| Before you even begin writing your novel,
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| | they would feel. When a hero and heroine
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| you need to know who your characters will
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| | get together, they may help each other
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| be. Minimally, you would want two major
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| | overcome their character flaws by the end
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| characters, the hero and the heroine.
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| | of the story. Through their love for each
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| They will interact mostly with each other
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| | other, they help each other grow as human
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| throughout the novel. How they interact
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| | beings, and at the same time, accept each
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| with each other will determine the
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| | other's flaws and imperfections. Of
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| outcome of the story. Will they resist
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| | course, there will be some type of
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| each other in the beginning of the story
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| | conflict in attaining their love. What
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| and by the end, fall in love? Or will
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| | story exists without conflict? But by the
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| they fall in love in the beginning of the
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| | end of the story, they realize the
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| story and then be driven apart by
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| | importance of each other in their life
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| conflict? Once you've chosen them, then
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| | and cannot live without the other, no
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| you need to decide what age they are,
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| | matter what the price. Ahhh, true love!
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| their personality traits, and their
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| | NAMES
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| names.
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| | Once you have the age and personality
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| AGE
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| | trait of each character, then you need to
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| Age-appropriate actions are paramount to
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| | give them a name that fits them. If the
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| development of the character. If the
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| | male character is a warrior or has a
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| heroine is in her teens, she will react
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| | tough-minded personality, you wouldn't
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| differently to situations than if she is
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| | want to give him a name that sounds
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| in her late twenties. The same goes with
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| | feminine, like Jean or Francis. Also, be
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| the hero. In a romance novel, the typical
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| | sensitive to the setting, locale, and the
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| heroine is in her early twenties, while
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| | time period, when deciding upon names. In
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| the hero is older. If he is in his
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| | addition, the names of your other
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| twenties, he shouldn't be shown as a
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| | characters should not overpower the hero
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| tycoon, unless of course, he inherited
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| | heroine's names.
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| the wealth. If he is in his thirties, he
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| | OTHER CHARACTERS
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| shouldn't be shown doing activities that
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| | Once you have your main characters, then
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| are immature for his age.
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| | think about whom else will be in the
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| PERSONALITY TRAITS
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| | novel. What role will these other players
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| A character in your novel needs to have
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| | maintain to help the hero or heroine go
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| distinct personality traits that make
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| | forth? If you just add someone in the
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| them unique. By distinguishing them from
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| | novel because you like him or her, but
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| the other persons in the novel, you can
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| | they don't help the story, then rethink
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| create all kinds of situations based on
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| | on how they could be useful to the story.
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| those traits. Personality traits are
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| | Maybe they know something that might be
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| typically revealed in the story through
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| | useful to the hero or heroine, then add
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| actions, dialogue with other people in
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| | that into the story.
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| the story, and sometimes through
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| | Cardboard characters are a result of
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| flashbacks that may reveal how that
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| | focusing on one dimension of a character.
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| person became the way they are.
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| | The cardboard character can be either
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| If you are not familiar with personality
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| | totally evil, good, funny, sad, etc. They
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| traits, you can begin by studying the
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| | don't waver much from that description.
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| psychology books that describe them. Some
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| | Sometimes they are added in the novel to
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| examples of personality traits are
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| | prove someone's character. For example,
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| introvert/extrovert,
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| | an evil cardboard character makes the
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| obsessive-compulsive, Type "A"/Type "B"
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| | hero look good by battling with him.
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| personalities, etc. For example, an
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| | That's the only purpose the evil
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| introverted person would appear shy,
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| | character has, to show the hero's good
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| doesn't speak much, and shuns being in
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| | side. We don't try to develop the evil
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| social situations, whereas an extroverted
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| | person's character so that he/she is less
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| person would be gregarious, out-going,
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| | evil. However, in recent literature, one
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| and usually a partygoer.
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| | sees more sympathetic looking evil people
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| There are many types of personalities
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| | doing their bad deeds, yet somehow
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| that you can choose from for your
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| | managing to make the reader feel sorry
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| heroine, but typically, a "romantic"
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| | about them. Those complex types are not
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| female would include the following: kind,
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| | considered cardboard characters.
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| young, nurturing, loving, warm, single,
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| | BALANCING ACT
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| sensual, doesn't fool around, and
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| | No matter how well you think you are
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| attractive. For your hero, the
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| | writing, always go back and double check
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| characteristics could vary even more, and
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| | your work for consistency. Make sure that
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| usually include being: older, decisive,
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| | if your hero has blue eyes in the
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| powerful, kind, caring, single, gentle,
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| | beginning of the story, that he still has
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| and handsome.
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| | blue eyes by the end of the story, etc.
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| Typically, you should have well-rounded
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| | Also, make sure you know your characters
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| characters. However, beware of making
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| | before you write. If you don't, it will
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| them too perfect. Readers prefer reading
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| | show up in your writing. Throughout the
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| about realistic people, and yet at the
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| | story, you have to carefully describe the
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| same time, want to escape a little. Leave
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| | real person in all their glory, as well
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| some room for improvement to allow
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| | as their character flaws. When I went
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| character development to take place. As a
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| | back and read the first draft of my
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| writer, you will have to do some mental
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| | romance novel "Lipsi's Daughter, I found
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| gymnastics to allow this to happen. Maybe
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| | that I tended to lean more towards making
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| she is stubborn and headstrong, and
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| | my characters too good. I then went in
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| doesn't listen to other people's advice.
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| | and deliberately inserted a fault or two.
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| Maybe he doesn't trust anyone, so he is
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| | Those faults also help with the conflict.
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| wary and cautious. That's fine. Once you
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| | Conflict drives the story forward.
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| decide on the traits of each character,
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| | The final balancing act will come at the
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| then the next step would be to envision
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| | end, where you will have created, or
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| how they would react to certain
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| | synthesized a whole new person that has
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| situations. For example, an impulsive
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| | evolved into a better human being from
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| person would probably react differently
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| | the lessons they learned in the story. So
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| than a cautious person to the same
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| | now that you've read this section, go
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| situation. Be prepared to get into the
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| | ahead, write your characters. Make them
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| shoes of your character and feel what
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| | come alive!
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