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When I first come up with an idea for a book, I generally write a brief description, usually only a paragraph or so. I have dozens of these in various stages, some of which I’ll use, some I’ll discard, and some will worm their way into other tales as secondary plots. One thing I always think about, however, is the main characters. To me, they are real people, with backstories and experiences. I prefer to not use the old ‘gifted young farmboy with magical powers’ approach, but I can see the allure for an author. After all, the young character requires little in the way of history, or at least that’s what people think.
However, real people are complex, and learning is lifelong. Can you honestly say you’re the same person you were twenty years ago? This is assuming, of course, that you’re old enough to say that at all. We are all influenced by those around us, both positively and negatively, and I try to incorporate that into my stories.
My characters also evolve, as do real people. They grow up, have relationships, maybe even get married and/or have children. Each character is an individual, the central figure in their own story if you will, and I hope that comes through in my writing.
Some even take on a life of their own, driving the storyline in unexpected directions. In my Heir to the Crown series, Albreda was initially intended to be a very secondary character, but I had so much fun writing her that I couldn’t let her disappear into the dustbin of history. Now, she even has her own origin story!
I mention this because, as I continue to work on Temple Knight, the characters are starting to come alive. I can’t just let them disappear once the story is done, so you can expect to see more of them in the future.
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