Elaine--how did you get started, and have you always written novels?

Elaine: Well, I've always written novels - I just haven't always gotten them published! I wrote my first novel in my freshman year, and wrote three more before I got out of college. Interestingly - one of those is now in revision for a publisher! So anyone who has a novel they believed in but haven't been able to get published, if the plot and characters are strong enough, don't despair of placing it! But, although I wanted to publish novels, I started out writing for magazines. I published 40 or 50 magazine pieces before I placed my first novel.

MODERATOR: I know that you have the character book due out with Writer's Digest in just a couple weeks, but first, can you tell us about your very recent novel, Counterfeit Son? I heard it was nominated for an award just a week after its release!

Elaine: Yes, it's on the YALSA Quick Picks nomination list. Counterfeit Son is the story of Cameron, the son of a serial killer. Cameron has stood by helplessly while his father tortured and murdered over 20 boys. In between those victims, Cameron has been molested and beaten by his father. He justifies this treatment by making compromises with his perception of his world with his perception of himself. Cameron accepts that he must be bad - if he can only learn to be good enough, this will all stop. But when his father is killed by police in a failed arrest, Cameron despairs of ever redeeming himself. Instead he makes a desperate bid for security. He impersonates one of his father's victims, and goes to live with a new family. The police don't believe him, and his new sister mistrusts him, but Cameron is determined to take this chance for a new life - until an old accomplice of his father turns up, threatening to expose him. This was a risky book, because I had to go deeply into the mind and heart of a victim of physical and sexual abuse. That made editors very uncomfortable.

Joie: Are we talking about books written for children?

Elaine: Hi Joie. Well, I'm talking about a book written for teenagers. And I'm not talking about graphic sex and violence - teens who have been abused will recognize what's happening, but readers who haven't will only get a sense of Cameron's suffering. This isn't pornography - it's a story of hope and redemption.

Mom of 3: Is this strictly fiction or does it have a reality base?

Elaine: Hi, Mom of 3 - this is strictly fiction. Except for the research I did on serial killers, of course. But the idea of an impostor and the repercussions is entirely fiction.

MODERATOR: Why did you write Creating Characters Kids Will Love?

Elaine: Actually, I was invited to write this book. I had spoken at an SCBWI conference about creating novels and told a number of stories about how I had created the characters for my novels, particularly the ghost in The Ghost Cadet. A Writer's Digest editor was present and she recommended me to the editor in charge of acquiring new books. He asked if I was interested in writing a book about characters, and I jumped at the chance. I've always believed that story begins with character, and I've always cared deeply about the characters in the books I read, so I was excited by the idea of exploring the process of creating those characters - for myself as well as for my readers!

MODERATOR: Where can readers find this book?

Elaine: You can find out more about the book at my web site: www.elainemariealphin.com. Just click on Creating Characters Kids Will Love. The title will be a featured alternate in the Writer's Digest Book Club in October and will be on bookstore shelves then. I think you can pre-order it from Amazon.com now.

MODERATOR: Since I've seen a pre-publication copy and was so impressed with its practical nuts-and-bolts ideas, I'd really like for you to tell our viewers about a few sections they might find helpful.

Elaine: I think it's important that we, as writers, read (and not just how-to books!) and also that we write - that we practice our craft. So throughout the book I have "Read the Pros" recommendations that point writers toward specific books that exemplify the point I'm making. For example, in showing readers the importance of dialogue, I recommend reading the opening of The Master Puppeteer. Because it's important that we write and not just read about the process, I also have "Try it Yourself" sections - for example, writing a conversation between two characters, first without any tag lines or action, then choosing one character to be the main character and rewriting the scene adding his or her thoughts and feelings, then rewriting the scene adding action that reveals the other character. These writing exercises can be done for fun, or can lead directly to stories or to characters you can use in a story or novel you're working on.

MODERATOR: Now... where do story characters come from?

