During the month of May, several authors have been invited to help kick off my mystery-trivia book tour. Today my guest is mystery writer, Wendy Gager. Read what Wendy has to say about the importance of character in a novel. Wendy writes the Mitch Malone series. A Case of Volatile Deeds will be out this fall. Welcome, Wendy.
Books must have good plots, great characters and a unique setting to propel readers to buy the next book, but which of these is most important? For me, a setting or plot is immaterial without memorable characters. Especially in a mystery, characters drive the action and in the quest to find the murderer it is all about inner flaws, hidden agendas, and masked evil.
Think about your favorite book. Who immediately comes to mind? The characters, not the setting or plot. To demonstrate, look at the Harry Potter series that is heavily plot driven. What did you think of? Or should I say who? Did Harry, Hermoine and Ron pop up in three D? Or maybe the villainous Snape or Voldemort? The magical quests or the phenomenal wizarding worlds created are important to the story but not the first thing. Would these seven books have captured the attention of billions had they not had great characters like an orphan with abusive guardians, a middle child lost in a sea of siblings, or a bookworm ostracized by her intelligence? Hogwarts, the Forbidden Forest, and the Burrow are great settings but lose their meaning without the characters. The plot is nothing but good triumphing over evil. Granted they are both told in great detail and skill but the characters steal the show with their personalities.
In the mystery genre think about the master of mystery, Agatha Christie. Naming several of her books is easy. However, it isn’t the setting but who the sleuth was. Miss Marple or Hercule Poirot come to mind immediately. Their foibles like Hercule’s fastidiousness or Miss Marple’s spinsterhood aren’t easily forgotten. They made great sleuths because of their character traits of observation and intellect.
Characters in my mind are much more important than setting or plot. When someone asks about a favorite book, you don’t say “I loved the scene where the car tipped over.” Instead you say I loved Rhett Butler in “Gone with the Wind” because his last line was perfect. Or, I get annoyed with Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum because she can’t make a decision on who she is going to marry. Characters carry the show. Make them memorable and readers will clamor for the next book.
W.S. Gager has lived in Michigan for most of her life except when she was interviewing race car drivers or professional woman’s golfers. She enjoyed the fast-paced life of a newspaper reporter until deciding to settle down and realized babies didn’t adapt well to running down story details on deadline. Since then she honed her skills on other forms of writing before deciding to do what she always wanted with her life and that was to write mystery novels. Her main character is Mitch Malone who is an edgy crime-beat reporter always on the hunt for the next Pulitzer and won’t let anyone stop him. “A Case of Hometown Blues” was released this summer when Mitch returns to where he grew up only to have his high school crush killed after he drops her off at home in the early hours of the morning. “A Case of Volatile Deeds” will be out this fall and Mitch must figure out who killed his date in an explosion.
Join me tomorrow for Kaye George who also writes about The Importance of Character Development.
My three mystery trivia books have been updated and reissued by LL-Publications: The Agatha Christie Triviography and Quiz Book, The Alfred Hitchcock Triviography and Quiz Book, and The Sherlock Holmes Triviography and Quiz Book. Post a comment on my blog by June 1, and your name will be entered in a drawing for one of my trivia books. Three names will be drawn, one for each book.
Thanks for having me today. Characters are near and dear to my heart!
Wendy
W.S. Gager on Writing
You're most welcome, Wendy. It's true, when I think of Agatha Christie's mysteries, I think of her two endearing sleuths, then those quaint village settings (Miss Marple) and sometimes exotic locales (Poirot). Looks like Mitch Malone is one of those unforgettable characters who grabs readers and takes them for a memorable ride.
Wendy thanks for sharing about the importance of characters, and balancing that with setting. I sometimes feel that it depends on if the plot is character driven or action driven. What do you think?
Tina: I still believe characters drive everything even the action. If the action doesn't fit with the character, the plot falls apart and seems unrealistic and unfulfilling. If they are making giant leaps or are doing a bunch of fighting but their character doesn't have previous skill, it doesn't work. The action has to be tailored to what the character knows and believes for it to work. Thanks for such a great question!
Wendy
W.S. Gager on Writing
Great points, Wendy. And in a book like HP, one could argue that Hogwarts is a character, itself! That's what I tried to emulate with Bloomington, IN in my first novel. Funny how some characters are harder to write than others, too. Why are the bad guys always easier to write???
Wendy, You nailed it. Without good characters, the book would be pretty one-dimentional. You've done a wonderful job with your characters and I really enjoy the Mitch Malone series.
