by Lisa Sledge
Several years ago, my sister-in-law went to Russia. When she came back, she surprised us with one of those Russian nesting dolls. It has nine layers and looks beautiful sitting on top of the book case in our office, right where I can see it.
I had an especially frustrating writing day last Thursday. After pulling at my hair and doing a face plant on my keyboard, I saw the nesting doll. She looked so smug. As pretty as she is, all dolls kind of freak me out. It didn’t help that it was 1am. Stupid things scare me when I’m tired.
So I yanked her off her shelf and disassembled her. Take that, creepy doll.
I took her apart and put her back together at least three times. As I did, my thoughts drifted to my characters.
When I began writing, my MC had only one layer. The rest of him was hollow.
Real people don’t work that way. We’re complicated. Our outer layer, the one easiest to see, is only the beginning. What’s inside adds beauty and depth to who we are. There are layers of both good and evil—in all of us.
Our job is to sculpt authentic individuals out of words. As a new writer, I’m struggling with this aspect of my book.
So help me out.
What do you do that helps you discover, understand, and stay true to the layers within your characters?
Here’s a Little about Lisa:
1. I’m working to make my first crappy novel not so crappy anymore so it can get published. I hope.
3. I used to think I’d be a doctor. Then I discovered blood makes me pass out. Paper cut kind of bleeding is okay, but please don’t ask me to help if someone’s bones are sticking out or they are gushing blood. Unconscious people aren’t good for much during an emergency.
4. On a slightly related note, the people I fear most are surgeons and those crazy ladies at baby showers who feel they have to tell everyone their most devastating labor and delivery stories. I’ve had two babies and no baby showers.
Throwing Up Words 