Elaine: Story characters come from you, the writer. They come from the people you've met, and the people you've seen. I see story characters walking to school, or shopping at the mall, or biking or skating in my cul-de-sac. I close my eyes and I can see story characters in my memory - the kid I used to be and the kids I knew then. Parents can find story characters in the children they've raised, and teachers can find them in the kids they've taught. I think that believable characters are born from real people all around us.

MODERATOR: First, can you explain the rule we often hear about "show, don't tell" and how that applies to characters?

Elaine: It's so tempting to start out by telling the reader how old Cameron is, that he's the son of a serial killer, that he's been abused, that he's scared, and all that. But telling those facts won't make the reader believe in him. Instead, you need to show him through his actions and what he says and does. This is part of what I wrote at the opening:

He chose the Lacey family because of the sailboats. For as long as he could remember, he'd dreamed of sailing. He imagined it would feel like flying. He knew about the sailboards because he'd seen them in the newspaper photographs he found in the filing cabinet in the cellar. He had read everything about the boys, all the clipped articles on yellowing newsprint, all the magazine features on slick paper so limp it had lost its gloss. He wasn't the greatest reader. He couldn't remember much about starting school, but he knew he'd been kept back. One of the boys had tried to help him with his reading once, and he'd gotten better, but he didn't like to think about that. The boy was in the cellar now with the others and he didn't have to think about him anymore. He could think about sailing instead.

Readers believe what they see - not what they're told. Hopefully they'll see Cameron because they can get inside his head.

ToniBuzzeo: Hi Elaine. What were your particular challenges in building the character of Cameron?

Elaine: Hi Toni! The biggest challenge was in being honest with the reader about his abuse and about his knowing what his father had done while he had failed to help the boys and still making him a sympathetic character. Also, he has a confused memory, and setting up the clues in that memory and letting them slowly come into focus for him as they do for the reader was a big challenge.

Leslie Guccione: Elaine, does it bother you when readers assume YOU are your characters or situations are drawn from your life?

Elaine: That's a wonderful question, Leslie! When I'd visit schools after writing The Ghost Cadet people were often shocked that I wasn't Miss Leota, the grandmother in the book, as they'd assumed! After I got over being surprised at that reaction, I've got to say I was flattered that they believed the characters so much that they thought one of them must be me! And, honestly, there's a little bit of me in just about every character I write. I think there has to be, in order to give each character life.

Pat McAlister: How much of all this (Cameron's inner thinking) did you know BEFORE you started writing? Or did most of it come to you as you wrote?

Elaine: Hi Pat - glad you made it! I knew Cameron very well before I started writing. I dreamed about him, and I'd wake up knowing what he was thinking and feeling. When I really get caught up in a character, I tend to go around talking to him, or talking to other characters as that character myself! I guess I get lost in the character as I write, so that I do become him (or her).

pasthelp: It's been said that you write from real life, or your own childhood. What if your childhood wasn't a happy one?

Elaine: Hi pasthelp - you raise a good point. Not everyone has had a happy childhood. But not all your readers are having happy childhoods as they read. These kids don't want to read about perfect families and happy children. They want to read about kids in situations they can relate to. If you can look back at your memories of your childhood and see the events that shaped you, that made you change and grow into the person you've become, then you can still write about those memories, even if they're painful. In fact, sometimes writing about them, and allowing a character inspired by your memory to find a way to resolve what was an unresolved situation for you at the time, can bring closure to you as a writer, as well as creating a strong story that troubled kids will relate to.

ToniBuzzeo: Elaine, this "slowly coming into focus for the reader as they do for Cameron": was this a REVISION step or did you manage it, at least partially, first time through?

Elaine: Since the resolution of the story situation entirely depends on those clouded memories coming into focus for Cameron as well as the reader, I think I managed it at least partially the first time through, and then improved it during the revision process.

Maudy: Do you totally create the character BEFORE you begin to write the story?

Elaine: Hi Maudy - that's a very good question. I create a great deal of the character before I begin writing because I feel the need to know my character and what he'll do and why. If I just know what I want him to do, he may turn out wooden and unbelievable. The more I know about him in advance, the more the story will spring from the character's wants and needs and fears and hopes than from mine.

