Getting To Know You...

Writers are always encouraged to read the works of others to get a better handle on how it's done. It helps if you read books from the genre in which you write but that doesn't mean you can't expand. It's surprising the pointers you can pick up when you're not looking for them. Case in point...

I've been reading a series of books Harlequin put out called Men In Uniform. None of these books are recent releases. In fact, the one I'm reading now was originally released in 1989, entitled Informed Risk, written by Robyn Carr. What has really got my attention with this particular story is the depth of the characters. There's been quite a bit of talk lately on this topic but I thought this story best exemplifies the point.

Mike is a firefighter and he rescues Chris from a burning house. (she already got her two young children out). He thinks she's a little crazy when he finds her in the smoke filled house, with the refrigerator door open. There is a method to her madness and later, when he realizes what she's done, he gives her credit for her quick thinking. Anyhoo, Chris and her youngsters end up staying in his home until she can make other arrangements. The story goes on from there.

I was amazed at the depth of the main characters in the story. You get to know the characters in most books, some better than others. In this case you could almost think of them as next door neighbors, good friends. Even Mike's parents and siblings have a depth you rarely see in secondary characters. I felt like I was having Thanksgiving dinner with the Cavanaughs, sitting at the table with them and listening to the good-natured bantering going on. I'm about half-way through this story and I know it's going to be a tough one to put down one I get to the end.

Some writers concentrate on their story's plot, while others spend more time with characters. Every story needs both elements to get anywhere, or even survive the written page. And the emphasis on either one depends on what the author's most comfortable with.

How-to books are fine when learning basics of writing, but there is nothing like reading a good book, expanding your reading horizons to learn just how other writers put that knowledge to use. Studying the techniques of other authors can give us a better understanding of how to improve our own. The process of "getting to know you" can become a lot more challenging and fun.