Character Development with a Theatrical Approach

The books that appeal to me most are the ones that have characters that haunt me long after I finish the book. Sometimes over the years, I forget the story line, but I still "feel" that character. That's the kind of book I hunt down in the bookstore.

Rather than a how-to post on character development, I'm going to get a little personal, if that's okay, and write about an approach that works best for me.

If you read authors' blogs or attend workshops, you've read/heard explanations of how they go about the writing process. Many reveal their secrets for character development, which include character diaries, personality plotting, character interviews, and psychiatric analysis/charts of their characters' needs. I use some of these, but I rely heavily on a different approach.

In addition to writing, I teach acting.

Character development in theatre is as critical as any technical aspect of the art. There are several schools of thought on character development in acting.

I was trained in and teach the Stanislavsky System of acting (also known as Method Acting). Constantin Stanislavsky revolutionized the approach to portraying a character. He believed that an actor's job was not just to make a character recognizable and understood, it was to make a character believable. A big change for the theatre world around the turn of the Twentieth Century. .

Simplistically described, Stanislavsky Method employs the recall of sensory and emotional memories from an actor's own experiences to deepen the development of a character. In preparing for a role, an actor will use sense memory recall to pull up emotions so that the performance is realistic and genuine. If the part calls for the portrayal of a person grieving the death of another character, the actor would call up memories of his/her experience that are closest to the scenario being portrayed. This is why Method Acting is not usually taught until late high school or college. The actor must be able to choose memories that he can handle and use effectively. If the recall of the memory is too intense, the performance could break down (and so could the actor).

I teach my acting students that recalling the memories and reliving them is not the final result. The technical aspects of acting must be layered on top. This is a hard part for many of them. Going back to the grieving scenario I previously mentioned: The student must take the memory of how it felt, sounded, smelled, tasted to be in the parallel situation from his own past and apply it on stage in a controlled manner. The body will react believably if the emotions are genuine. The end result must be a clean, believable performance that is consistent for the benefit of the other actors. Every action must be justified by a realistic motivation. "Why am I doing this? Why did I just cross to stage left?" It can't be because the director told him to do so. He must find a reason for the character to do it in order to believably accommodate the director's staging.

I really am going to write about characters in fiction. Really!

All this theatre babble was to give insight into how I approach character development. I apply the same principles instituted in Stanislavsky Method Acting to give my characters depth and provide motivation. I think many writers do this naturally. We put ourselves into the place of the character, whether it be human or non-human and try to relate to them. Readers do the same.

When writing a scene, I do just as I would were I playing that role in a play. I close my eyes (really, I do) and I ask myself the following things:

1. What experience have I had that is most like the scenario I am writing?

Most of the time, I've never been through anything remotely close to what my characters are going through (thank goodness), but I look for a similar or parallel experience.

For example, I've never been shoved through a window, but if my character suffers this, I would find the closest thing to it I have experienced. What is most is the most similar experience I've had?

My brother tripped me once when I was carrying a large glass fish bowl--a far cry from going through a plate glass window, but it still relates. It was a shock. It hurt like heck. The doctor had to pull a huge chunk of glass out of my arm, etc. Similar to going through a window in many respects. I would use this.

2. How did my own similar experience feel, sound, taste, smell?

In a quiet place, I would ask myself these questions. I don't put myself in the place of the character, I put myself in MY place in the past with a similar experience. I try to relive it exactly.

Back to the fish bowl memory:

How did the glass sound when it shattered? How did it feel when I fell, hit the glass, realized what had happened? Were there smells associated with it? How did I feel about being tripped? How did it feel when the doctor removed the glass from my arm?

Now, during all of this, I "relive" extraneous things like scrambling for the poor fish flopping in the bloody water on the floor to collect them and trying to dechlorinate water in a mixing bowl in time to save them (which I did) while my family screamed. Now a child saving fish while her family freaks is not at all like a character being shoved through a window by a bad guy (though I must say my brother seemed like a bad guy at the moment), but the sounds, smells, and fear compounded by the urgency to save the fish probably transfer perfectly to someone being shoved through a glass window. Just thinking about it and not even recalling it in a sensory manner caused my heart rate to increase.

