Start developing your storyline and characters

Hello!

Now that you have decided on a topic for your book and the message you want to send, it is time to begin developing the storyline and characters.  In choosing your topic you have most likely decided on your target audience.  In other words, who do you want to read and or buy your book?

Developing your storyline:  For example, once I decided that my topic would be teaching life lessons to children (my target audience) I had to choose an age range (4-8).  This dictated the kind of storyline I would write, type of vocabulary to use, amount of dialogue included, and the number of pages.  This took quite a bit of research, but the information is out there for you to find.  By sticking to a model that was suitable for my target audience I could then gain credibility with the parents, who would ultimately be purchasing my book.  My storyline began to flow once I knew my topic, target audience, and the parameters to which I needed to adhere.

Let's say you have decided to write a crime novel.  Research how other successful crime novels are written.  Is your storyline about a who dunnit murder?  Is it about a team of bank robbers that eventually gets caught?  Maybe it is about a singular main character who finds themselves in nefarious situations throughout the novel.  Or, let's say you have decided to write a "How To" book.  Your storyline will include teaching a skill you have and want to share, such as: cooking, being athletic, promoting healing, or how to build something around your home.  Answering these questions after picking your topic and knowing your target audience will aid you in developing your storyline.

Developing characters:  I chose dogs as my main characters because I love them so dearly, but together in a group their characteristics and interactivity was not unlike how a group of children might interact.  I chose the dogs in our family because I knew their personalities and the manner in which they interacted together.  This helped immensely while developing my characters, and really brought them to life!  Think of people you know, people you see on TV, historical figures, people you admire or even dislike. If your book will be non-fiction then make sure you research your characters to portray them adequately.  If your book will be fiction it is ok to embellish and give your characters personalities that you think will fit your storyline within your chosen topic.

As I mentioned in an earlier blog, I think writing about what you know or have a passion for can be very helpful.  And don't forget to....write, write, write!


JACI