I am not going to share stories of my family. Nor, is this about my personal life. It is the family an author accumulates, both on the page and off, along with readers of their books.
Why you may ask is this important? Because the bottom line in life as in writing both fiction and non-fiction, is humanity and all of its complexities. Non-fiction introduces people and topics in an effort to educate as well as expand the knowledge of readers. Fiction is designed to entertain all manner of interests with a focus on bringing to life characters and situations that mirror real life.
Since my focus as an author of fiction is on the mysterious behaviors of my female characters, this is a reflection on the elements involved.
As mentioned by me in previous posts, and others who opine on the craft of writing, characters are the flesh and blood of any story. They must be realistic in order for readers to become involved in their worlds.
When building a plot, the central characters act in a preconceived fashion as they navigate the author’s vision. Male, female, adult, child each brings a picture to mind. However, without physical description, a reader won’t be able to envision them. And without a developed personality including likes, dislikes, background of family, education and influences, you only have a cutout, not a fully developed person.
All authors would like to find readers who appreciate their work. Understanding what they like and dislike to read can help in refining a plot. However, no two people are alike as no two books are alike. The challenge is to have a style and genre readers will find compelling, intriguing and be curious enough to try one of your books.
My families:
Friends – those who have followed my writing career as an author of novels featuring accomplished women. Some tell me what the find interesting and some what they would like to see more of. All comments help me when developing new projects.
Authors – Those writers with whom I share experiences and challenges with regard to developing some aspect of my novels, and increasingly important, tips on marketing my work to reach a wider audience of potential readers.
Retail outlets – bricks and mortar and online – The lifeblood of any author seeking a wider audience of readers.
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Originally published in Pat's Pithy Posts - March 2021
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