Just for a second, we’re going to talk about fiction exclusively. If the book you’re writing is non-fiction, this will be of only marginal use. Still, you may want to write fiction later, so, maybe you should pay attention as well.

   I want to talk to you about creating believable characters.

   If you have my program, “How to Write A Book On Anything in 14 Days or Less,” you know I’m not a big believer in doing any more writing or research than is absolutely necessary.

   Yet, so many writers actually write full backgrounds on the characters they put into their stories. Okay, if it helps you, great. Go for it. But too often it’s just another way of delaying the writing process and putting off actually producing the book.

   Besides, you’re not going to score any points with the reader just because you know where the protagonist went to school, what her fifth grade teacher said to her about her academic efforts or what her pet dog did that made him so lovable.

   

   If it’s essential to the story, then absolutely. Make sure you know that aspect of your character.

   But there really are faster and better ways to make your characters come alive.

   What’s the fastest way? That’s easy. Make one or more of your characters actually people you know in everyday life. Certainly change their names and try not to make them too identifiable to the reader.

   If one of your characters is based on your best friend, you know exactly what she’ll say when a certain situation arises. You’ll know how she’ll act, what she’ll do, how she’ll stand, even the emotion will come through.

   I’ll give you an example. Think of your best friend. Now imagine someone comes up to their desk, slams a big book down hard, and says, “I don’t like what you’ve been doing.”

   

   Do you know how your friend will react? Quite probably.

   And that’s really what authors mean when they say the characters took on a life of their own during the writing of the book. They didn’t really come alive. But the author knew exactly how they would react and what they would do every time they appeared in the book. No thought was required, no extensive background creation, nothing like that at all.

   One of your characters will be you. Perhaps the main character, perhaps a secondary character who plays a vital role.

   Hey, it’s you. Don’t fight it. Be the character. You might even get a chance to be a heck of a lot better than you actually are! Famed children’s author J.K. Rowling has admitted that she is one of the three main characters of her Harry Potter books… and it isn’t Harry!

   Want some more characters? Put famous people into the roles. Okay, you may not know exactly how they would react, but you have a pretty good idea, and, because this is fiction anyway, what you say goes! So feel free to have Nicole Kidman, Tom Cruise, George Clooney and Charlize Theron in your book. Don’t call them that, just use what you think would be their actions and responses.

   More characters? Sure. Take fictional characters with whom you’re familiar and put them in your book. Frankly, I’d like to see Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow (Pirates of the Caribean) in a business suit taking on Wall Street advertising moguls. I think you get the idea.

   Try not to make your characters too close to the real thing. Your friends might get upset. And if you’re using the names and persona of actual people, make sure the characters behave nicely or you might get into libel problems. (Check with a lawyer if you have real concerns.)

    While we're on the topic of strategies, feel free to subscribe to my FREE on-line course, "How To Write A Book On Anything in 14 Days... or Less" it's packed with tips, techniques and tactics for writing your book faster than you ever thought possible! But ONLY if you're SERIOUS about writing a book NOW!

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