3. How did the experience affect me?

If done correctly, the sensory recall will bring it all back as if it had just happened, and this question will be unnecessary because I will be affected similarly to when it happened. I don't have to remember how it felt, I will be feeling it all over again--making the event raw and real. This is the point at which and actor will work a scene and a writer will write a scene.

Stanislavsky Technique is more complex than this thumbnail description and the application is more involved in order to keep the character believable while keeping the performance consistent and effective.

I find the sense memory recall used in Method Acting is applicable to character development in fiction and works great for me, but just as with acting, the writer can get lost in the character at the expense of the final product. An intense, realistic, motivated character still needs to walk through a believable world in a well-written book. All are pieces needed to complete the puzzle.

Has anyone tried this method before? Do you have any tricks of your own for characterization?

Wishing everyone a beautiful week.

Mary

Mary Lindsey writes paranormal fiction for teens and adults. Prior to attending University of Houston Law school, she received a B.A. in English Literature with a minor in Drama. Mary is represented by Joan Paquette of the Erin Murphy Literary Agency.

Mary also be found on her website and personal blog.

Publishing Pulse 8/14/09

Literary News

It is with great sorrow that we say goodbye to Firebrand Literary. They officially announced on their website that they are closing their doors.

Texas district court judge Leonard Davis filed an injunction preventing Microsoft from selling Word. Click here for the full story.

New and Updated Agents

After fifteen years of professional experience in children's literature, Marietta Zacker has joined forces with the Nancy Gallt Literary Agency. She is looking for picture books, rhyming books, board books, easy readers, chapter books, middle grade, young adult, non-fiction for children, graphic novels, historical fiction, fantasy and edgy.

Drew Perez has begun agenting after an internship at Andrea Hurst & Associates Literary Management. He has a special love for military fiction, "in the gutter, not the stars" science fiction, and Latino fiction. He's accepting submissions in the following genres: Non-fiction: health and fitness, business, pop culture, humor, and relationships. Fiction: historical, military, thriller, mystery, some science fiction, some fantasy humor, literary, pop culture, and young adult.

Super Cool Info

The Guide to Literary Agents Editor's Blog reveals how royalties and advances work. GLA also has a fantastic new series called "Successful Queries."

Want to know which genres agents are asking for? Check out the poll on the Pimp My Novel blog.

Brand new Upstart Crow Literary Agency offers great advice for writers on their website. (Click on their Writer's Toolbox!)

And be sure to check out Agent Rachelle Gardner's Two Things That Don't Help a Query.

How are we doing?

We want to know! Do you find the info in the Pulse helpful? Is there something you'd like to see more or less of? Let us cater to you!

Medical Fiction Questions Answered: 08/12/09

Okay, gang... the Doctor is IN! More medical fiction questions...

Disclaimer: The information provided in this post is intended for writing purposes only and does not represent medical advice. (Sorry, my lawyer-boy husband makes me say that.)

Hi Heather,

I have character related medical questions (and whoa, very nice to have you as a resource. The QTBlog is awesomesauce!):

Can a school nurse run blood work if requested? What would the nurse check for automatically? Would the nurse screen for drugs? Pregnancy? How would a school verify drug use?

What tests would be run for headaches? MRI? CAT scan? Both? Would the same tests be used for visual hallucinations? Are there different tests for auditory hallucinations--or are all hallucinations covered by say MRI and CAT scans? How else would you diagnose the cause of hallucinations? Could a doctor render a proper diagnosis if information is being withheld, e.g., the character claims headaches, not hallucinations. When might a psychiatrist be called in? If the character admitted seeing things (say, within the context of a therapist visit), what anti-psychotic medications might be prescribed?

Any light you can shed would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Ctairo

Wow, Ctairo... that's a lot of questions!

Let's take them one at a time:

Q: Can a school nurse run blood work if requested?

A: Not usually. At least not easily. Most school nurses have very limited resources, and they certainly wouldn't be able to run the blood tests themselves on the premises. So, since any tests would be sent out anyway, what would usually be done is the nurse would simply refer the student to their physician or a clinic or, in an emergency, to a hospital. Also, most lab tests must be ordered by a physician or nurse practitioner, and very few school nurses have that level of training.

