tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post7731141726302198631..comments2024-03-29T09:16:30.082-04:00Comments on Writers Who Kill: Choosing Continuing Series CharactersJim Jacksonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-6737431682739892332013-10-22T07:15:25.709-04:002013-10-22T07:15:25.709-04:00Christine,
Thanks for the idea for a future topic...Christine,<br /><br />Thanks for the idea for a future topic regarding what makes a protagonist a "keeper." I'll keep that one in mind, unless one of my fellow WWK bloggers gets to it first. :)<br /><br />~ JimJim Jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-3159478469863422982013-10-21T19:17:55.463-04:002013-10-21T19:17:55.463-04:00Great post, Jim. This definitely provides good foo...Great post, Jim. This definitely provides good food for thought! I'd love to see a post (and reader comments) on what makes a <i> protagonist</i> a "keeper" for a mystery series: such as specific personality traits and a job that allows them to stumble over bodies frequently. <br /><br />My books feature ordinary people caught in extraordinary circumstances, so I tend to start with a fresh batch of characters each time -- but I'm intrigued by those mystery series where I can read multiple books and still love returning to the same place and same characters. Christinehttp://www.christinefinlayson.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-40502358238898136192013-10-21T17:46:35.863-04:002013-10-21T17:46:35.863-04:00Polly,
You can always kill the parents off - gets...Polly,<br /><br />You can always kill the parents off - gets rid of them and may even make them more sympathetic!<br /><br />Norma,<br /><br />Sounds like you've got a good plan going for you.<br /><br />~ JimJim Jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-54376409175875225002013-10-21T09:58:38.985-04:002013-10-21T09:58:38.985-04:00Jim, I realize I'm doing the same thing. For m...Jim, I realize I'm doing the same thing. For my second in the series I've dropped those immediately involved in the murder since I'm moving the location slightly, from inside the city to just outside the city limits (so the reenactment doesn't have to live with the city rules). I kept three beside the protagonist. One is a young gal who had a bit of emotional problems in book one, so she was a natural to have even more in book two and become more involved in the suspect list. The others were the protagonist's sister (and major combination co-sleuth and antagonist). The other was the old guy who really wants to become more interested in my old female protagonist. (Gotta keep him.)<br /><br />Norma Husshttp://www.normahuss.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-31018679443535418952013-10-21T09:00:18.911-04:002013-10-21T09:00:18.911-04:00Great post, Jim. There are some series I've re...Great post, Jim. There are some series I've read where I wish a few of the characters would be dropped. I only have one series. I'm working on the third book and have decided this will probably be my last. In the first book, my heroine's parents were a big part of the story. They weren't very likeable. When writing the second book, I started to include them, but I couldn't stand either of them and kept them out of the story. Diana mentions them from time to time, but I have no intention of bringing them back. My hero is a cop, so his team is part of the ongoing saga. Polly Iyerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05729656119287702191noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-78094636324026477682013-10-20T19:33:19.507-04:002013-10-20T19:33:19.507-04:00Thanks for this! I'm working on my first ones...Thanks for this! I'm working on my first ones.<br /><br />--Brenda W.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-24982864038536219752013-10-20T15:14:47.103-04:002013-10-20T15:14:47.103-04:00Kara,
For those who write short stories this is a...Kara,<br /><br />For those who write short stories this is a great idea. It also allows fans to stay involved between the yearly releases.<br /><br />I wrote one that starred Abigail with Seamus in a secondary role. However, it never found a home. Maybe I'll take a look and see if there is something there I can tweak and make it publishable.<br /><br />~ JimJim Jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-74733093404376282062013-10-20T15:11:45.055-04:002013-10-20T15:11:45.055-04:00EB & Marni,
As long as something is well writ...EB & Marni,<br /><br />As long as something is well written readers are happy to suspend reality for the story. It's only when they get bored and start thinking that the objections show up.<br /><br />~ JimJim Jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-38676518242373787932013-10-20T15:10:05.712-04:002013-10-20T15:10:05.712-04:00Shari,
I'm with you about some sidekicks. I c...Shari,<br /><br />I'm with you about some sidekicks. I can think of a number of series where a sidekick got his own series: John Sandford spun off "F$cking Flowers" into his own, which he now co-writes with some former journal pals.<br /><br />I enjoy creating side characters that people hope will come back (like Evanovich's Grandma Mazur.