National Blue Jeans Day and Getting Into Character

Welcome to National Blue Jeans Day. This post is an update of one done in August of 2015. Comments are closed today. 

Right now I'm working on my fourth book in my Big Heart Ranch series, which will release in 2019, and I'm very excited about this book. 

This is Tripp Walker's story. Tripp is a horse whisperer. A six-foot-five lean cowboy with a scar down the left side of his face,  whose history of abuse and neglect as a child runs as deep as those of the children of Big Heart Ranch.


I like the idea of getting into the head or the boots of this cowboy who is actually a pretty funny man of few words. And those words tend to be to the point. Even if that point hurts. 

Why does a writer get into character? We do this so our readers will relate to our protagonist/s. So they care. We want them to care enough to continue to turn the pages and to think about our characters after the book has ended. We also want to show how this character is different from every other character in the book. Even the blue jeans they wear show they are different. 

But how does a writer get into character?

 I've invited a few of my friends to share their methods with you.


Getting to know my characters is fundamental to my writing process. I cannot write them until in my head they "live, move and have their being." To facilitate this, I fill out a character profile on each major character—kind of like what I'd want to know if I were going to date them. I find photos—actors work best in terms of picture availability—that match the character forming in my head with someone I can study on screen for mannerisms that will make my characters come to life on the page. Then, I take my characters with me wherever I go—to the grocery store, carpool, church, etc . . . I try to see the experience through their eyes, not my own. By the time I've finished this "research phase", I know my characters well enough that I'll know their favorite hymn and what "moves" them. Finally, once they've completely jelled, I start writing. My final step will sound weird—but the normal ship sailed without me a long time ago. Utilizing a signature character fragrance found in lotions, soaps or candles, I'm able to quickly step into their essence and write their story each day. 
Lisa Carter-Beyond the Cherokee Trail



Before I write a story, I need to know the characters, especially their internal conflicts and any fears or secrets they might be hiding. Often they've been wounded, sometimes by a misconception, sometimes by a lost love, sometimes by a mistake they've made. Seeing life through the lens of that wound creates a false self, what screenwriting consultant Michael Hauge calls a false identity. Once I understand my characters' brokenness and the baggage they carry, I'm ready to begin my story. 
Debby Giusti-Person of Interest


The easiest and fastest way for me to get into my characters head is to take a walk. The walking is enough activity to keep the left brain occupied so my creative right brain can get into it.  Then I walk and picture myself in their world and imagine their reaction to it.  Other tricks I use:  I have photos of each main character and a list of their flaws, their goals, wants, needs, etc.  I can quickly glance at that list and photo and picture their character. 
Sandra Leesmith

photo Haley Phelps @Unsplach

I ask myself what the character is feeling. If I can write realistic emotions, then the rest usually falls into place. If I'm having a particularly difficult time with a scene, I stop writing in narrative form and start making lists. I'll go back and list everything that's happened to my character recently and then write down some basic emotions. "Elise is feeling angry because..., so that anger is going to come out when she..." I'll make a list of the things I want her to feel and unique ways to describe those feelings. I'll also make a list of descriptions to sprinkle in. I work right on through the five senses and then add the sentences I come up with to bland spots in the scene.
Naomi Rawlings-Love's Unfading Light


To write my characters' stories I must know their backstory inside and out. Once I have a handle on what they’ve experienced and the difficulties that’s caused, they become very real to me. When writing their story, I feel what they’re feeling, as I would feel the heartache and joy of a dear friend. I don’t use music, fragrances or pictures to trigger them. The fastest way for me to get into their story is to read the previous scene. If that fails, I reread the profile I created that includes everything of importance I know about them. Not what they like for breakfast, but vital stuff like their wounds and issues—Jeff Gerke calls these the poison or knots that keep them from changing—their strengths, goals and motivations. Once I’m engaged by what makes them tick and what they want and why, I’m ready to travel their bumpy road, showing their view of their world--often a skewed view--through their senses and reactions. When I find myself speaking their dialogue as I type, I know I'm connected. 
Janet Dean-The Bounty Hunter’s Redemption

