Reader Question about Characters

Question: How do you find your characters? 

Answer: The short answer is – they find me!

In fact, it’s usually the characters who kick the door down and start insisting I write their damn story. That’s what happened with Loki in Trickster’s Lover, Lyria in Flame and Blade, and Rowan in Heart’s Escape. They just showed up.

And sometimes a character doesn’t turn out like I expect. I didn’t think Doshir was going to be such a nice guy when I started writing the Deceptions & Dragons series, and I absolutely didn’t mean to make Heart’s Escape a slow-burn.

Because I’m a pantser, or a discover writer, I get to know the characters as I write the story. Often, I’m halfway through the book (or more) by the time I really understand why they’re doing the things they’re doing. For example, Gaul was a mystery to me until the last book of the Flame & Blade series.

Once I get to know them, of course, I start revising the book — and I try to make it sound like I knew what I was doing all along!

Thanks for asking!

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