Writers in the Storm

by Richard Tyler Jordan

The people in your life are not your material. Your observations are. A writer’s job is not to photocopy reality but to transform it into a story that feels true.

Readers think writers spend their days secretly copying the people around them into stories. Countless times, I’ve heard, “Am I in your book?” My stock reply: “You’re not interesting enough.”

I’ve worked in Hollywood, publishing, and entertainment. I’ve attended enough charity galas, opening nights, family gatherings, and dinners to fill dozens of novels. Yet only one person I’ve known has appeared directly in my books. (You know who you are—@$^&*!)

Your 5 “Do’s”

Here are five things every writer should take from real life—and a couple they shouldn’t (but maybe—why not).

1. Steal Behavior, Not Biographies

The most believable fictional characters are rarely based on a single person. They’re composites. A character might have your stepson’s narcissistic arrogance, your former boss’s talent for taking credit, or your neighbor’s remarkable ability to transform a fifteen-second anecdote into something requiring a nap.

Readers recognize behavior. When you’re observing people, don’t ask, “How can I put this person into my book?” Ask, “What does this person do that readers will identify with?”

2. Capture the Language of a World

Every profession, social circle, and industry has its own language. Lawyers speak differently than truck drivers. Teachers speak differently than politicians. Entertainment executives have perfected the art of saying “no” while sounding enthusiastic. (“That’s an interesting concept” generally means “Over my dead body!”)

Pay attention to how people talk when they’re nervous, ambitious, or trying to impress someone. Those details make a fictional world feel authentic.

3. Watch What People Want

Beginning writers often focus on appearance. Experienced writers focus on desire.

When you enter a room, ask yourself: Who here wants attention? Who wants approval? Who wants a shag? Human beings become remarkably transparent once you start looking for what they want.

Desire drives the story. A character’s goals will always be more interesting than their eye color.

4. Make Reality Cleaner Than Reality

We all know that real life is messy. Fiction should be distilled. An argument that rambles for forty-five minutes in real life may become a one-paragraph scene in a novel.

Real people repeat themselves, wander off on tangents, forget what they were talking about, and stop to answer text messages. If we reproduced life exactly as it happens, readers would fling our books across the room in frustration.

The writer’s job is to select the moments that reveal character and move the story forward. Reality provides the raw material. Craft shapes it into something fun.

5. Turn Up the Volume

Most people have one quality that defines them in others’ minds. The chronic complainer. The attention-seeker. The know-it-all. Spotlight those traits.

The difficult neighbor becomes more onerous. The narcissistic stepson becomes more insufferable. Before long, you’ve got a character readers will remember—and possibly a suspect in a murder mystery.

You’re not changing who the person is. You’re simply saving readers the years it took you to figure them out.

Now for those Two Don’ts…

Mistake #1: Don’t Become a Court Reporter

One of the biggest traps fiction writers fall into is feeling obligated to preserve exactly what occurred. “But that’s not how it happened,” they’ll say. Fine. But if changing what happened makes the story stronger, change it.

Merge characters. Move events. Invent conversations. Fiction owes its loyalty to narrative, not history.

Mistake #2: Never Write Revenge Fiction

Bullshit. Don’t waste a perfectly good villain!

Every writer has encountered an odious boss. A pompous colleague. A manipulative relative. They practically beg to be enshrined in fiction.

The trick isn’t running from revenge fiction. The trick is disguising it. If you simply copy someone you detest and spend three hundred pages punishing them, readers will see through it. But if you borrow the traits that pissed you off and build an entirely new character around them, you’ve got something useful.

(Read Suite Charity and guess which character was inspired by a vile ex-boss of mine. I'll deny everything, of course.)

Final Thought

In the end, a writer’s job is to pay attention.

A mentor once said to me, “Observe relentlessly. Transform creatively.” And if an abominable relative (there’s my rubbish stepson again—and my equally deplorable stepdaughter too!) occasionally turns up as a murder victim in Chapter Three, well, that’s one of the fringe benefits of being a novelist.

Just remember to change enough details to maintain plausible deniability.

Do you use real situations or people as inspiration for your books? How do you handle it? And has anyone ever guessed that they inspired one of your characters?