Well, since I AM a character, it’s pretty easy for me to get inside my characters’ heads, especially the quirky ones like Charity O’Connor.I find that brainstorming on the treadmill works wonders in this regard because once my feet are flying, the dialogue does too, and nothing gets me into character faster than writing dialogue. Another thing that helps, crazy as it sounds, is a hand mirror. I keep one close so I can act out character expressions and personalities. Sometimes I even try to emulate people/characters I love and relate to. For instance, my disfigured, sweet and shy heroine Emma Malloy was actually modeled after Francine Rivers’ amazing Hadassah heroine from the Mark of the Lion series. A poor imitation, I realize, but Francine’s depiction really helped me shape Emma and get inside her head. 
Julie Lessman-Grace Like Rain (With This Kiss Historical Collection)


Desperate love of freedom... and an even more desperate yearning to put the past behind her. That's how I got into character for Magdalena Serida, my church-sponsored Chechen refugee in "Refuge of the Heart". War can take a normal person and push them to unheard extremes, but inside they're still that normal person. I had to envision every decision, every emotion from both angles. How would Lena react to this? And how would a war-torn tortured soul see it? And each action then had to embrace both sides. A woman at odds with herself, faced with new chances. Reading about the Chechen insurgency and following news clips on the Internet helped me shape her past, but pretending to be Magdalena helped me mold her future. 
Ruth Logan Herne-Refuge of the Heart

 AJ Colores @Unsplash

The way I get into a character's head the quickest is to focus on three Ps: picture, profession and personality. What a person looks like, what s/he does for a living (paid or unpaid) and what traits s/he possesses can tell me a lot about her/him. I find a picture of a person that looks like my character and keep it handy. Is s/he tall or short, attractive or plain? Does s/he have any distinctive markings, features, etc. that would affect her/his way of relating to others?I use metaphors, similes, language, etc. that someone in my character's chosen profession would use.  If there's a particular jargon associated with the profession, I work those words into my character's thoughts and dialogue. I keep my character's personality in mind and think about how that would affect her/his choices, actions, speech, etc. Is s/he serious, silly, snarky or sweet? 
Keli Gwyn- Family of Her Dreams


I often do a mix of things to get into a character’s head:

Find a photo to keep their face/personality fresh in my mind

Give them a dominant characteristic and perspective on the world that colors their thoughts (a Wyoming rancher is very likely going to see some things differently than a big city surgeon)

Write a few  “first person” paragraphs from the character’s POV explaining to me their background, their goal, motivation & conflict, and their thoughts regarding their love interest. 

Sometimes I ask them questions--it’s amazing what your subconscious dredges up about the interior life of a character if he’s given the leeway to speak his own mind!

Writing the opening chapter helps solidify the character when I can see and hear him/her in action.
Glynna Kaye-Rekindling the Widower's Heart


In the course of getting to know my hero/heroine, I usually zero in on a few key likes/dislikes. I find a favorite (or in one case hated) food. I also tend to associate a scent. And I always (ALWAYS) have a playlist with songs specific to the characters and the book. The playlist is key because once I put that on, I'm in the story. The songs are so familiar to me that my brain tunes out the words, but the tune keeps me grounded in the story and in character. For my upcoming release, Christmas in Hiding (LIS, October 2015), I focused on Christmas scents and foods. If I needed to get into character, I brewed a cup of peppermint tea and had a chocolate cookie with it. Often the tea grew cold as I wrote, but the scent was there to remind me. I also had a sachet with a balsam scent that kept me in the Christmas spirit. Ironically, I didn't use Christmas music while writing this book. My heroine, Callie, loves the song "How Great Thou Art." I had that on constant repeat as I wrote. It never failed to put me in Callie's head and heart.
Cate Nolan-Christmas in Hiding




As for me (Tina here), well, the first draft of getting into character utilizes Michael Hauge's, The Hero's Two Journeys techniques. Hauge says that our number one job is to draw the reader into the world we have created by identification. How do we help the reader to identify or empathize with the character? By giving them at least two of the following:

1. Make the character the victim of some undeserved misfortune.
2. Put the character in jeopardy. 
3. Make the character likable.
4. Make the character funny.
5. Make the character powerful.  

Second draft and each one after that is where I really dig in and channel my characters. Yes, really, channel them. If the word "channel" makes you think of Whoopi Goldberg in Ghost, then go ahead and think about walking a mile in your character's moccasins. Whatever gets you in their head and into deep point of view.

A quick refresher on deep point of view. 

