Romance Writers Weekly: Character Wrangling

Thanks for joining the Romance Writers' Weekly blog hop! Today we're talking about wrangling and developing characters, one of my favorite part of the writing process.


I hope you joined me from Victoria Barbour's page, and big huge thanks for this week’s questions from Eden Ashe!

1. How much free reign do you give your characters during a story?

I am a plotter, so I generally have a strong idea of what my characters are going to do, what they

need, and where they are going, but sometimes they surprise me. Sometimes minor parts of their story, which I only intended to include as backstory, turn out to be much more important. It's as if they need to work that problem out, even if I wasn't terribly bothered about at all. 

In my current work in progress, Reckless Wager, my hero, Detective Sergeant Benjamin Quinn wants to resolve his family issues, yet all I intended was to have him hunt Jack the Ripper. And fall in love with my heroine, Kate, of course! Ben's need to resolve matters with his family is now a bigger part of my story than I ever intended, but it's where he's led me, time and time again.

2. Have your characters ever done something so out of the blue that not only changed your story, but changed the tone and maybe even the genre you were originally going for? (Like your contemporary romance turned into a spicy paranormal)

I haven't had that happen yet, but I'd be open to it! I know that sometimes my characters lead me down rabbit holes I didn't expect to travel, but they usually stick firmly in their late Victorian world. :)

3. Do you have one character in your head that is sort of boss over all the rest? Or do you decide who to work on and when?

Ben is dominating a bit in Reckless Wager, I must admit. I started out thinking of this as chiefly the heroine's happy ending story, but Ben definitely wants his time on the page too. Kate is a secondary character from a previous novella, so she was a priority, but Ben is going to get equal time. 

In most cases, however, my characters allow me to the tell their story much as I had intended. It's actually the stories I haven't written yet, the characters that are just faint sketches in my mind, who are the loudest and most eager to have their stories told. And I can't wait to flesh out every single one of them. 

Now, join me at the fabulous Sarah Hegger's blog to find out how she answered the same questions!

Romance Writers Weekly: Unexpected Writing Paths

Do you like to read romance novels? Wouldn’t you like to know more about your favorite authors?

Well you came to the right place! Join the writers of Romance Weekly as we go behind the scenes of our books and tell all... About our writing of course!

Every week we’ll answer questions and after you’ve enjoyed the blog on this site we’ll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride!

I hope you joined me from Ronnie Allen's page, and big huge thanks for this week’s questions from JJ Devine!

Here we go!

1. You’re moving right along with a storyline and suddenly it takes an unexpected twist. Do you go with the flow and follow where the twist leads you or do you conform your story to your way?

Though I have become a detailed plotter over the last year, my stories still take their own lovely paths, and I'm happy to follow. As I write, the story continues to unfold in my head, like a train that I am always trying to catch up with. I view my plotting efforts, notes, research, etc. as the tracks that I'm following, but there are always bends and bridges ahead that I can't quite see when I start.

My second Whitechapel Wagers novella, Wanton Wager, took an unexpected turn early on when Lord Ashdowne, who I expected to be a minor character who would only appear in one chapter, turned out to be a menacing presence throughout much of the story.

2. What time of year is your best time for writing? Winter, Summer, Fall, Spring?

I am not sure I have a best time of the year for writing. I try to write everyday or every week at a bare minimum, so I need to be productive all year round. I've gotten to the point that I can write anywhere or anytime, since I need to meet deadlines and publication goals.

However, I certainly have favorite seasons or those that most inspire me. Fall is my favorite season. When I the calendar turned over to the fall season a couple of days ago, it gave me a little inner thrill and sense of relief. I knew cool breezes, gorgeous colors, and heavenly scents were on their way. I love fall leaves, plump pumpkins, apple pies, and all the beautiful sights and scents of fall. I also love the light during autumn. It seems to take on a bluer, almost grey hue, and I find it soothing after the bright rays of summer. 

3. When looking for a publisher do you chose a traditional press, indie route, or one that does both ebook and print?

My goal as an author is to be published in as many formats and via as many pathways as possible. I am currently indie published, but I will soon be submitting a manuscript to a traditional press and another to a smaller e-publisher. However, I will never stop publishing my own work, and I will always offer short stories free. I currently have a few free short stories online at Free Reads from the Genre-istas. 

It's an exciting time in publishing, and being the curious sort, I want to learn about and experience all the opportunities I can. I think it's worth considering every option.

Want to find out how Xio Axelrod answered these three questions? I do! Join me at her blog next.