I agree with you on characters. They carry the story. There are plenty of other things that are essential, but I write and read character driven stories.
Great post.
Red: Yes Hogwarts is a character too. Great imagination in the moving staircases and talking portraits. My last book, A Case of Hometown Blues, used the setting as a character as well. All about how things look different when you return as an adult but have the memories of a child haunting you.
As for bad guys being easier to write because they are more one-dimensional. They only make bad choices. Good guys are more complex and make good and bad decisions based on information, background and other influences.
Marja: So good to hear from you. Was at your blog earlier this week and loved the post on writing but my internet died before commenting and I didn't make it back. Thanks for being such a fan of Mitch. It means so much!
Wendy
W.S. Gager on Writing
Helen: Thanks for stopping by. I suspect we all make our reading choices based on character but don't realize it.
Wendy
W.S. Gager on Writing
I just returned and was delighted to read the discussion involving good and bad guys. Bad guys, and gals, are the most fun for me to write because, I can make them appear as fine upstanding citizens until they slip up and expose their true selves. Often bad guys were good guys who found themselves trapped and believed their only way out was to commit a drastic crime, usually murder. Then there are those who are rotten to the core; the kind we love to hate like James Moriarty in the BBC Holmes series.
And hi to Helen. We met in Austin years ago.
I, too, prefer complex bad guys, or at least ones you could understand–ones who have gotten into situations you might possibly imagine yourself in. Love to write bad guys! I like writing noir short stories because I can BE the bad guy.
So, always write in some character trait that is memeorable in some way? I think setting can be effective too, though for different reasons liek making sure your readers are a)not bored b) following the action or quirky plot development.
Good point, Nancy. Writer Jenny Milchman who was my guest on May 16 wrote on the importance of setting in which she said that a great setting can become a "character" in itself.
With any genre the characters are the most important. I design my characters in detail before I ever begin writing.
Wendy,
I'm with you all the way. In my opinion, characters are more important than plot or setting. The characters in "Mixed Messages" are like friends to me; I hope my readers will feel the same way about them.
Hi L. Diane,
Thanks for stopping by. How do you design your characters? I'm amazed at writers who can do this. It's a truly a talent. I usually wait for my characters show up. Fortunately, they always do.
Hi Patricia,
Sounds like Ann Kern just might do it for you. Thanks for stopping by.
Kaye: I would so not want to meet you in a dark alley. Could be very dangerous. Thanks for stopping by!
I have a love/hate relationship with my main character Mitch Malone. I really like him at times but he can be so brutal on people's feelings at others that he is more villainous. He always comes around in the end though. I do have characters that just won't leave me alone too.
I agree, Wendy–a great, subtle, memorable, not stock character can give a story such staying power. Thanks for the post!
Thanks so much for stopping by!Your Made it Moments are great because they show the author's character!
Wendy
W.S. Gager on Writing
It is so true! It's never the plot, and always the character that makes it memorable. My two-second brain often fails to supply the what happened of a book or movie, but I have no problem recalling the protagonist. Why? It'll be something they did, a quirk, or trait or flaw that stays with me. It's those same things that make me want to revisit them.
Sound advice for any author, Wendy. Thank you!
Characters do rule the story as far as I'm concerned. I can buy into the most unbelievable plot line if the characters are engaging enough.
I'm with you Anne. I can't remember the title or author but I can the characters, too. (I probably shouldn't admit I have a tough time matching authors and their work!)Thanks for stopping by!
Wendy
Isn't that the truth! Stephanie Plum pulls me in every time and I know she is going to blow up a car. No one can have that kind of luck, bad luck anyway!
Wendy
W.S. Gager on Writing
And Stephanie eats DONUTS!. Oh, my gosh, I wish I could do that!
I love character driven books. Balanced with a lot of action of course. Character arc is very important to me. They have to overcome internal and external struggles along the way, otherwise, they die. Its that simple.
Stephen,
Who are your favorite characters; what are your favorite character-driven books?
You're so right…when I think of a favorite book, I think of a character in that book, not the book per se.
Tess, Thanks for stopping by. It's characters hands down!
Diane: Thanks for the comments. I have friends who fill out a 10 page form on their characters as part of the design. I'm not that sophisticated. I usually have a good idea of their traits but like Kathleen, I also go with the flow when they are speaking to me.
Wendy
Kathleen: I had so much fun. Thank you for hosting me and thank you all for your comments. It was fun talking good and bad characters.
Wendy