About Richard

Richard Tyler Jordan began his career as a wide-eyed young talent in Hollywood, where Walt Disney Studios was apparently charmed by his “rare blend of gullibility and tireless work ethic.” He went on to contribute to more than 500 feature film publicity campaigns before escaping to England to write full-time.

Richard is the author of more than a dozen novels, including A Corpse in the Castle, Shadows at Midnight, Murder and a Missing Manuscript, and Gay Blades. He lives with his Irish husband in a 500-year-old cottage, complete with a resident ghost who is more “meh” than “boo.”

He is currently writing the next Timothy Trousdale Mystery, drawing on a lifetime spent observing high art, high egos, and the decidedly unglamorous worlds behind publishing, film, and theatre.

To learn more, contact Robin Blakely at 660-973-2723 or Robin@CreativeCenterofAmerica.com.

By Jenn Windrow

As a developmental editor, I spend a lot of time helping authors strengthen their characters. One of the most common issues I encounter isn't that a character is too flawed. It's that they're not flawed enough. They are sunshine and rainbows and sugar and spice.

After all, most writers want readers to like their characters. We want them to root for the hero, fall in love with the love interest, and cheer when they succeed.

But here's the thing: readers don't connect with characters because they're perfect.

They connect with them because they're human. And all humans have flaws. Some more than others, but like the old saying says, “nobody’s perfect.” And your characters shouldn’t be either.

The Problem With Perfect Characters

Think about some of the most popular characters in fiction right now. Many of them are stubborn, reckless, arrogant, secretive, impulsive, or morally gray. Some are assassins. Some are thieves. Some make terrible decisions that leave readers yelling at the page.

And yet readers love them.

Why?

Because flaws create authenticity.

Real people are flawed. We make mistakes. We misjudge situations. We act out of fear, pride, insecurity, and old wounds. When readers see those same imperfections reflected in a character, they recognize something familiar. They see themselves in those flaws and they can relate to them.

Perfection creates distance. Imperfection creates connection.

Flaws Create Conflict

A character who always makes the right decision isn't particularly interesting. In fact, most of them are downright boring. And no one wants to read a story about boring characters doing boring things. They want conflict.

Stories thrive on conflict, and some of the best conflict comes from within.

A character's flaws often become the very thing standing between them and what they want most. The warrior's pride keeps him from asking for help. The heroine's fear of abandonment causes her to push people away. The king's need for control costs him the loyalty of those closest to him.

The flaw isn't just a personality trait. It's a source of tension that drives the story forward.

As writers, we often focus on external obstacles, but sometimes the most powerful obstacle is the one living inside the character's own head. So, as a writer, find that internal flaw, that inner conflict and use it to your advantage.

Morally Gray Doesn't Mean Morally Empty

With the rise of romantasy and dark fantasy, morally gray characters have become incredibly popular. But I think many writers misunderstand what readers love about them. Being morally gray isn't about being cruel, rude, or edgy for the sake of it.

It's about forcing characters to make difficult choices.

Should they choose duty or love? Justice or mercy? Revenge or forgiveness?

The most compelling characters aren't wrestling with easy decisions. They're navigating situations where every option comes with consequences.

Readers don't fall in love with morally gray characters because they're bad. They fall in love with them because they're complicated. And complication means conflict.

The Secret Ingredient: Vulnerability

I've read manuscripts with characters who lie, manipulate, steal, and make one bad decision after another. And sometimes I still love them. Not because of what they're doing, but because I understand why they're doing it.

Vulnerability is what turns a flawed character into a relatable one.

Show me the fear beneath the arrogance. Show me the loneliness beneath the anger. Show me the heartbreak beneath the need for revenge.

When readers understand the emotional wound driving the behavior, they're far more likely to stay invested.

As an editor, one of the questions I ask most often is:

Why is the character behaving this way?

The answer usually leads straight to the heart of who they are.

Flaws Create Growth

Character arcs exist because flaws exist. If your protagonist starts the story with all the answers, what is there left to learn?

Growth comes from struggle. It comes from confronting fears, challenging beliefs, and recognizing the ways we've been standing in our own way. The flaw that creates problems in chapter one often becomes the thing the character must overcome by the final chapter.