Q: What would the nurse check for automatically?

A: I'm not sure what you mean by this, but a school nurse wouldn't typically check for much. She would treat minor illnesses, help students administer their home medications, etc. But diagnostic testing does not typically play a big role in school nursing offices.

Q: Would the nurse screen for drugs? Pregnancy? How would a school verify drug use?

A: Depending on the school facilities, it's possible the school would have the capability to offer pregnancy testing (which is a simple urine test). Drug testing can be done with a simple urine test as well (which usually tests for marijuana, cocaine, opiates, barbiturates, amphetamines, and PCP) and some high schools do perform drug testing, but most require parental consent first and reasonable cause to request them (unless they are required for, say, participating in sports). You would need to research the school district rules in the area your story is set.

(I'm assuming the rest of your questions refer to evaluation in a clinic or emergency room.)


Q: What tests would be run for headaches? MRI? CAT scan? Both?

A: There aren't many tests done for headaches, actually. The first step would be to take a thorough history of the headache. Where it's located, the duration, associated symptoms, aggravating factors, alleviating factors, etc. They would also do a neurological evaluation, including vision. The vast majority of headaches can be diagnosed with just a history and physical.

If the headache was suspicious or unusual in some way, or associated with, say, vision changes or seizures or a head injury, they might do some imaging studies. A CT scan is often done first, since it's quicker and cheaper. A CT is always the best choice for trauma, as it shows blood better than an MRI.

An MRI is better for something like a brain tumor or a stroke.

Neither of these tests would be routinely ordered for someone with just a headache.

If the patient had a fever, or neck stiffness, or mental status changes (or if their retinal exam showed something called papilledema), they might need to do a spinal tap to check for meningitis, encephalitis, or a condition called pseudotumor cerebri.

Q: Would the same tests be used for visual hallucinations? Are there different tests for auditory hallucinations--or are all hallucinations covered by say MRI and CAT scans? How else would you diagnose the cause of hallucinations?

A: Like headaches, hallucinations are first evaluated by a careful history (meaning what the patient can tell you about the problem under questioning) and physical evaluation. There's a nice chart here of some types of hallucinations (by history) and the possible explanations for them.

Q: Could a doctor render a proper diagnosis if information is being withheld, e.g., the character claims headaches, not hallucinations.

A: That would greatly depend on what the diagnosis was. Some problems, like meningitis or a brain tumor, have very specific findings. Many other problems rely on the history for diagnosis. How much influence the patient would have over his or her diagnosis would also depend on their level of function. For example, someone with severe schizophrenia may not be able to appropriately identify or describe their hallucinations, but their behavior might suggest them to the evaluator, as their ability to hide their symptoms would be poor.

Q: When might a psychiatrist be called in?

A: A psychiatrist would be called in if an evaluation for other causes was negative, or if other signs or symptoms suggested a psychiatric diagnosis.

Q: If the character admitted seeing things (say, within the context of a therapist visit), what anti-psychotic medications might be prescribed?

A: That would depend on the diagnosis following a psychiatric evaluation. A chart of some diagnoses and the recommended treatments can be found here.

I hope you find this information helpful. Our resident psychologist, Carolyn, may have some additional helpful suggestions for you, too. ;)

ETA: And, indeed, she does! Here's Carolyn's thoughts:

Great questions, and great answers! All of Dr. Dyer's disclaimers apply to what lies below:

The possible benefits of anti-psychotics (also sometimes called neuroleptics) must be measured against the possible side effects, so the psychiatrist or physician would want to be pretty sure the character is psychotic (ie having hallucinations and/or delusions) before prescribing them. Anti-psychotic medications can have long-term side effects including sedation, weight gain, and the possibility of developing what are called "extrapyramidal side effects" -- small, involuntary movements of the lips and tongue, muscle rigidity, and internal restlessness.

The classic antipsychotics, which you often hear named in movies, are most likely to have these side effects (ie Haldol, Thorazine). Atypical antipsychotics are used much more often, and present a lower risk for extrapyramidals -- Risperdal, Zyprexa, Seroquel, and Geodon. Abilify is also sometimes used -- it has the fewest side effects. (Abilify is kind of a controversial drug right now. The research that says it works seems to be biased. Not unusual, unfortunately.)

