How to Create Characters for Your Character-Driven Novel - C. Patrick Schulze – Author of "Born To Be Brothers"

I suffer insecurities. I come from a long line of Obssessive Compulsives who never found the 'just right' anything. It took me most of my life to realize that it was not me who was not 'good enough' it was everything. One thing I constantly work on is to improve my sense of self-worth.

My daughter, who has evaded these OC's problems, works on my reassurance too. She is one of my beta-editors and she will tell me honestly, when I have missed the mark in my writing.

The very first opening was so much better than any of the successive five
openings. Quit changing it and move on.

That makes it so much easier to beleive when she says, "It's great the way it is."

Since she is busy with her two teaching jobs, one a math and science public academy sixth grade class for the gifted, and three evening classes for a University and then there is Notre Dame in the summer, I try not to bother her too much.

So, last night, when I was wondering if I did not have to re-write my protagonist, I googled him. You know, there is that 'if you Google it they will come" thing going. And, I came across C. Patrick Schulze's article on Creating Characters for your Character-driven novel. And, trust me, they all should be character driven.

Check it out at: How to Create Characters for Your Character-Driven Novel - C. Patrick Schulze – Author of "Born To Be Brothers" It's a great article.

Everyone has their own method of working

I would never get a book done if I hand wrote it, but everyone works in different ways. Everything about my book is on the computer: research, notes, manuscript, everything. My brain is jumping around so much that my 100+wpm typing can barely keep up. I love Word and the fact that it has a neat comments feature that allows me to share what I have written with my oldest daughter, who adds extremely invaluable comments.

All Middle Grade/Young Adult writers should have a teacher mentor. My daughter teaches math and science to sixth grade advanced students. She is also a writer and loves to read. Sorry, she is all mine. I cannot share my mentor.

The second thing you should have is a folder for Writing It and for Writing After. That is what I have labeled my two invaluable files of information. The first, Writing it, is articles and information to help me with plotting and all aspects of writing. The second, Writing After, is for all the things I need to do right, to successfully submit. my manuscript.

I do not wait until I am ready to write the synopsis or a query letter and then go searching for ‘how best to’ articles. I read and save information, I feel will be helpful for me in the future, when I need a break and am trolling writer’s sites, etc on the Internet.

And, the future is now!!! I have finished my outlines and am onto my synopsis.

I have kept a chart of what I felt were the things I needed to track for each chapter as I did my final twenty-something edits. In going through the “how to outline” folder though, I have found out that I saved a lot of stuff I did not need. So, first, I redid my chart.


I used a two column chart in MS Word. Above it, I have the chapter #, chapter title and the pages it covers. I.e. Chapter 3 – The Tunnel – pp. 17 to 25. Each chapter has its own chart so that I can print them out without breaks in a chart.

The first line of the chart gives the date it takes place and the conditions, or information about place. Since my fantasy has a lot of nature and outdoor locations, I put weather conditions in here, phases of the moon, etc.

Line two is titled Action, and it contains what happens in that chapter

Line three is Protagonist Development and details what is he anxious/fearful, etc about.

Line four is the characters that are in, or mentioned in, that chapter.

Line five is for key lines.

Line six is specifically for Foreshadowing. Since I am working on book one of a series, some foreshadowing is for future books and will say “Book 4” at end to remind me what book they will foreshadow. Some foreshadowing is for this book and I go back and run a line through it when I have completed the items foreshadowed.

The reason I settled on this is that it covers the items agents/editors want to see in a synopsis: Character, Motivation, Key Scenes, Character's blackest moments, resolution.

Next, I went from this chart outline to a chapter outline, where those notes are now in word form. i.e. “The brothers escape into a tunnel with Fergus MacDonald etc…” It is a dry outline and not for submitting to anyone. It is purely a “this is what happened.” From that dry outline, with its seven lines or less per chapter, I have created a two page short outline.

This outline is also not for submitting but is for following the Plot and Subplots to their conclusion. I have worded it a bit closer to what I would show an agent or editor but it still needs a lot of work to become a synopsis, but that is where I am heading right now. See you in a day or two.

And, if you are having trouble, keep trying until you find your own way.

Publisher's Questionnaire

I do not have a publisher yet, but am thinking seriously about marketing. A wise teacher I had stated to me that things come to you when you are ready for them. And, two days in a row now, blogs that I follow have been about marketing. Yesterday, I filled out my wish list for marketing my book, on Shrinking Violet Promotions. And, today BookEnds, LLC — A Literary Agency: An Author Questionnaire has a post regarding a publisher’s questionnaire.

I do not have an agent or publisher yet, as I am still in final edit and that is slowed by working on revamping my website, etc, etc. But, I thought the publisher’s questionnaire would be a good exercise. The brain kind--not the hip kind.

· What are the main points about you and/or the book that should be emphasized to the media?