Ashley Baxter @Unsplash

"Deep Point of View was a phrase that I came up with when I was trying to explain my writing style. Point of view can be subjective (picture a hand-held camera on top of a character's head) or objective (picture something like a security camera, bolted into place in the corner of a room). In my books, I use subjective point of view, but I'm not satisfied with merely showing the reader what that camera sees from its perch atop a character's head. I bring the camera down, inside of that character's head, so we see the world through that character's eyes. We hear things through his ears. We smell what he smells, feel what he feels, think what he think. With deep POV, I write using words that that character would use. I tell the story with that character's voice. "

 Suzanne Brockmann

Now that you have methods for getting into character I want to show you what happens when you get into character. Pick any Keeper book on your shelf and chances are the author is terrific at characterization. These are books you read over and over again because you know the characters inside and out. Why? Because the author got into character and dragged you along.

Pete Bellis @Unsplash

Here are some examples of authors who know how to get into character. They put you right in the scene. 


The Python turned slowly in his chair, and Annabelle felt as if she'd been punched in the gut. 

He was square-jawed and tough, everything about him proclaiming a brash, self-made man-a roughneck who'd flunked charm school the first couple of times around but finally got it right on the third pass. His hair was thick and crisp, its rich color a cross between a leather portfolio and a bottle of Bud. He had a straight, confident nose and bold dark eyebrows, one of which was bisected near the end with a thin pale scar. The firm set of his well-molded mouth proclaimed a low tolerance for fools, a passion for hard work that bordered on obsession, and possibly-although this might be her imagination-a determination to own a small chalet near St. Tropez before he was fifty. If it weren't for a vague irregularity to his features, he would have been unbearably gorgeous. Instead, he was merely drop-dead good-looking. What did a man like this need with a matchmaker?

Susan Elizabeth Phillips-Match Me If You Can


She looked up-and up again-into his face. The Phoenix website hadn't identified which PI held which credential, but based on this guy's polished clean-cut appearance-not to mention his authoritative bearing-she'd be willing to bet he was Secret Service. 

As for her plan to bolt ...she wavered as his eyes sucked her in. Dark as obsidian, they searched, discerned, and reassured all in the space of a few heartbeats, prompting her to draw three rapid conclusions. 

This was a man who would listen, evaluate, and come to sound conclusions.
This was a man who would treat her story with respect.
This was a man she could trust.

The silence lengthened, until the receptionist hidden from her view behind the PI's broad shoulders cleared her throat.

A fleeting frown marred the man's brow, then he released her hand, took a step back, and waited.

The ball was in her court.

Without overanalyzing her change of heart, she took a deep breath and tightened her fingers around the handle of her briefcase. "I can spare a few minutes."

Irene Hannon-Deceived


Reacher took a shuttle from the bus depot to the Portland airport and bought a one-way ticket on United to LAX. He used his passport for ID and his ATM card as a debit card. The one-way walk up fare was outrageous. Alaska Airlines would have been cheaper, but Reacher hated Alaska Airlines. They put a scripture card on their meal trays. Ruined his appetite. 

Airport security was easy for Reacher. His carry-on baggage amounted to precisely none at all. He had no belt, no keys, no cell phone, no watch. All he had to do was dump his loose change in a plastic tray and take off his shoes and walk through the X-ray hoop. Thirty seconds, beginning to end. Then he was on his way to the gate, coins back in his pocket, shoes back on his feet, Neagley on his mind. 

Lee Child-Bad Luck and Trouble

So what do you think? And what are your tips for getting into character?

One more challenge. Stop and think really quick about the hero and or heroine of one of the books on your Keeper shelf (including a virtual Keeper shelf).  Or a memorable secondary character. I bet you remember their names without looking.

Two of mine are Jaine Bright and Sam Donovan (heroine & hero from a contemporary romance-not inspirational). Only a few of you will know what book I am talking about. 

Have a wonderful Tuesday, and flaunt your blue jeans! 

Tina Radcliffe now lives in sunny Arizona where there are two seasons: hot summer and cold summer.

She is a 2014 ACFW Carol Award winner for Mending the Doctor's Heart. 

Tina is delighted to partner with Love Inspired and Harlequin for the Big Heart Ranch series. The first of these books,  Claiming Her Cowboy, releases December 19, in print and January 1, in ebook format.