Someone who is having hallucinations could have several different diagnoses, including schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, which is also called manic depression (some people hallucinate as part of mania or, even more rarely, as part of a devastating depression).

If the person has bipolar disorder, a clinician is going to notice. People who are manic tend to talk too fast, make bad decisions, feel euphoric or aggressive, and think the whole time that there's nothing wrong with them. People who are devastatingly depressed talk slowly, move slowly, seem sad or angry, and bring a heaviness with them where ever they go. People who have schizophrenia don't just have hallucinations and/or delusions -- they also have strange thought patterns and mannerisms. The disorder is very difficult to hide. Finally, there's something called a brief psychotic disorder that can be triggered by extreme stress. It has to last more than one day but less than a month and can include the symptoms of schizophrenia, but it resolves itself without turning into schizophrenia. All of the links above will take you to more information on the disorders.

It's also possible that hallucinations could be caused by drugs, which would certainly be a consideration in someone who was school-aged.

Hope that's helpful!

Remember, if YOU have a medical fiction question, email me at hldyer at querytracker.net and include "medical question" in the subject title. You'll receive an automatic reply confirming that your question has safely arrived in my email box.

Interview with Mystery Author Roberta Isleib

Today we are lucky enough to be joined by clinical psychologist Roberta Isleib, the author of eight mysteries published by Berkley Prime Crime--most recently ASKING FOR MURDER.

As you all know, my (Carolyn's) "thing" is helping writers get the psychology right in their stories, and I cheered all the way through Roberta's Advice Column Mysteries.  Not only are they a great read with wonderfully engaging characters, they're also the best example I've ever seen of psychology wrapped so beautifully (and accurately!) into a series. Put her novels on your Do Not Miss reading list!

Roberta's books and stories have been short-listed for Agatha, Anthony, and Macavity awards. She is the past president of National Sisters in Crime and is presently serving as the chair of the Edgar best novel committee for Mystery Writers of America.

QueryTracker Blog: How did you start writing?

ROBERTA: I’ve been a student for so many years (Ph.D in clinical psychology) that I should say I’ve always written. But I started writing articles about the psychology of golf in the mid-nineties, as a way to try to make use of the time I spent learning to play golf (too much—you can’t imagine.) Then, because I’ve always read and loved mysteries, I began a story about a neurotic professional golfer wannabe who became a murder suspect while trying to make it onto the Ladies golf tour. Hence, the Cassie Burdette golf mystery series was born.

QT: Please tell us about your road to publication.

ROBERTA: Since I knew no one in the business, I studied books on publishing like Elizabeth Lyon’s The Sell Your Novel Toolkit and Jeff Herman’s Writer’s Guide to Book Editors, Publishers, and Literary Agents.

I made huge charts of agents who had interests like mine (mystery, sports, psychology), or who had some feature in their personal background that made me think we might connect, or who had sold books with some similarity to mine. I attended mystery conventions (Bouchercon, Malice Domestic, and Left Coast Crime) and talked with people there about the publishing process. And I sent out almost thirty queries over a year with no success.

One day, I dragged myself into New York City for an International Women’s Writers Guild “Meet the Agents” panel. One hundred and fifty wannabe writers crowded the hall to hear nine agents speak about their areas of interest. Then we rushed to the front of the room to give our two minute pitches to the agent we felt most closely matched our interests. The agent I chose asked for a three-week exclusive look at my manuscript. I sent it off. Two weeks later she called with the news that a second agent had seen the manuscript on her desk, read it, and wanted to represent me. Hurray! She’s been my agent ever since. (Paige Wheeler of Folio Literary Management.)

QT: You have two ongoing series. The Golf Lover's Mystery series features Cassie Burdette and the Advice Column Mystery series features psychologist Rebecca Butterman. Could you tell us a bit about each series and what inspired you to write them?