That's where transformation happens. And transformation is what readers remember.

Give Your Characters Permission to Be Messy

The next time you're revising a manuscript, take a hard look at your protagonist.

Are they too polished? Too reasonable? Too perfect? Consider giving them a few rough edges. Let them make mistakes. Let them struggle. Let them fail. Most importantly, let them be human.

I put my characters through hell and back, and I am proud of it.

Because readers don't fall in love with perfect characters. They fall in love with flawed characters who keep moving forward anyway.

What's your favorite flawed fictional character, and what flaw made you love them instead of dislike them?

About Jenn Windrow

Jenn Windrow once attempted to write a “normal” book—and promptly bored herself into a coma. So now she sticks to what she does best: writing snarky, kick-butt heroines, broody supernatural men, and more sexual tension than a vampire in a blood bank.

She’s the award-winning author of the Alexis Black novels and the Redeeming Cupid series, where the undead never sparkle and the drama is always delicious. Jenn moonlights as a developmental editor, helping other writers wrangle their wild plots and tangle-free prose.

When not arguing with her characters or muttering about Oxford commas, she can be found binge-watching trash TV, wrangling the slew of animals that live in her house (husband and teenagers included), or telling herself she’ll only have one more cookie.

You can find her at jennwindrow.com or lurking on social media where she pretends to be an extrovert.

Photo by Random Thinking on Unsplash 

It's a Promise to the Reader

By Sarah Sally Hamer

Writers often talk about point of view as if it’s merely a technical decision. First person or third person. Omniscient or limited. Past tense or present tense.

But point of view is far more than a grammatical choice.

Point of view is a promise.

It's the agreement you make with readers about how they will experience your story. It tells them whose eyes they're looking through, whose emotions they're feeling, and whose understanding they can trust. When that promise remains clear, readers sink effortlessly into the narrative. When it becomes muddled, they become confused, detached, or frustrated.

Understanding point of view—and understanding it at both the story level and the scene level—is one of the most powerful skills a fiction writer can develop.

Because point of view doesn't just tell a story.

It shapes the reader's entire experience of that story.

Global Point of View: The Story's Lens

Global point of view is the perspective that governs the entire novel.

It's the answer to the question:

Who gets to tell this story?

In The Hunger Games (and I’ll be using the first book, not the movie unless I say differently – they ARE different!), Suzanne Collins chooses first-person point of view through Katniss Everdeen. Readers discover the world only as Katniss discovers it. We don't know what President Snow is planning. We don't know what Peeta is truly thinking. We know only what Katniss sees, hears, believes, and misunderstands.

That limitation creates emotional intimacy.

We don't observe Katniss's fear.

We experience it.

Contrast that with J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings (whether books or movies in this case). While the story often follows Frodo, the narrative shifts among multiple characters. Readers witness events occurring in different locations, gaining a broader understanding of the larger conflict and each character with a point of view tells the story from their own perspective. So, several characters become the protagonist, even if only for a moment or two, and we see the story through their eyes. These points of view are woven together to make a perfect overall story.

Neither approach is better or worse. It’s strictly a matter of understanding as a writer who is in charge of what and each version creates a different reading experience.

Short note: There are lots of books and movies out there that do not have a single point of view character or only one at a time. Some of them are very good. Some of them are not. But they do exist and, if that’s your style, there is nothing wrong with it.

Ultimately, the global point of view determines how much information readers receive and how close they feel to the characters. It shapes suspense, mystery, emotional connection, and pacing from the first page to the last.

Choose wisely because this decision influences everything that follows.

The Reader's Seat

Many writers understand global point of view.

Fewer understand scene point of view.

Every scene needs a perspective character. Someone owns that moment. Someone experiences the action. So, now we study how to tell a scene character by character.

The question becomes:

Whose scene is this?

Imagine the shark attack sequence in Jaws. The tension doesn't come from bouncing among multiple frightened swimmers. It comes from remaining focused on a particular experience. The audience knows where to look, whose fear to follow, and why the danger matters.

The same principle applies in novels.

Suppose a husband and wife argue over a looming divorce.

If the scene belongs to the wife, readers experience her fear, her hopes, and her interpretation of her husband's words.

