Build Your Story

Recently I came across some old photos. I think photos can be helpful when you're trying to develop a character. You can also look at the picture and, in your mind, build a story around the people or scenery. I've recently been going through old family photos, deciding which to keep, which to throw away, which to make copies of and send to relatives.

I sent some to my nephews, including a picture of their mother, my next older sister, Cathy. It was her high school graduation picture and she was beautiful. I hung my copy up on our wall of family pictures. There are three other pictures I want to make copies of and send out. One is of my oldest sister, Gordonna, and the next sister, Cathy, and me. In one, we're all sitting on the grass. In the other, we're standing and Gordonna's holding me on her shoulder. I also have several pictures of Gordonna by herself. And then there's the youngest sister, Molly. I have pictures of her, too. I came across a picture of  Molly, Cathy and me together. OMG. Molly's hair was beautiful. She's always beautiful. Cathy and I … well, I’m not showing that picture. Where in the world did I get that hair? I know when I give Molly a copy of that picture, she's going to laugh. And laugh and laugh.

I have so many pictures that I've taken from the Grand Canyon to San Francisco to New York.

So what does this have to do with writing?

If you write characters or scenes that are true-to-life, they have to change over time. In one picture, I have a massive amount of hair, dark brown, all curly. It's now straight and blondish. I've changed. Your characters will change, too. Even ongoing characters may change from book to book. They can change hair color, or put on or take off weight. They might belong to one church, then start going to another. A character might be dating Jack, then they break up in the next book.

If it gets too complicated to keep track of who's who, what's what, names, etc., then create a "bible" for your book, especially if you're developing a series of books with the same protagonist. That way you can always refer to your "bible" when you're unsure about what happened in a past book or how a character has changed.

The late Helen Ginger (1952-2021) was an author, blogger, and the Coordinator of Story Circle Network's Editorial Services and writing coach. She was also a former mermaid. She taught public speaking as well as writing and marketing workshops. Helen was the author of Angel Sometimes, Dismembering the Past, and three books in TSTC Publishing’s TechCareers series.