MODERATOR: How do you show characters to your reader through their actions?

Elaine: I think we form opinions about the people we meet in real life based on what they do. And readers decide what they think about story characters the same way. Characters are rarely passive. They do things that move the plot forward. And every character will do those things in a different way. In a baseball game, one kid will be skilled at batting, another will be clumsy catching a ball and runs like a wounded elephant (but cheers for the team no matter what happens), while another will swing at anything and strike out immediately and spend the rest of the inning sitting on the bench reading a book. Perhaps the first kid has a parent who practices with her. Perhaps the second has a physical defect, but loves the game. Perhaps the third would rather be sitting at home at the computer, but her parents expect her to get out and play a team sport. By seeing how each character acts, the reader forms opinions about them and starts to care about them.

MODERATOR: How do you show characters to your reader through their thinking?

Elaine: We also judge people by what they think - and by whether or not we agree with them. Just mention the word politics in an election year and people will certainly reveal themselves! Kids are the same way. Real people come equipped with a basic philosophy and with strong opinions, so readers need to understand our characters' basic philosophy and how it's developing and decide whether or not they agree with the character's opinions in order to see them clearly. You show your main character's thoughts clearly, since you're focused in his or her POV (that's point of view) but you show your secondary characters' thoughts through what they say, and also through what the main character thinks of them.

MODERATOR: How do you show characters to your reader through their dialogue?

Elaine: Dialogue shows so much about your characters! It can reveal their thoughts, but it can also reveal how they disguise their thoughts in talking to someone they don't trust. Combined with action, with posture, or with facial expressions, dialogue shows a lot more about a character than he or she might intentionally reveal! But it's important to remember that your character isn't just saying what you want him or her to say in order to move the plot forward. Speech, like action and thoughts, have to come from the character's own personality and motivation.

MODERATOR: How much of that showing comes from observation?

Elaine: it's definitely helpful to observe real kids - my character of Benjy in The Ghost Cadet came from a boy who lived across the street from me. I'd sit in my office and watch him come home from school and watch the specific ways he vented his frustration in the yard when his older sister was too busy with her own friends to play with him. And Benjy was born! So I strongly recommend observing kids. In addition to observing kids from the outside, though, I find it's helpful to examine things like action yourself. Whenever I have a character do something important, I try to do it myself or at least mime it (moving my hands and arms and legs, and paying attention to how I do it) and break down the steps so I can describe them clearly.

bubba: Do you feel like a character can't be 3-D unless you can feel emotions for him/her?

Elaine: Yes, I do Bubba - I think as a writer you need to know what your character feels and understand and even empathize with him or her.

lukel: Do you sketch all characters first?

Elaine: Hi lukel! I'm no artist! But I do draft a character sketch, determining most of my character's personality traits.

Mom of 3: What is the first step you take when you need a new character?

Elaine: Mom of 3, that's a good question, because it depends on whether I've already got a plot or whether I'm starting out with a character and expect to work up the plot later. Usually the first thing I ask is what does the character want, or what does the character need and why does he or she want or need this. That provides the driving motivation that will carry the character through everything that follows.

smoranville: What would cause you to choose to write in the first person versus the third person point of view?

Elaine: Hi smoranville - that's a very good question too, but without a very easy answer, I'm afraid. Whichever voice you use, you stay anchored in your main character's perspective, but the first person voice allows your character's inner voice to shine through. It's a real challenge, however, because you have to make sure that every word or phrase is exactly what your character would think or say. When it works, it gives your story a powerful sense of immediacy. The third person voice still lets the reader share the character's emotions, but it's a less obtrusive voice, and it's often easier to achieve. A writer friend, Nancy Werlin, told me something very interesting about choosing her voice in two YA novels. In her Edgar-award winning The Killer's Cousin, she said she chose to write in the first person because she didn't know or understand her teen main character well enough. The first person forced her to get right inside of him. In her recent Locked In, she chose to write in the third person because she knew the main character too well and wanted a little distance from her in order to make the story work.

