Your Character's New Aspect of Personality

Jack Heffron's The Writer's Idea Book, p.229, a prompt involves showing an aspect of a character's personality that readers haven't seen in the novel.  For example, if a character has been kind, considerate, and does everything right, show the opposite in a crucial scene.

Heffron talks about Tobias Wolff's Mary, "In the Garden of the North American Martyrs" where his character is "very nervous about landing a job teaching history at a college". She's been "agreeable, despite feeling a bit bullied by the hiring committee. In her final interview...she attacks, recounting the atrocities committed by Iroquois Indians, describing in detail their methods of torture. The chairman of the committee tries to stop her speech, but she persists, switching to the tone of a righteous prophet."

The character finally stands up for herself and the reader sees more depth in her. She presented "the surprising side to her personality" because she had been pushed to that point by old "hurts and losses that have nothing to do with the committee."

I highly recommend Wolff’s story. I read it years ago. Thanks to Jack Heffron for not only reminding me of that story but giving a prompt for deepening our character with a surprising aspect of personality.

Redwood Writers Conference

The CWC Redwood Writers Conference was informative, inspiring, and enjoyable. I attended four breakout sessions: "Historical Fiction: Stepping Back in Time" by Christopher Gortner, "Jumping into Mystery with Character" by Deborah Grabien, "Grammar: Don't Skip This Important Step" by Arlene Miller, "Revealing Character Through Dialog" by Ana Manwaring who filled in for Catherine Brady, Good setting, good company, good food makes for an outstanding conference.

Accepted in Las Positas College Anthology

Acceptance and rejection all in one day.

"Tiny Lights" sent a sweet, encouraging full page rejection letter for my two short story submissions. Susan Bono wrote, "Wow, big stories, Julaina". On one of the pages she gave me an important tip on how to improve the beginning Of "Life Support" which I appreciate. I took a chance because I knew both stories are controversial. Time to send them some place else. Someone out there might like the outside-the-box topics.

Before that rejection, I received the notice that Las Positas Anthology editors had accepted my story, "His Seeds'. I had never submitted to them before although several people had encouraged me to do so in the past. I revised the story yet another time, adding more sounds, smells, and textures before submitting. It must have helped.

Submit short stories

Check out www.Publishing syndicate.com. They are accepting true stories for three different anthologies. Submit your short stories that fit their themes. Published contributors are paid a share of royalties based on all e-book and print books sold.

The Movie "Footnote"

If you want great examples of internal struggle, see the movie, "Footnote". The son's struggle is evident from the start but at a moment of choice, one sees the father's inner turmoil reach a climax. Even minor characters, like the mother and the father's arch enemy have internal struggles. See it from a writer's point of view and you will marvel at the story.

More Humor

Not sure where I read or heard this one but I thought it was fun.

"The past, the present, and the future walked into a bar. It was tense."

Decades

Have you noticed that each decade in life creates new challenges, new adventures, new wisdom? You probably know your characters' ages, but have you thought about their decades? Not the historical decade but the decade of their life.

For example,a female in her forties sees life differently than a female in her early thirties or twenties. Personally, I remember on each birthday thinking about how I had changed in the previous ten years and I wondered what I would be feeling in the next one. The older I get, the more I've realized how my perspective had grown in particular areas each time. Often, it was a surprise. With more decade experiences, I now sense the change coming the night before my birthday and then a month later, I know how and where I'm shifting and what my choices might involve.

A character can be deepened if something about that particular decade in their life is interjected. Readers can relate if they are or have been in the same decade or know someone who is. Characters become more real with a universal familiarity.

Try it.