Where is this going?

The Persuasive Character

I recently saw a post on Facebook from a fellow writer who asked if other writers sometimes get derailed by their characters wanting to take a story a direction that the writer did not originally plan in the outline. Further, she wanted to know what to do about such renegade characters who highjack a storyline. Both I and another writer recommended that she go with the flow and let the character help her take on new dimensions.

I made my statement because that in fact happened in my second book, Call of the Whisperwind. Wolf, the Apache boy, was not in my original outline, was not even a blip on my radar screen. He simply popped up as I was writing a scene. When this happens to a writer you stop yourself and ask, "What the heck is happening here? Who's driving this bus?" In my case, I chose to go with it and see where the character took the story; and I'm so glad I did because Wolf became instrumental in bringing out personality traits in the other characters. Many people have told me that he was their favorite new character. You will be pleased to hear that Wolf will play a role in my next book and a major role in book #4. Love that kid!

Till next time, Happy Reading,

Jeffree