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| © Dan Wallace | Dreamstime Stock Photos |
Ever notice how some characters are immediately interesting
while others struggle to pull us in? I think a big part of the reason is, you
guessed it, BAGGAGE.
A. Give your characters baggage
Even if it’s just a small quirk, all characters
should be bringing something to the
book before we read that first page. This helps set their motivations and drive
their action. I’ll never forget my original beginning of the first book I
worked through with my crit group. It literally opened with my MC walking along
the beach, smiling.
Yikes! Where’s the tension? Where’s the
conflict? Things were too perfect (And honestly, they should have been anything
but. She was coming off a major solo journey that would have left anyone
nerve-wracked.). But young Nicole hadn’t wanted to give readers a glimpse of
that baggage right up front.
I learned.
I fixed it and completely changed the tone
by starting in a slightly different place and letting that baggage (perfectionist,
stubborn, weight of the world, mommy issues) influence her actions.
B. Let your readers see it, but don’t hit us
over the head with it
It’s important to share parts of the
characters’ baggage with readers – that’s what makes us sympathize with and
care for them – but you want to dole it out slowly, a little at a time. Info dumps
are not your friends. Did JK Rowling tell us all of Harry’s history in book
one? Did we know the full horror of the Hunger Games and Katniss’ personal
baggage with Peeta from the first page? Nope. But we knew some.
Everyone take out your “Show, don’t tell”
merit badges. This is where you earn them again and again. Show us your characters’ actions are influenced by their histories,
their fears or their faults. It advances the story and gives us a glimpse into their past.
