:: Cher Gorman :: Character in the Rough

Character in the Rough:
Creating a Memorable Character
with THE DIAMOND FAN

By Cher Gorman

Okay, let's be honest, you've probably read about a gazillion articles and books about building characters and attended who knows how many workshops at conferences and conventions listening to authors talk about their characters in hopes of learning something new. So why should you read my article? What could I possibly say in a fresh, new way that you haven't heard a hundred times?

Keep reading and I promise you won't be disappointed.

In October 2006 I have a collaborative non-fiction book called Ten Steps to Creating Memorable Characters being released in print by Watson-Guptill publishing. My writing partners, Lucynda Storey , Sue Viders and Becky Martinez and I pioneered some "new" words for the standard, GMC (Goal, Motivation and Conflict) that we know are essential in writing commercial fiction. Our "new" words are Crusade (Goal), Cause (Motivation) Complication (Conflict) Change (Growth)—our 4 C's.

Then Cyn had the brilliant idea of making a fan which we call THE DIAMOND FAN. This fan is quite handy for writers because you can pop it into your purse or pocket. While you're sitting in a doctor's waiting room, sipping a latte at a coffee shop or occupying a seat on an airplane, you can use the fan to begin building characters for your next book or strengthen the characters in your current work in progress.

The following is listed on the front of the individual sections:

Title

CRUSADE: What end result (goal) is the character trying to achieve?

1- Externally

2- Internally

CAUSE: Why (Motivation) does the character want this crusade so badly?

1- Externally

2- Internally

COMPLICATION: What obstacles or stumbling blocks (conflict) stand in the way of the character achieving his/her goal?

1- Externally

2- Internally

CHANGE: How has this character grown or changed (Growth) by the

end of the story?

1-Externally

2-Internally

The last card contains the name of our book, table of contents, our names, and contact information.

The opposite side explains how the DIAMOND FAN works by using examples from two popular movies, Star Wars and Working Girl . For this article, I am going to use character examples from two of my books, Wolf Island, a gothic/suspense and Seductive Reasoning, a contemporary romance. Devlin Morgan is the hero from Wolf Island. Kate Summers is the heroine from Seductive Reasoning.

Each of these characters journeys through the four diamond points or "4 C's" and as a result of their experiences they emerge a better person.

Let's start with Devlin.

CRUSADE : What end result (goal) is my character trying to achieve?

Devlin's external crusade is to catch the killer terrorizing Wolf Island

Devlin's internal crusade is to be better than his past.

CAUSE: Why (Motivation) does my character want this crusade (goal) so badly?

Devlin's external cause is because ten years before a brutal/rape murder nearly destroyed the island's tourist trade and he cares about the island and the villagers.

Devlin's internal cause is that his mother rejected him at birth because his conception occurred as the result of her rape before the previous rape/murder on the island.

COMPLICATION : What obstacles or stumbling blocks (conflict) get in the way of my character achieving his goal?

Devlin's external complication or conflict is that the killer wants him dead.

Devlin's internal complication or conflict is that he has a deeply rooted fear that he has inherited his father's violent triggers.

CHANGE : How has my character grown or changed by the end of the story?

Devlin's external change or growth is that he faces his demons and defeats the killer.

Devlin's internal change or growth is that he realizes that his father's actions, due to mental illness have nothing to do with him and he frees his soul to love.

Now it's Kate's turn.

CRUSADE : What end result (goal) is my character trying to achieve?

Kate's external crusade is to take her lingerie designs and the astrological signs that go with them internationally and to meet the man of her dreams.

Kate's internal crusade is to gain her family's respect.

CAUSE : Why (motivation) does my character want this crusade or result so badly?

Kate's external cause is to be successful and find a man who loves and understands her.

Kate's internal cause is that her family believes her business is a frivolous pursuit.

COMPLICATION : What obstacles or stumbling blocks (conflict) stand in the way of my character achieving her goal?

Kate's external complication is Professor Seth Fallon. In order to make her dream come true, she must put her lingerie to the ultimate test and seduce him.

Kate's internal complication is that Kate's free spirit and affinity for the stars oppose her family's logical, scientific thinking and they have ignored her for most of her life.

CHANGE : How has my character grown or changed by the end of the story?

Kate's external change is that she gives up her dream in order to allow Seth to achieve his.

Kate's internal change is that she learns that her unconventional views did not intimidate Seth and that he loves her anyway in spite of them. She sees that being a bit strait-laced and keeping both feet on the ground make reaching her dreams easier especially with Seth at her side.

The character fan provides a portable reminder of the basic character ingredients that make a story compelling. You can receive your own fan by sending an e-mail with your mailing address to romancegirl80126@yahoo.com.

WOLF ISLAND may be purchased at http://www.loose-id.net/detail.aspx?ID=204

SEDUCTIVE REASONING may be purchased at http://www.newconceptspublishing.com/seductivereasoning.htm

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