My Middle Grade Fantasy (Yes, folks, it has decided it is DEFINITELY a Middle Grade fantasy) is about a boy has had enough of his life and with the help of two of his brothers, a half black dragon fairy, and a tiny deteriorating fairy he leaves for a new home, where he must grow to trust others and learn that being a friend means accepting help from others.

· Who so you think will buy your book (i.e. your market)?

I hope through word of mouth, and my promoting it to every library and school I can, that the children, approximately sixth grade, themselves will be the biggest instigation in purchasing my book.

· Are there any anniversaries, occasions or events upcoming to which we might tie publicity for your book?

The setting for my book is in a magical part of Yellowwood Forest. There is a real State Forest in Indiana called Yellowwood, but in my part of the forest, there is a grouping of trees that contain folks whose ancestors have walked the land, alongside humans, since the beginning of time. They live a primitive/self-sufficient life and hold with ancient festivals such as having a Beltane Bonfire celebration for the coming growing season and lammas for the harvest. The book actually begins with Imbolc, which is another name for Groundhogs day. Which just happens to be my birthday, and a very cold time of year that was needed to start my novel.

· What was your inspiration for the book?

The three grandsons I have taken into my home, and their struggles are the inspiration for my book. This, and the fact that I have been told that it is often the other students who know what is going on with a child, who is having problems at home, before any adults realize it. This caused me to wonder what I could do to inform children on the issue of abuse, while creating an entertaining story that they would want to read for it's own sake. The abuse is but a small portion of the book, really relegated to a few paragraphs of dialogue.

It is the ensuing struggle of a boy who has been neglected, by his family, and abused and his ensuing struggle to deal with a world he has been kept separate from, that is the heart of this first book in the series.

· What do you hope readers will learn/discover from reading your book?

As I was writing this book, I was having a wonderful time learning all sorts of things that lead to more new things to make the book enjoyable and create a solid world, with a history, for my characters to inhabit. It really wasn't until my "Master's teacher daughter" began helping me with the final edit, that I learned how much information I had snuck into the book. It was all just fun for me, but made the teacher in her jump for joy. She is currently working on a Teacher's guide to go with the book.

There are tie-ins with cave painting, Roma camps, ancient festivals, clothing from the 1700s, winter survival, Native American traditions such as gifting, and it is 9:30 and my brain is shutting down, so I will continue this later, along with the four questions I skipped.

So, good night to all. Dream of your own world to inhabit in your head.

Two sides to every writer; this one at least.

I am a loner and an introvert, like a lot of writer’s. This side of me is mute in social gatherings. I am working on my camouflage skills to I can fade into the wallpaper. This “social” me, has no idea what to say.

But the other side of me, almost like a split personality, is adept at speaking to large groups of people. This is the side that has taught art classes, both to college classes and in private situations of one sort or another, for twenty years.

I am not afraid to stand in a hall of one thousand people or before a group of four, or even at a reception with a glass of wine in my hand, as long as it is my subject; meaning, my art or my writing, or just the teaching of any of these.

So, the professional me is comfortable and knowledgeable and can even be funny and entertaining.

Now, if I could just get that professional me to teach the personal, introvert me how to talk in a personal setting, I can quit blending into the wall.

Submitting my novel to Master's Daughter

I am one third of the way through my line edit. Since the first chapter has been edited a gazillion times, and the last two chapters are not complete, it will get slower as I go. I thought though that you might like to see my instructions to Master’s Daughter, who is doing an edit of my book. She is a teacher, mother of three (four, counting her bear of a husband), and a knitter with a busy life. I decided to send her installments so she can edit them at her leisure and not open her email and go, “OH NO!!” She did know it was coming eventually.

Dear loving and patient daughter, who is doing me an enormous favor:

I am attaching my completed chapters 1 through 7.

I am basically doing my final edit (till the very last two chapters) and have completed the attached, so rather than flooding you will all of it at once, I thought submitting it in installments might be better.

Believe me, I know you are busy and this is low on your list. So, don't panic. "Oh, no. I have to grade papers, feed children, knit, enjoy life and here's this thing." Don't worry. Just grab it when you are in the mood.

Mainly, I need checks on punctuation, grammar, tense, etc.
Second, IF YOU WANT, mark up anything else that needs help.

I want honesty. Total honesty. Because if you think it's crap, and you have read a lot of sixth grade novels, then there is a good chance editors/agents will agree. I would rather turn around and start something new and "hopefully not crap", or fix this (if there are just minor problems) than waste time on something that is going nowhere. I will not be heartbroken, perhaps bent a bit, but not broken.

One thing they say is , it is good to have editors put their first gut feeling in places that are either like "Wow, awesome scene." "Really tense" "Boring and slow" "What the hell is this about?" "Don't understand" "You are the second coming of ***" or "Go take a course in advertising copy. Maybe you can write that."

If you catch anything wrong, please mark it. Like not wrapping up plot points or "What the heck is the Plot supposed to be."

Love you.
Mom