Monday, March 14, 2016

In the Moment




 As I sit here eating butter-cinnamon-sugar bread, which is very tasty by the way, I’m reminded of the characters in our books.

They fight crime, solve mysteries and save damsels in distress, and yet sometimes we forget that they have daily needs, just like real people. Eating comes to mind, along with sleeping. Protagonists even need to simply relax once in a while.

You can only wear a pair of jeans or a shirt so many times before your closet is empty and the laundry needs to be done. The same would apply to your protagonist.

Maybe they don’t have time to cook, but there’s usually a fast food joint around every corner, unless they’re driving across the desert.

Many readers appreciate being in the moment with the characters, but we don’t want to overdo it. Just the facts, Ma’am, even if it involves a one sentence description of the food or location where food is found, or the fact that there’s nowhere to grab a bite.

Some of these same characters have pets to take care of, or ants in the cabinet and on the counter top. These are things they need to deal with in addition to solving crimes. If we were detectives we’d still have everyday situations to deal with, whether we liked it or not.

The phone may ring, and we can choose to answer it or ignore it. Our fictional characters have the same choice, but they have to remember that the call may have something to do with the case they’re working on. Should they ignore it? Personally, I have trouble ignoring a ringing phone. I have to remind myself that in certain scenarios, ignoring the ringing telephone might further the story.

Your character hasn’t had enough sleep? What if they’re doing a surveillance and they fall asleep. They may miss the most important event of their case. Although, sometimes this type of thing works to further the story just like answering or not answering the phone.

If your bad guy loses sleep, he might become a lot meaner or creepier. Of course, the lack of sleep might cause the protagonist to become meaner, too, which isn’t always a bad thing.

In The Bogey Man, Sandi Webster takes Chris Cross on his first stakeout. To make himself more comfortable, he takes snacks and plenty of things to drink. Big mistake. There’s a time to eat and drink, a time to tough it out, and a lesson to be learned.

Sandi is a chocoholic (like her creator) and in Old Murders Never Die, she runs out of candy. She considers this a disaster, as does her partner, Pete. Eating chocolate is a daily event in her life, and in times of stress it’s essential to her diet. Trust me when I say it’s essential.

Think about what you do on a daily basis and decide if it’s something your characters should be doing, too.

Keep your reader in the moment. Let them feel hunger or pain or drowsiness along with your characters. It doesn’t hurt if the reader can feel joy and laughter, too.

Let them take the ride of their lives with your characters.

I think I need another slice of that butter-cinnamon-sugar loaf. After all, I have to eat to keep my strength up, right?

Until next week, enjoy your week and your daily activities. Think of some things as necessary evils and others as fun necessities.


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19 comments:

  1. Don't tell me about sugar-cinnamon bread! Trying to lose some of this winter weight.

    Daily lives -- I read a western novel in which the hero couldn't go two pages without eating something. I've noticed that western authors tend to mention food a lot. Food was NOT a big feature of trail drives or roundups. It was beef and beans and more beans. I wonder where some of these writers are coming from? Are they all dieting/

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    1. I guess I should have added something about being realistic, Dac. You make a good point. The writer needs to think about the lifestyle of his characters more than the fact that they eat. Sometimes they didn't get to eat very often. Thank you for commenting!

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  2. Good post, Marja!
    All of the things you mentioned are essential if, as Dac mentioned, we want our characters and our stories to be realistic. And, of course, we do. :)

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    1. Thank you, Pat! Realism is so important, whether it's fiction or not. The readers need to be able to relate to the characters even when it comes to everyday things. Thank you for commenting!

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  3. Too true. People ask for the recipes for foods I describe in my books. Everyday things have appeal.

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    1. You're right, Joyce, and it's all about appealing to the reader. Thank you for commenting!

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  5. Ugh! Necessary evils, when will they ever go away, and the fun necessities begin? Sorry, I'm a little stressed at the moment. I've just gotten the rights back for my three novels from my former publisher, and it's like I'm starting all over again.

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    1. Oh, Evelyn, I've been there and done that. It'll be easier than you expect. If you need anything... Thank you for commenting!

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  6. I agree, Marja. You do have to do this in moderation, though. Readers have made comments that all Jennet does is eat sweet desserts. I'm compensating because I have to limit mine. I've had her pass up an offer recently. All of the things you mention keep a character in the moment, as you say. My mentor (through her articles and books) Phyllis A. Whitney called it immediacy and considered it one of 3 necessary ingredients.

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    1. You put me in good company by mentioning Ms. Whitney, Dorothy. I know that I enjoy a story more if I feel in the moment with the characters, and your books do that for me. Thank you for commenting!

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  7. Oh, this is a topic that I love! Especially about food. I've gotten a lot of criticism for the food/dishes, etc., my characters eat. But that's one of my quirks and I will continue to let my characters eat.

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    1. LOL I like your attitude, Pat. We write what feels right to us, and there's no good reason to criticize your food comments. I've enjoyed every one of them. :) Thank you so much for commenting!

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  8. So funny that you mention the character's daily life. I have been struggling with the opposite problem. I find my character's EAT ALL THE TIME. They discuss an issue over dinner at a resturant, meet for lunch, stop at a coffee shop. I have to make an effort to take them to a different location.

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    1. Have your characters eat a hot dog at a park, or meet for coffee, Michelle. You could even have them drive through a drive-thru and eat on the road. Of course, they could also stay home and get rid of ants. :) Anything for something different. Although, there are people who eat all the time. It's a major part of their lives. Thank you so much for commenting!

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  9. An important point was made by Dorothy Bodoin - moderation. Yes, these people have to do all these things, but the reader doesn't want to be slowed down by too many. I quit reading the alphabet mysteries because of too many. But in my mystery OVER MY DEAD BODY, I do have the minister answering the question "What are the principal reasons for murder," with "Keeping a man from his breakfast." He was joking, of course, but I put in breakfast.

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    1. You're right, Jim. All things in moderation. Still, we need some "normal" activities from time to time, even if it's cooking or eating a dinner. Thank you so much for commenting!

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  10. I once had a manuscript rejected because a brief conversation between a mother and her grown daughter strayed off course and was deemed a "filler." I agree that everything must pertain the storyline.

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    1. I've done the same thing, Jean, and had to rewrite parts of a story. However, sometimes a conversation between two people is just part of everyday life for the characters, as long as it's not prolonged. Thank you so much for commenting!

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