To celebrate this new series, join in on First Dibs Fridays on her Facebook Author page here. Fun giveaways every Friday in December. 

To keep up with her giveaways, sign up for her newsletter here. 

Photo Courtesy Rhonda Starnes Red Boots Photography.

Career Choice as a Characterization Tool

Last fall, the delightfully smart and funny Danica Favorite made a comment on an author's loop and I pounced on it! I thought, this isn't an opinion... it's a blog post for Seekerville! So after I begged, cajoled and promised to always respect her love for chickens, she agreed to hang out with us today and talk about how authors can use a career choice to deepen their conflict/personality/setting. So without further adieux, I'm turning this over to Danica... with a fresh pot of coffee and a delightfully warm, cinnamony French Toast bake!

When you’re looking at a character and deciding what career to give him or her, you can’t arbitrarily assign a job to that character. Everything a character does is a reflection of who they are as a person and the total of the life events that shape them. Including career choice. An example: my father-in-law is one of the most brilliant men you’ll ever meet. I asked him one day why he didn’t become an engineer. He told me that he always wanted to be an engineer, but he didn’t think he was smart enough for college, so he became a mechanic instead. He has a good life, and enjoyed being a mechanic, but I’ve always wondered what amazing thing he would have invented had he had enough confidence to become an engineer.

Another example: A friend of mine is a manager at fast food place. Why does she work at a fast food place when she’s a smart, capable woman who could do a thousand other things?  In her case, it’s because the franchise owner is a family friend who lets her make schedules for herself that allow her to work only during school hours so she can be there for her kids. Not a lot of jobs let you do that. She is a wonderful, confident woman who values being there for her kids more than she values having an exciting career. She is willing to go to work at 3 a.m., mop the floors, scrub the toilets, and get everything ready for the day. She goes home to take her kids to school, drops them off, and returns to work, doing a job that most people make fun of. But she’s always got a smile on her face, and she’s happy to be there. Yet we all know the people who resent that they have to work at a fast food place, and when you walk up to the counter, you know it.

Think about how this impacts the kind of character you’re writing. What is the self-esteem of someone who is doing a job they hate but feel like they aren’t smart enough to follow their passion? How would that low self-esteem impact how the character interacts with others in the story? How would someone who thought he wasn’t smart enough for college interact with a genius? How would a fast food worker who was grateful for the perfect job to be there for her family interact with customers differently from someone who couldn’t get a better job?

When you dig deeper into a character’s career choices, you learn things that can help you understand more about your character. Sometimes we don’t go deep enough in asking the questions, and in doing so, we miss out on potentially important character clues that can add depth to a story. Think about the examples above and how having that information about a character could add new layers and potential to your story.

In my current release, For the Sake of the Children, my hero is willing to take whatever job he can get if it means supporting his daughter. Though his job isn’t a big part of the story, it tells a lot about the kind of man he is. Silas has a lot of reasons why taking the job he’s offered may not be the best idea, the biggest being it puts him in close proximity to the woman whose heart he broke years ago. But he does it because it is the best option for providing for his daughter.

In my other current release, The Scent of Romance, part of the Romance Grows in Arcadia Valley collection, my characters’ jobs are vital to the story. The heroine helps run her grandmother’s farm and is doing her best to keep it intact. Why? Because the farm represents safety and security to her, but more importantly, it is her passion. Contrast that with the hero, who is representing the company that wants to turn the farm into a golf course resort. Why is this job so important to him? Because he believes it is his chance to win his father’s approval.

For these characters, the jobs they have point to something deeper in who they are as people. I could have just made my hero a lawyer because that’s what I needed in my story, and a lot of writers are willing to settle for that. But when you go deeper and understand why he is a lawyer (he thought it would win his father’s approval), then you know more about him and can have him interact in more meaningful ways. Now the conflict isn’t just about doing a job, but about making his dad love him.  What do we as readers care more about? A man who wants another successful contract under his belt? Or a man who is still that little boy who wants his daddy to love him? 

Do you see how knowing a character’s reason for having a job, even if it isn’t a huge part of the story, can deepen the characterization? It’s tempting to make a character have a particular career because you’re filling out a form or giving them something to do, or you think it isn’t vital to the story. But you’re missing out on some great details that can make your story even better.