ROBERTA: There were five books in the golf lovers’ series, all featuring Cassie Burdette and her sports psychologist sidekick. I had so much fun researching those—had the chance to play many wonderful golf courses and meet pro golfers and others in the golf world. After five books, Berkley asked to see another idea and I so I created Dr. Rebecca Butterman, clinical psychologist and advice columnist. ASKING FOR MURDER is the latest in that series, which takes place in the town next to me on the Connecticut shoreline. I find the work of a psychotherapist to be very similar to that of a detective—so this path turned out to be a natural progression!

QT: What are you working on now?

ROBERTA: I’m finishing a new standalone suspense novel with the working title “Married Seeking Married.” It goes like this: Just after hearing that her husband has left her for another woman, Mirabelle Conti finds a business card on the bulletin board in a local coffee shop: Married Seeking Married. Reacting from grief and anger, she contacts the card owner to try to understand her husband’s desertion and ends up a suspect in a suburban prostitution ring.

I will be sending it off to my agent soon and if every one of your readers crosses their fingers, maybe she’ll sell it quickly!

QT: What is the hardest/least favorite part of being a writer?

ROBERTA: The business part of writing is hard--the part I have no control over. I can produce a fabulous book, but unless the publisher really gets behind it and I have a bit of luck somewhere along the line, it's unlikely to be a commercial success. That's why I do as much as I can to promote, as long as it doesn't interfere with my writing! I want to be able to say I gave it my all without killing myself in the process.

QT: What is your favorite part about being a writer?

ROBERTA: My absolute favorite parts are seeing the books out in the world and then hearing from and meeting readers. These two things make all the agony worthwhile!

QT: Do you have a quote that motivates you?

ROBERTA: I love quotes from writers on writing. Here’s a good one that gets at the idea that you must treat this as a job, not wait for the muse to strike:

“Every morning between 9 and 12 I go to my room and sit before a piece of paper. Many times, I just sit for three hours with no ideas coming to me. But I know one thing. If an idea does come between 9 and 12 I am there ready for it.” — Flannery O'Connor

QT: What is your advice to new or unpublished writers?

ROBERTA: Okay, you asked for it!

1. MAKE A PLAN THAT INCLUDES LOTS OF LITTLE, MANAGEABLE GOALS: As I begin a book, I look ahead to the due date and figure out how many pages I’ll need to write each week in order to hand it in on time. I build in time for trips and family and time for my writers group to read and critique, and then time for me to rewrite. Then I have a page goal for each week. I write until I’ve hit the goal, sometimes even getting a little ahead. If I have an unproductive day, it just means writing a little faster later in the week to keep up.

2. HAMMER IT OUT: Get it all down, even if it's awful. You can always go back and fix things later. Anne Lamott called this “the shitty first draft”—she had it right!

3. SET YOUR SIGHTS HIGH: As a psychologist, I know the importance of having "big goals" for my subconscious to aim at. So I keep a copy of the NY Times bestseller list pasted up over my computer. Then I forget about it and work on the books word by word...

4. YOU’VE GOT TO HAVE FRIENDS: Writing can be such a lonely, discouraging business. I’ve gotten very involved with mystery organizations (Sisters in Crime and MWA,) and joined Romance Writers and Yahoo groups such as Fiction That Sells. I also have a very supportive and loyal writers group and a group blog, Jungle Red Writers. The friends I’ve met have saved my sanity and supported me endlessly along the way. I was president of national Sisters in Crime last year—a very rewarding and time-consuming experience! http://www.sistersincrime.org

5. TAKE YOUR TIME: Don’t rush off too soon to try to get your work published. This business is extremely competitive so it’s crucial to have your writing polished before sending it out. The Internet makes querying too easy—don’t press send until you’re sure the piece is the best it can be. I have lots of info on my website about agents and getting published and some of the scams writers fall for. http://www.robertaisleib.com

And meanwhile, there are lots of conferences that are attended by literary agents. It’s not a bad idea to get some face time with an agent—this personal contact could be what helps your manuscript get a serious look.

QT: Our readers are very interested in platform. What kinds of things do you do to promote your books?

ROBERTA: Right now I’m taking a little break from maniacal promotion to write. But in the past, I’ve done a lot of promoting, making use of niche markets in psychology and golf, social networking, viral marketing, book signing tours alone and with other writers, blogs and blog tours, sending out books and bookmarks, a good website…hmmm, what have I forgotten? My greatest coup was getting interviewed by Sports Illustrated about the golf mystery series in 2006.