Pat McAlister: Do you try to achieve as much depth of character for your villain as for your hero (using those generic terms loosely)?

Elaine: Hi Pat - as you know, I'm working on a difficult villain right now! Yes, you need to try to achieve as much depth of character for the villain as for the hero, and you do it much the same way. You make the hero believable by giving him or her some flaws as well as some strengths. And you do it for the villain by giving him or her some redeeming characteristics as well as his or her villainy. A two-dimensional villain who's mean for no reason is a cardboard villain that the reader won't believe in and the main character won't really feel threatened by. But a complex antagonist who acts out of desperation and pain will be harder for the main character to handle and more satisfying to overcome. In some instances, your villain may even change and grow in the end, just as your hero will.

pasthelp: What if you start on one character and another's personality is so strong it overwhelms the first?

Elaine: That can happen sometimes, pasthelp. When it does, you have to ask yourself why it happened. Is it because your main character was too simple, too driven by you as the writer, instead of from within? And perhaps the other character was acting more out of himself? In that case, you might strengthen your main character and go on from there. But maybe you chose the "wrong" (for lack of a better term) main character to begin with, and this other character should have been your main character all along. That's an exciting discovery to make, and it can change, and deepen, your whole book.

Tweaker: Elaine, your suggestion for acting things out is terrific! Can that work for miming something like child abuse as well?

Elaine: Hi Tweaker - glad to see you. Well, I didn't act out the abuse because I didn't actually write it graphically in the book. But I used similar physical activities as a frame of reference. I was more thinking in terms of the action in an action novel - such as the sailing action in Counterfeit Son, and the fight at the end. I worked that out with my husband. And in my new Civil War ghost story, Ghost Soldier, I borrowed my husband's antique musket and practiced firing and reloading and firing to write the battle scene.

MODERATOR: In your book, you tackle character motivation immediately in the first chapter. Why is this so important?

Elaine: Character motivation is the heart of what makes a story work or not! Writers are like directors in a play - we know what we want our character to do and where we want them to move to, so we're tempted to just pick them up and move them around in order to get them there, much like pulling the strings of a group of marionettes. But if that's all we do, we end up with two-dimensional characters who are less believable than a row of marionettes dangling from their storage hooks. Characters come alive for readers when we as writers know their motivation - why they want to do or say what the writer wants them to do or say. A character's thought process has to be as believable as our own.

MODERATOR: I know my story line, and I'm writing a plot-driven story, like a mystery. How much do I really need to know about the characters' back story? Can't any kid react and move the plot forward?

Elaine: Sure - any kid can react and move the plot forward, but every kid would do it in a different way. You need to know the character's back story in order to know how this particular kid will react believably. Take a mystery involving hidden treasure - your character finds a map, follows it up and ultimately finds the treasure. That's pretty flat. Then you get into the back story. Marc needs the treasure because he wants to buy a bike. His best friend got a new dirt bike and now he's hanging out with other kids and has no time for Marc. But Marc's also scared of the dark, and the treasure is in a dark cave. If only he could get his friend to go with him! But will the kid leave his new friends to help Marc? Or will Marc go to a different character, perhaps a neighbor he hadn't paid attention to before and solicit her help? Knowing your character's back story insures that he or she will move the plot forward believably and lifts a mundane story into the realm of an interesting story.

MODERATOR: In your new book, you say the heart of character development happens when your plot problem runs on two levels. [Chapter 6] Why is this deeper level so important?

Elaine: If your story only operates on one level - the action of Marc searching for the treasure - then both reader and editors will find the story superficial. The deeper level is the resolution of the character's internal problem - and this is what will illuminate the character's change and growth at the story's resolution. Marc wants to find the treasure in order to hold onto a person who may be gone from his life. Perhaps he will discover not only hidden treasure, but also the hidden truth that friends sometimes go in different directions and that growing apart isn't the end of the world, because you're open to new friendships, like that neighbor. Or perhaps his friend will get caught up in the search, and Marc will realize that they're still friends after all. His friend is the real treasure, and he just needed to reach out to him in order to hold on. Either way, Marc doesn't just find the treasure, he grows and changes because of the actions he takes in order to achieve his goal. His inner problem is what makes the story unique and meaningful.