<br /><br />~ Jim<br /><br />~ Jim<br />Jim Jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-55434441018580833042013-10-20T14:22:25.123-04:002013-10-20T14:22:25.123-04:00I enjoy reading series with continuing secondary c...I enjoy reading series with continuing secondary characters because they become old friends and I want to learn how they change and grow over time. <br /><br />Some authors write short stories from a secondary character’s point of view in between books. I think this is brilliant because it’s a chance to see the main character through another character’s eyes and it keeps readers interested in the series. <br />Kara Cerisehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16484336785514235707noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-42202799077187313432013-10-20T14:21:45.293-04:002013-10-20T14:21:45.293-04:00I like how you break this down, Jim. I think we al...I like how you break this down, Jim. I think we all do this subconsciously when thinking about what *could* happen next, but I've never really sat down and thought about the whys of my choices in this way. Great idea.Sarah Henninghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06822639126179367121noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-29157435474929189572013-10-20T11:23:56.642-04:002013-10-20T11:23:56.642-04:00eB! This idea of the Cabot Cove Curse came up,at B...eB! This idea of the Cabot Cove Curse came up,at Bouchercon at a panel I did Everyone agreed Jeesica Fletcher was the draw and readers suspend disbelief when they are engaged in a series. In my Nora Tierney series, I move her around .England a bit. As for characters, those friends who play a major role in one book can be great supporting characters in a second or third because readers are already engaged and want to follow their relationship to your protagonist. I call them my "stable" of characters!Marni Graffhttp://www.auntiemwrites.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-19407311423746179122013-10-20T11:09:50.783-04:002013-10-20T11:09:50.783-04:00I've been thinking about the plot to my next-i...I've been thinking about the plot to my next-in-series and realized the value in continuing a character with a small part in my first book. To continue the backstory from the first book, I assumed my main character and her two sidekicks would continue in the next books, but when I plotted the second book, I realized that the character in the first book, who only had a small role, would be perfect for a larger role in the second book. I do worry about the "small world" of it all, but then on the Outer Banks, it is a small world of known characters. I also have my cops already in place on Bodie and Hatteras Islands, so they will continue their roles, as will my angels and demons--who are always there!E. B. Davishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16746747050278597888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-25231747074873298562013-10-20T10:45:31.935-04:002013-10-20T10:45:31.935-04:00Great post, Jim, I'll be thinking differently ...Great post, Jim, I'll be thinking differently about the supporting characters in a mystery, keeping in mind the roles they play.<br />Sometimes the sidekicks in a story can be more fun than the main character. I wish Janet Evanovich would give Grandma Mazur her own book....Shari Randallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16425493627354028820noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-38422925719874569862013-10-20T10:19:39.681-04:002013-10-20T10:19:39.681-04:00Gloria,
Welcome to the world of want it now. But ...Gloria,<br /><br />Welcome to the world of want it now. But as a writer, we know that if we give readers what they want when they want it they will in the end be disappointed.<br /><br />I suggest you wait at least as many books at Janet Evanovitch has in having Stephanie Plum decide between Morelli and Ranger.<br /><br />~ JimJim Jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-60320409922262791572013-10-20T10:06:00.783-04:002013-10-20T10:06:00.783-04:00I feel the need to add new characters to my series...I feel the need to add new characters to my series, but it also means that some of the characters from the first book and the second need to disappear for a while at least because I need new characters and there's a limit to how many characters a book can hold. Of course, there are several characters who need to come back. They're a part of the community I've built, especially like you mentioned, Jim, those who gossip and leave clues and red herrings. One character I liked in the first book and is only vaguely referred to again, I'm bringing back in a more active role in the fourth.<br /><br />As for love interest, I feel that's important in a cozy and other mystery series, too. Catherine Jewell's love interest is the police chief, a relationship that is developing slowly from antagonism at the beginning, to respect, to love. I have people bugging me because it's not developing quickly enough to love.Gloria Aldenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13581719606924364447noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-10527398119050926982013-10-20T09:32:40.231-04:002013-10-20T09:32:40.231-04:00KM,
I hadn't thought about the advantages of ...KM,<br /><br />I hadn't thought about the advantages of Jesse having a virtual leg chain that keeps him in the area. You're right that is a perfect set up for great continuing characters.<br /><br />~ JimJim Jacksonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15090252530437277145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-14707750788098747682013-10-20T08:59:04.951-04:002013-10-20T08:59:04.951-04:00Side characters can help the protagonist develop a...Side characters can help the protagonist develop and change over time. Antagonists can become neutral and eventually friends. A former love interest can become a current love interest or can marry someone else. Warren Bullhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07789270258599769915noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-993649290245605005.post-71957038060022635262013-10-20T08:40:12.284-04:002013-10-20T08:40:12.284-04:00Thanks for thinking this through and laying it out...Thanks for thinking this through and laying it out for us. I use a number of continuing characters in my series, starting with the protagonist, Jesse Damon, who is on parole after spending nearly 20 years in prison on a murder conviction. Since Jesse pretty much stays put (he can't leave the state, he doesn't have a car and he knows how difficult it would be to get another decent job)the series really lends itself to repeat characters.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com