One of the most quoted phrases, if you will, includes a deleterious backstory that rivals any novelistic plot. Sir Thomas Overbury was a 17th century English poet and essayist. While imprisoned in the Tower of London, he was poisoned to death over a six-month period. Two years later, the murder was brought to court in a scandalous trial exposing intrigue and power moves by the guilty parties. Many writers and researches believe Overbury’s 1613 poem, “A Wife” played a part in the events leading to his untimely demise.
And this is where the adage of “beauty is only skin-deep” enters the stage, although Overbury’s “A Wife” poem said, “All the carnall beauty of my wife, Is but skin-deep.” The poem described the virtues a young man should seek in a wife. For anyone interested in learning more about the scheming players of the murderous real-life plot, the details of the woman who took offense are easily accessed online. The modern-day interpretation “beauty is only skin deep” remains close to Overbury’s inclinations, meaning that outward beauty and attractiveness doesn’t necessarily correlate to good character.
So, dear writers, let’s make another application of “skin deep beauty” in relation to the characters we create for our stories. In a parallel analysis, I’m thinking of shallow, skin-deep characters, and I don’t mean as in a personality trait. I’m talking about characters that remain merely flat and two dimensional. Yes, you’ve read them, no doubt, in your tome travels and/or travails! I’ve experienced characters that never really came to life between the pages. How can I invest in someone I feel not an iota of concern for, or connect to in any way—positive or negative? Plot alone can’t carry a story, as we all know. Plus, character is story and story is character. Plot is merely a device to reveal the characters as in how they react to stimuli in any given situation.
The main character in my second book, “The Years In Between,” told me the details of her story. I devised plot points and wrote them down in blocks representing chapters on a poster board. So, before I put pen to page for the actual story, I outlined events that I knew would be part of the main character’s life journey. But I also became familiar with this character who was integral to my first book. She’d been living with me for over five years, and now it was her turn for the limelight. I knew more about her than some of my real-life acquaintances. I understood her deep hurts, her loves, her second career choice, if she had to choose! And I knew what choices she’d make at the crossroads in her life! Sound crazy? I sure hope not, because that’s the intimacy you need with your characters to let them jump off the page and into the hearts and minds of your readers!
But, if you’re looking for some expert advice from bestselling authors, look no further! Here are a few suggestions, taken from masterclass.com for characterization that goes beyond skin deep. The online article, “7 Tips for Building Relationships Between Your Characters,” focuses on the interactions that inform readers about your characters. I’ve added my own thoughts on each point!
- Draw on your own life experience: Honestly, I’m a bit skeptical of this one. Yes, I think having a breath of knowledge and involvement in different relationships will allow for a better understanding of actions and reactions. But, a hired editor for my second book thought the crazy stuff that happened in my protagonist’s life was a mirror of my own. Seriously not! But she thought it was so believable, she assumed I drew from what I’d been through in life! Let’s take a step or two back. It’s called imagination! Don’t put bars on your creative process. See what your character sees. It doesn’t all have to come from your own life, but if you’re an observer there’s a wealth of knowledge, images, and ides in that creative mind of yours.
- Create a relationship arc. All characters are on a journey, whether physical, emotional, or mental. Give your characters choices and challenges to deepen their arc!
- Let outward character behavior come from a detailed inner life. The only way to glimpse the inner life, other than through thoughts, is how the characters react to each other and situations. Words can be like swords piercing the very heart of a character when there’s jealousy or envy in the mix. I’ve had a character spew venom in a whisper of hurtful words right before my main character emerged on stage at a high school homecoming dance. Now the reader is cognizant of the depth of the character’s fear of the protagonist in stealing her glorious moment. We see the secondary character to the point where she even surprises herself with the ruinous remarks, like a prowling wolf going in for the kill.
- Give your characters unique traits. Know and reveal any quirky traits, idiosyncrasies, likes, dislikes and potentially odd behaviors exhibited by your characters. It doesn’t have to be anything outlandish, but it has to be some sort of manifestation of what the reader would expect from the character. If it’s a trait that’s too far afield, you might lose credibility and ultimately distance a reader from your character!
- Place your characters in multiple relationships. Okay, I love this one! Don’t worry about the character count. I used to get anxious that I had too many secondary characters in my second book, “The Yeas In Between,” but you know they all played their part. And isn’t that life? People are in and out of our lives for a reason and/or a season. Make it the same for your characters.
- Let subtext carry the load. Subtext is a delicate topic. It’s not the spoken word. It’s the look, the silent stare, the stuff of emotions that are relayed in not-so-straightforward ways. But subtext is crucial to storytelling and characterization. It’s a craft that’s learned with practice and, of course, knowing how it fits your character. Make it subtle or strong, but make it relevant!!!
- Make a strategic narration choice. Omniscience is an effective way to manage a character’s inner life. To date, my first two published novels are third person close which means I’m only in the thoughts of one or two characters. The choice resulted from my editor’s advice to keep it close! The final two books in my five-novel series will employ first person narration. I’m looking forward to the challenge, but find it a little daunting to be consistenly in the minds of main characters so as to speak for them and view every action through their perspective. Hopefully my words will give voice to their words!
When drawing up your story, the plot points are the mortar; the characters are the bricks. They are interdependent and count on you as the master planner and builder! Happy writing!