MODERATOR: How can writers make their readers really care whether the main character solves the problem or not?

Elaine: The easiest way to make the reader care is to make the main character care. Something must be at stake for the character - something he wants, something he needs, something he desires, something he'll lose if he fails. The more critical the problem is to the main character, the more eagerly the reader will turn the page, desperate to find out What happens next? If Marc had plenty of money and could go out and buy a bike, or his friend had never turned to other activities and friends, then there would be no need for Marc to look for the treasure in the first place. And both Marc and the reader would lose interest in the story by about the second paragraph.

bubba: Are there any "tricks" to making the reader empathize with your character in his/her situation?

Elaine: That's a good question, Bubba - I think the main trick is being very honest about the character's feelings. By being vivid and honest, you can surprise the reader into seeing someone real when he or she expected to see a more superficial character. One "trick" that you can use, however, is humor. Humor opens up the reader's emotions and when the reader laughs, he's ready to cry as well. So you can open him up by making him laugh and then surprise him with some realistic truths about the character that he will accept.

Ducky: Can't a boy just want a dog without a deep underlying motive?

Elaine: If you're writing for very small children, Ducky, sure a boy can just want a dog. But as your audience gets older, the motivations become more complex. Why can't he have a dog? Why is the dog so important? If the dog isn't important and he can't have one, why not write about something more important to him and, by extension, more important to the reader? Remember, kids care about things deeply. To engage their interest in your story, you have to appeal to their deep feelings.

elsamarston: It's often said that characters seem to take on lives of their own--that the author can't predict or control. How do you reconcile this idea with the view that the author should know a great deal about each character and how he/she will behave, even before writing?

Elaine: That's easy - as authors we know so much about the characters that we know things on different levels. We know some things consciously, and we know some things subconsciously. This comes into play when you try to make the character do something you thought was essential, but he refuses to do it! He wants to do something else. He has just surprised you. This is a wonderful moment! When it happens, let him do it and see what happens. Often he'll do something that's more effective than what you had in mind in the first place. But he's only been able to surprise you because you knew him so well. After all close friends surprise us all the time. And we surprise ourselves, also. It's no wonder our characters do it.

amelda: Do you have any advice for a writer who has lost interest in a character she is writing about right in the middle of the story?

Elaine: Hi amelda - that's quite a problem! I think the best thing to do is ask yourself why you cared about the character when you first started writing the story. See if that character is really three-dimensional. If not, develop him or her more fully to make the character more quirky and interesting to you first! Only then will the character be interesting to the reader, after all. If that doesn't work, ask yourself why the story itself interested you in the beginning and see if putting a completely different character in the same situation will rekindle your interest. If this is a story you've been working on for a very long time, of course, it may be that you have outgrown it, and it's something you should put aside in favor of a new project. But if you still care, try making your character more quirky and give him or her more motivation and more complications to overcome, and see if the character suddenly perks up. Good luck!

Maudy: Do you know the ending of you story before you begin to write or do your characters take you there?

Elaine: Most of my stories are mysteries or suspense stories, Maudy, so yes, I almost always know the ending before I begin to write, because that type of plotting calls for it. However, my characters have to take me there. While I may know the ending (whodunit, so to speak), I am often surprised by the things my characters do en route to solving the mystery, and I'm willing to experiment with following where they may lead me.

SuzanneLie: Even if you have a plot - doesn't plot follow character and not vice versa?

Elaine: Hi SuzanneLie! I'm glad you could make it. You're asking a chicken or the egg question: Which comes first, plot or character? I believe they are inextricably intertwined. The character determines the actions that move the plot forward, but the situation in which the character finds himself or herself determines the characteristics of the character. For example, I couldn't have a perfectly ordinary fourteen-year-old boy who likes baseball and sailing in Cameron's situation - the situation has damaged him severely, and has impacted on his character. At the same time, a boy who had no hope wouldn't move the plot forward. I think you have to work with both at the same time, and know where you want to go, and who you want to get there with.

amelda: I am very against using profanity in my writing, but when I am dealing with a very angry character, am I weakening my scenes by NOT using profanity?

