The Process of Writing: Part Four

After this, if you haven’t already, you’ll need to develop your characters. For me this begins with creating my protagonist, the good guy. Once I have created a realistic persona for my protagonist, I set about creating an equally realistic or “deep” antagonist: the bad guy.

In creating my protagonist, I like to base the personality on someone or some set of “some ones” I know or admire.  I also find it useful to have an image of what I want my character to look like. You can do this by simply observing people or doing a Google search for images.

My first writing coach gave me an invaluable piece of advice, she told me to make sure my hero had flaws.  You have to resist the temptation of making your hero too good or your bad guy too bad.  No real person is ever all of either.

I’m going to attach the last installment of chapter one of DRT, then next post I will share the exercise I use to create my characters.

 

DRT pages 1-9( 9/9)

(Chapter One Cont…)

     He exchanged glances with Mac. “What’d’ya think?”

     “I think you should wear gloves.” He cleared his throat and chuckled. “I don’t believe in coincidences,” he answered. “Let’s get it back to the lab and see what the boys in cyber tech can do with it.”

     Rosie didn’t smile.  “Let’s just get it dried out and see if there’s anything on it.”

     Nate nodded and continued the swirl pattern outward to about ten to twelve feet from the body. Mac tracked his progress from the side, looking for anything that Nate may have missed.

     Nate positioned himself near the shoulders of the body directing Mac to the opposite side, near its knees. “Okay, let’s roll this fellow over and see who we have here.”

     Aided by the cold and rigor mortis, the body rolled easily and rocked onto its back like a saucer settling into place. Its hands and arms splayed, frozen above his head. Blue eyes stared unseeing through ice crystals into the night sky.

     “Whoa,” Nate said, “you know who this is?” He reached into the dead man’s pocket and retrieved his wallet. Opening it, he passed the ID to Mac.

     Mac forced air through pursed lips. “So, justice finally caught up to old Bobby.”

     “When did he get out of prison, anyway? I thought he got fifteen to life on his last jaunt to State.”

     “Yeah, fifteen, but only two fixed. He must have made parole.”

     “Only two years for child rape.” Nate shook his head. “Maybe he should’a stayed in prison.”