The SI writer came to my house in Madison, CT and walked the local golf course with me (where PUTT TO DEATH was set.) A week later a pair of photographers drove out from New York and took lots of photos of me looking very fierce in the marsh where the fictional body was found. So much fun!

With promotion, you never know for sure what will work, so you’re throwing things at the wall to see what sticks. For the advice column mysteries, I consulted with Laney Becker, a very smart agent and former PR maven at my agent’s agency. She reminded me to use the advice column angle in all my publicity. So press releases were sent out in the format of an advice column and I even got Margo Howard (Ann Landers' daughter) to blurb the first book.

But I still believe the best thing a writer can do is to write an outstanding book!

Thanks so much for inviting me to stop in at Query Tracker. Hope some of this information proves to be helpful—and I’m always happy to answer questions.

Dr. Carolyn Kaufman is a clinical psychologist and professor residing in Columbus, Ohio. A published writer, she runs Archetype Writing: Psychology for Fiction Writers and an associated blog. She is often quoted by the media as an expert resource. 

Have a psychology/writing question?  Ask here (or using my email address to the right) and you may see it answered on the QueryTracker.net Blog!

Publishing Pulse 8/7/09

Another week down. Another week to get better, write better, learn more. Are you ready? I said, Are you ready? *grins* I know you are.

Literary Agent News

Emily Keyes is a new agent at L. Perkins Agency, representing middle grade and young adult. Read what she's specifically looking for here.

Marie Campbell at Transatlantic Literary Agency. Marie specializes in children's writers with a particular interest in middle grade fiction.

Gretchen Stelter at Baker's Mark Literary Agency, LLC. Ms. Stelter is accepting a wide range of fiction and non-fiction genres, so check out her profile (just click on her name).

Chris Richman, Michael Sterns and Danielle Chiotti left Firebrand Literary and started Upstart Crow Literary. Their website will be up and running soon, so check out their profiles for genres and interests.

Literary agent Colleen Lindsay is open for submission--but read carefully! ONLY for a limited time (from now until the end of August. That's only 24 more days) and ONLY limited genres (adult urban fantasy/paranormal romance, YA urban fantasy/paranormal romance, realistic YA). Read her blog post for all the deets.

Excellent stuff you have to read, like, now:

Donald Maass expounds on character building. Strengths, flaws, it's all there. And he's got a new book to boot! Check it out.

If you haven't found the Pimp My Novel blog, you need to find it today. (Yeah, just click over there. Follow. Subscribe.) This post is especially useful for authors on what they can do.

Literary agent Kristin Nelson talks about treating writing as a business. Twice, in fact. Even if you're not published yet, you can file these posts away in your "This is Awesome Advice" folder for future reference--like when you are a NY Times bestselling author.

Literary agent Janet Reid shares her thoughts on exclusives. For anyone in the querying mindset, read this. You'll be glad you did.

Note to Authors: Make Your Deadlines. This article goes great with Ms. Nelson's advice to treat your writing as a business. Something to think about, at the very least.


If you're on twitter and like to follow agencies and/or agents, here's a short list of people to add.
@Bakersmark
@MarleneStringer
@JillCorcoran
@BostonBookGirl (Lauren MacLeod)
@RachelleGardner
@barrygoldblatt
@DaphneUn (Kate Testerman)
@BookEndsJessica (Jessica Faust)
@LucienneDiver
@Ginger_Clark


Have a great weekend! I'm sending lotsa good writing vibes your way!

Interview with Christina Katz on Platform

We recently had the privilege to interview platform guru extraordinare, Christina Katz, about how to build a platform from scratch.  Even if you don't know where to start, Christina takes you by the hand and walks you through each step in her book, Get Known Before The Book Deal: Use Your Personal Strengths To Grow An Author Platform (Writer’s Digest Books).