Elaine: That's a terrific question, amelda, and one that children's writers must be concerned with. First, it depends on the age you're writing for. Basically, whether you're morally against profanity or not, you can't use it for young readers. For teens, however, you're in the hot seat. Many teens swear - should your characters? If they do, you run the risk of having librarians forced to remove your book from their shelves. But to me the real question is - do you need to? I recall a scene in one of Sandy Asher's books. I think it was Everything is Not Enough, in which I remembered a violent character swearing. I mentioned it to Sandy once, and she said to look at it again - he had never said a single swear word. The tone of the dialogue, and the violence in the scene made it seem as if he'd been swearing. But she hadn't had to write it that way. So, no, amelda - if you write your scenes with strength and let your characters express their emotions with non-swear words without minimizing those emotions, you're not undercutting your scene at all.

MODERATOR: Does every character in a novel have to have lots of in-depth characterization? Who gets how much?

Elaine: A novel, as opposed to a short story, is like a world in microcosm - you have lots of characters of varying importance. The main character is the most important, of course, and this character should be developed in the greatest depth. The cast of characters spreads out around this character like rings spreading out from a stone thrown into a lake. The rings closest to the stone are the characters closest to the main character, and are sharply defined. These would be the main character's best friend, her enemy, her enemy's friends, her family, and so forth. The reader should know the best friend and the enemy almost as well as he knows the main character. As the rings get farther away from the stone in the lake, they get fainter. The characters at the outer rings from the main character get the least development. Basically, they're place holders - you need a school crossing guard or a bus driver, but they simply disappear when they're not on stage, and the reader doesn't miss them, so they need very little characterization - perhaps the bus driver always has a can of soda in the cup holder and the kids know every morning that he's going to spill it on himself. That's as much as he needs.

DrFred: Hi, Elaine. I have a question about secondary characters. Do you give them characteristics to suit the plot needs, or do you discover their characteristics in the same way as you do the lead characters?

Elaine: Hi DrFred! Good to see you! For me, secondary characters are often like variations on a theme. Their relationship to the main character works similarly to, or in counterpoint to, the character growth that the main character will undergo. I get to know the main secondary characters very well, working out what they want and need, and what their motivation is, just as I do for the main character. But for me they're in this story because they have something in common with the place the story is headed, so their characteristics and personality traits by necessity suit the plot development.

MODERATOR: I'm only writing a short story - how much characterization do I need to have?

Elaine: You need enough characterization for the reader to believe in the character. This forces you to focus on significant details about the character. If it's a school story, you may know that your character likes visiting her grandparents' farm during the summer. But this may never come up at school, so you wouldn't put it in the story. Ask yourself what information about your character is relevant to the story problem and will help him or her resolve it. That's the characterization that your reader needs - and wants - to know.

MODERATOR: But this is a 500-word story for little kids - how deeply do I have to develop my characters? I can't use too many words for this.

Elaine: Magazine stories and picture books for the smallest children don't need as much characterization. They tend to deal with universals that help the reader instantly identify with the character and the situation. What's important about characterization for these small readers is potency. The main character must want something, even if it's something simple, and must find a way to empower herself so that she gets it. At least, that's the way picture book author/illustrator Jean Gralley explained it to me - and judging from her success with this age group (just look at her book Hogula), I think she's got a wonderful point.

DebO: What do you mean by 'universals'?

Elaine: Universals are something like a child wanting a friend. Every child wants a special friend, so every reader can immediately identify with that situation.

MODERATOR: In short stories with limited word counts, how can you use character description to do "double duty" or even triple?