If the scene belongs to the husband, the same conversation becomes an entirely different emotional experience, which can change the reader’s attitude about the story. If we’d only heard Rhett Butler’s point of view instead of Scarlett’s, we would have an entirely different understanding of the story. Good or bad? Not at all! A series of books has been written through the Wicked Witch of the West’s point of view of what happened in Oz. There are multiple characters with their own point of view, much less the entire series having a point of view separate from Baum’s books.

The facts in these stories haven't changed.

The story has because of who is telling it.

Point of view determines not only what readers see but also how they feel about what they see.

Why Clarity Matters

Readers rarely stop and consciously analyze point of view.

They simply feel it.

And, when a writer manages point of view well, readers become immersed in the story world. They forget they're reading. They live inside the narrative.

When point of view becomes unclear, immersion breaks.

A common mistake occurs when writers jump from one character's thoughts to another's within the same scene.

Jane worried her son wouldn't come home.

Across the room, Mark wondered if she knew he was planning to leave.

Then Jane noticed his expression and feared the worst.

The shift may seem harmless, but it unsettles readers. The narrative camera suddenly jumps without warning and confusion reigns. Once a reader is confused, it may take a long time to pull them back into the story.

It's the literary equivalent of a movie cutting from shot to shot so rapidly that viewers lose track of what's happening.

Readers shouldn't have to stop and ask:

Whose head am I in right now?

The moment they do, you've pulled them out of the story.

Point of View and Reader Enjoyment

Good point of view management isn't about following arbitrary rules.

It's about creating the most enjoyable experience possible.

Consider Harry Potter. Imagine how different the books would feel if readers constantly jumped into Snape's thoughts, Voldemort's thoughts, Dumbledore's thoughts, and Harry's thoughts every few paragraphs. Many mysteries would disappear and emotional surprises and wonder would vanish.

J.K. Rowling largely keeps readers aligned with Harry because that perspective creates the strongest emotional journey.

The same principle applies regardless of genre.

Point of view controls curiosity, surprise, empathy, and, most importantly, point of view controls emotional engagement.

Readers care most deeply when they're allowed to experience events through a clear, consistent lens.

How to Choose the Right Scene Character

When deciding whose perspective should control a scene, ask a simple question:

Who has the most to lose?

The answer often reveals the strongest viewpoint.

In The Silence of the Lambs, scenes frequently stay close to Clarice Starling because her emotional stakes are enormous. She needs answers. She needs growth. She needs to confront her fears.

Readers naturally invest in the character whose desires and risks dominate the moment.

Point of view works best when the emotional stakes and the narrative lens point in the same direction.

The Real Purpose of Point of View

Many writers think point of view exists to deliver information.

It doesn't.

Point of view exists to create experience.

Readers don't open a novel simply to learn what happened.

They open it to feel what happened.

Point of view determines whether they stand outside the story looking in or step inside and live it alongside the characters.

At the global level, point of view shapes the entire journey.

At the scene level, it shapes every emotional moment along the way.

Master point of view, and you give readers clarity.

Give readers clarity, and you give them immersion.

Give them immersion, and you give them one of the greatest gifts fiction can offer: the chance to disappear into another life for a while.

If you'd like to learn more, there is a free video at this link: https://youtu.be/TBQxmV914Is

How do you decide whose point of view controls a scene in your writing?

About Sarah Sally

Sarah (Sally) Hamer is a lover of books, a teacher of writers, and a believer in a good story. Most of all, she is eternally fascinated by people and how they 'tick'. She’s passionate about helping people tell their own stories, whether through fiction or through memoir. Writing in many genres - mystery, science fiction, fantasy, romance, medieval history, non-fiction – she has won awards at both local and national levels, including two RWA Golden Heart finals.

A teacher of memoir, beginning and advanced creative fiction writing, and screenwriting at Louisiana State University in Shreveport for over twenty years, she also teaches online at both margielawson.com and nostresswriting.com with blogs for writersinthestormblog.com/ as well as her monthly blog for thewriteconversation.com. Sally is a free-lance editor and book coach at Mind Potential, with many of her students and clients becoming successful, award-winning authors. 

You can find her at sally@mindpotential.org

Author picture from the author, featured picture from CoPilot