Christina started her platform “for fun” seven years ago and ended up on “Good Morning America.” Christina teaches e-courses on platform development and writing nonfiction for publication. Her students are published in national magazines and land agents and book deals. Christina has been encouraging reluctant platform builders via her e-zines for five years, has written hundreds of articles for national, regional, and online publications, and is a monthly columnist for the Willamette Writer. A popular speaker at writing conferences, writing programs, libraries, and bookstores, she hosts the Northwest Author Series in Wilsonville, Oregon. She is also the author of Writer Mama: How to Raise a Writing Career Alongside Your Kids (Writer’s Digest Books).

QT: What is your definition of platform?

CK: A platform-strong writer is a writer with influence. Your platform includes your Web presence, any public speaking you do, the classes you teach, the media contacts you’ve established, the articles you’ve published, and any other means you currently have for making your name and your future books known to a viable readership. Your platform communicates your expertise to others, and it works all the time so you don’t have to. If others already recognize your expertise on a given topic or for a specific audience or both, then that is your platform.

QT: How did you decide to write a book to help people build their platforms?

CK: I already had a lot of momentum going on the topic when I got the deal. I wrote a column on the topic for the Willamette Writer’s newsletter. I started speaking on platform. I’ve spent ten years on my platform and I’ve been helping my students build platforms for almost that long. Some of their books are now coming out, which is exciting.

When I gave my presentation, “Get Known Before the Book Deal,” at the Writer’s Digest/BEA Writer’s Conference in May 2007, Phil Sexton, one of my publisher’s sales guys, saw it and suggested making the concept into a book. Coincidentally, I was trying to come up with an idea for my second book at that time and had just struck out with what I thought were my three best ideas. My editor, Jane Friedman agreed with Phil. That was two votes from people sitting on the pub board. They converted the others with the help of my proposal, and Get Known got the green light.

QT: What personality characteristics separate people who are good at building platforms from people who struggle?

CK: None. It’s not about personality whatsoever. All of the techniques needed to build a strong platform are learned just like most social skills. A shy person can learn to be “good at” building a platform just like an extrovert can.

All writers need to master four traits for success: craft, pitching, professional development and platform building, so a shy person might be more willing and patient with craft whereas an extrovert can’t sit still or stop talking long enough to care to write really well. In fact, it takes patience to build a solid, strong platform too. So there is no particular type of personality that makes a difference.

We all have strengths and weaknesses. Use your strengths and address or delegate your weaknesses. That’s what all successful business people do. That’s what writers need to do because we are also business people.

QT: What mistakes do you most often see writers making when they're trying to develop a platform?

CK: I have a list. Here are a few common mistakes that writers make:

* They don’t spend time clarifying who they are to others.
* They don’t zoom in specifically on what they offer.
* They confuse socializing with platform development.
* They think about themselves too much and their audience not enough.
* They don’t precisely articulate all they offer so others get it immediately.
* They don’t create a plan before they jump online.
* They undervalue the platform they already have.
* They are overconfident and think they have a solid platform when they have only made a beginning.
* They become exhausted from trying to figure out platform as they go.
* They pay for “insider secrets” instead of trusting their own instincts.
* They blog like crazy for six months and then look at their bank accounts and abandon the process as going nowhere.

I’ll stop there. Suffice it to say that many writers promise publishers they have the ability to make readers seek out and purchase their book. But when it comes time to demonstrate this ability, they can’t deliver.

QT: What do you think is the most under-utilized approach to building platform?

CK: I have two…

Showing up. Most writers invest too much time dreaming about being discovered and not enough time putting themselves out there to be visible. Truth time: writers don’t get discovered. Successful writers are not “lucky.” Writing success is all about writing long and hard and then caring enough about your work and yourself to get it and you in front of the right people. It’s just part of the job.

Having fun. I hear so much moaning and groaning about platform development. But that’s great way to turn off masses of people from ever wanting to learn more about you, so why not have fun both building and expanding your platform instead? You may as well because you are going to spend plenty of time on self-promotion. It will be so much more pleasant for everyone involved if you are having a good time. Even if your topic is serious (author Arnie Bernstein comes to mind) a little bit of levity can go a long way.

QT: You're one of the few authors who addresses platform for fiction writers. What do you see as the unique challenges facing fiction writers, and how can writers overcome them?