Elaine: Start by deciding what the character's most important personality traits are in the context of the story and look for ways to make the description both show the character and emphasize his personality at the same time. For example, treasure-hunting Marc is broke. You could spend a paragraph explaining why his dad doesn't make as much money as his friend's dad, and then go on to describe Marc's appearance, or you could just show the reader the holes in the elbows of Marc's sweatshirt and the frayed edges of his jeans and his too long bangs, and the reader will see that he hasn't got much money and is saving what he has. Keep the focus on significant detail - unless his height will help or hinder him in finding the treasure, it may not matter that he's the shortest boy in his class.

MODERATOR: How do you come up with character names? How unusual do they have to be?

Elaine: Especially in a short story where you're making details count, your character's name can give the reader an instant impression of her personality. You could name the class president Victoria, for instance. The surname counts, too. If her last name is Shepherd, readers might expect her to be a caring leader. If her last name is Nixon, readers who know their history may expect her to be conniving! Unique names can also help reader recognize secondary characters, but you don't have to go overboard. What matters most is being sure you use contemporary names. Dick and Jane may have been commonly accepted in the past, but they're out of vogue right now. A great place to get names is in your local newspaper. Look for articles about kids in the community or student athletes, or kids on the honor roll.

MODERATOR: I love animal stories, but editors say "no talking animals." How can I write believable animal stories that editors will buy?

Elaine: Start by giving your animal something to say - a reason to be a character. Give him a believable story problem and a personality that isn't limited to his animal identity. The reason editors dislike talking animal stories is because too many inexperienced writers (no one here, of course) expect the animal's cuteness to take the place of character development. Try to avoid alliterative names, too - that's just another way of shortchanging the reader on character depth. Instead of Freddy Fish, learn a little more about your fish character. Is he a clown fish with a terrible sense of humor? You might call him Joker. Believable personality traits will make editors like your talking animals as much as you do.

MODERATOR: You also talk in your book about creating "other worldly" characters like aliens and robots for sci-fi stories, or talking toys for picture books. How can you make readers care about these non-human characters?

Elaine: Have fun with your robot or toaster. Give them such quirky personalities that their humanity is only limited by their wiring. Just as with a child character or an animal character, an otherworldly or even apparently inanimate character should struggle to resolve a problem and grow and change in the process. But don't try to disguise didactic intentions by animating Christopher Comb to teach Timmy (and the reader) to comb his hair. Readers won't believe in Christopher and won't comb their hair or read the story. If you write about a talking comb, let it be Ludwig von Comb who yearns to sing, not talk, and who has to persuade Timmy that they can make beautiful music together.

MODERATOR: I love that! Elaine, when writing for kids, do we always have to keep adults completely out of the picture?

Elaine: Adults are a constant part of a kid's life, and you don't have to bar them from your stories. You just have to keep them in their place. It's a great temptation to let the wise adult tell the kid how to solve his problem. Resist this temptation. Let your adults be fallible rather than preachy - human, in other words. Let them make mistakes. And if they are wise, let them treat the kid with respect. Let them acknowledge his abilities and his potential, and give him room to grow, rather than pushing him into it. Above all, let your adults be quirky. Perhaps your football coach rescues stray cats and keeps them at his house until he can find the right home for each one.

MODERATOR: I'm truly sorry, but we're out of time tonight. The moderator box is still PACKED with questions. We must have Elaine back! Be sure to look for Elaine's transcript this weekend. Thank you so much for coming tonight, Elaine, and sharing your expertise with us on creating memorable characters!

Elaine: Thanks for letting me visit with you!

MODERATOR: Do come back in two weeks on September 28 when Fred Bortz (Dr. Fred) will be here to talk about "Writing for Children About Nature, Science, and Technology." His books and articles tell exciting true stories of discovery, technology, and people. Dr. Fred's packed web site can be explored at http://www.fredbortz.com. You won't want to miss this interview! And now, good night, everybody!

Return to Transcripts

93 Long Ridge Road, West Redding, CT 06896
Phone: (203) 792-8600 (800) 243-9645
Fax: (203) 792-8406
E-Mail: WebEditor@institutechildrenslit.com

Copyright � The Institute, Inc., 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
No part of the electronic transmission to which this notice is appended may be reproduced or redistributed in any form or manner without the express written permission of The Institute, Inc.