CK: The quality of a fiction manuscript is paramount and most fiction writers tend to underestimate how long it will take to go from idea to finished book. But if a writer lets the process take as long as it takes and works on platform development in the meantime, she’ll be a lot better off. Just like nonfiction writers, fiction writers need to begin working on a platform long before the manuscript is complete.

Typically, after fiction books are published, fiction writers will spin off a series of topics based on their book that they can explore to help promote themes they’ve written about. So fiction writers can follow all the same strategies I describe for nonfiction writers in Get Known. It’s not like if you write wonderful fiction, you’re done. Most fiction writers cross over to nonfiction writing fairly easily.

Other things fiction writers often learn from their writing process include knowledge of a place, familiarity with a topic from their research, insight into a time period, a truth or phenomenon that may be mostly unknown to the general public, universal human themes, a particular time or phase every person experiences (like coming of age), or the creative process itself. These can become promotional opportunities (sometimes even paying ones) that spark book sales.

QT: Where should a writer start in the platform-building business?

CK: I think every writer should start with relationship building. Study the work of people you admire. Take classes with them if you can. Be discriminating. Don’t just follow the masses. Base your platform on the intersection between what matters to you and what matters to your readers. There are plenty of people who are doing this extremely well to emulate.

Don’t throw the art of relationship building out while establishing your online life. One thing about the publishing industry hasn’t changed. It’s still a business fueled by personal connections. I’m very humbled and pleased to play a small part in it. You can too. But you have to be practical and create a plan. Otherwise, you can exhaust yourself in no time.

Thank you so much, Christina!



Dr. Carolyn Kaufman is a clinical psychologist and professor residing in Columbus, Ohio. A published writer, she runs Archetype Writing: Psychology for Fiction Writers and an associated blog. She is often quoted by the media as an expert resource. 


Have a psychology/writing question?  Ask here (or using my email address to the right) and you may see it answered on the QueryTracker.net Blog!

Safeguarding Your WIP

With three consecutive free days this last weekend, I'd planned to devote myself wholly to writing. I even Facebooked about it:

(probably jinxing myself by even mentioning it) I've cleared the next three days to write, write, write!

Well, jinx myself I did. When I sat down to my WIP, a little munchkin got curious and disconnected my power cord from the AC-to-DC converter. (And for the record, I only knew it was called that because my husband just told me.) My laptop's screen went blank, and when I powered it back up an error message blipped up to haunt me. Windows had failed to start.

Thus ensued three whole days without my laptop. When my technically talented husband returned from his jaunt to New York and ran the gamut of tricks from his bag, he announced that my elderly laptop (I've had it four years) must go to the laptop doctor in an effort to prolong its life. (Yeah, I know - it's old enough to be put out of its misery.)

I'll admit, not having my laptop has put me in a bit of a funk but I've not fallen into the pits of despair. Why? Because there are copies of my WIP stashed away in a couple of different places. And you should do the same.

Backup your documents on a device outside of your computer. Flash drive, disc, portable hard drive, etc.

Okay, so I can hear you now, echoing the thought that ofttimes runs through my head: "But what if my house burns down and my computer and backup drive go up in flames?" Don't panic. There is a solution.

There are places online where you can store your files.

One option is a one-member Yahoo group. As silly as it sounds, Yahoo groups are free and offer huge storage space. (For instance, I've only used 2% of my allotted space for all my documents.) Another option is to pay for a service that is dedicated specifically to file storage. Mozy, for example, will backup unlimited docs for a reasonable fee.

Now the trick is to backup your WIP every time you make changes to it. I'm not saying every five minutes. Once a day will do. But it's important to get in the habit of doing so. (It only takes a minute or two.)

And what if you have to take your computer to the doctor? Be sure to ask them to backup the hardrive before attempting any repairs.

UPDATE: Here's some great info about Mozy from Calista Taylor: "I recently signed up with Mozy.com which offers a free backup service (limited space unless you pay for unlimited). Just sign up, download the software, and it'll automatically backup your files to their site every 24 hours. You don't even need to worry about remembering to do it yourself!" Thanks, Calista!

So, dear reader, I want to hear from you! Have you ever survived a computer crash? And how do you backup your WIP?