Your turn: What is your hero or heroine’s occupation? Do you know why he or she chose that job? Are there additional details about that job you can use to help your readers understand or relate to your character? 

If you’re not writing a book, I’d love to hear examples from books you’ve read or movies you’ve watched where a character’s job gave you more insight into the character.

And writer or reader, Danica has graciously offered a copy of "For the Sake of the Children" to one most fortunate commenter! Join in the conversation about careers, characters, choices and how they connect with you the writer... or the author!

About the author:

A self-professed crazy chicken lady, Danica Favorite loves the adventure of living a creative life. She and her family recently moved in to their dream home in the mountains above Denver, Colorado.  Danica loves to explore the depths of human nature and follow people on the journey to happily ever after. Though the journey is often bumpy, those bumps are what refine imperfect characters as they live the life God created them for. Oops, that just spoiled the ending of all of Danica’s stories. Then again, getting there is all the fun.

You can connect with Danica at the following places:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Danica-Favorite/e/B00KRP0IFU

Website: http://www.danicafavorite.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/danicafavorite
Instagram: https://instagram.com/danicafavorite/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DanicaFavoriteAuthor  

About Danica’s Releases:

For the Sake of the Children:
The Nanny Agreement 
Widower Silas Jones needs a mother for his daughter, and marriage could help his former sweetheart repair her tattered reputation. Yet he can't blame Rose Stone when she refuses a marriage of convenience after he once broke her heart, marrying another woman to save his family's farm. He's blessed Rose agrees to be his nanny. If only she'd look at him again with the warmth she shows little Milly… 
Rose's tarnished past hasn't quelled her spirit. She's building a good life in Colorado with her infant son—and the glimmer of a future with Silas. But when his in-laws try to claim Milly, Rose must decide if the makeshift family she and Silas have forged can reopen her heart to love.

The Scent of Romance:

A high-powered lawyer must convince a woman determined to protect her family’s legacy to sell the family farm to his father’s development company, but finds his heart leading him away from everything he’s spent his life trying to accomplish.

Best of the Archives: What "The Princess Bride" Teaches Authors No Matter How Many Times You've Watched the Movie!

The main portion of this post was published February 9, 2012...

"Mawwiage. That bwessed awwangement!"

If you haven't watched The Princess Bride, check out this scene Then come back here. Pretty please.

What should be a pompous, royal affair is a circus sideshow that makes you laugh out loud, rooting for our sweet Wesley to come to Buttercup's rescue. Who knew that all our hero really needed was a Holocaust Cloak? And a wheelbarrow?

Connotation.

It's the amazing device we use to evoke emotions in a scene by our play of words and the strength of our characters.

We imply a certain meaning behind the word.

Readers infer from what we've implied.

Okay, enough with the stinkin' English lesson. I love using connotation in character building because once you create a character in a reader's mind, the reader expects that character to behave well... in character. Duh. And using or mis-using words is just plain fun.

Jack angled his gaze left. "Listen, Sweetheart, I don't recall inviting you to this conversation."

Bogart's use of the word "sweetheart" is world renowned.

Do you think Jack's REALLY talking to his sweetheart? I'm gonna' go out on a limb and say "no". How about this:

"Oh. Yeah. She's a real sweetheart." Maeve  drawled the words for effect. "And my hair gets naturally highlighted by the sun about every six weeks, give or take."

Or...

"That was a sweetheart deal, Rocky!"

Or...

"He's a sweetheart." Mary set the table with gentle finesse. "That man hasn't hurt a soul in his life."

And that might be the only real "sweetheart" we've seen so far.  So how do you do this effectively?

STAY IN CHARACTER.  And if every character you write sounds the same, then you've got to s-t-r-e-t-c-h yourself.

Poor sweet Wesley being stretched in "THE MACHINE" in The Princess Bride... He ends up mostly dead.  Mostly dead is nearly alive. Just so you know. Really, just spare yourself my lame attempts to teach you and go watch the movie. You'll love it. I promise. And you'll become a better writer by osmosis. And Valentine's Day is coming up and nothing is more romantic and fun than The Princess Bride.

"I'd die to be able to wear the sweetheart neckline Tiffany's sporting tonight." Stella encompassed the close circle of women and leaned in as she continued, "Or I could just find out the name of her plastic surgeon."

So many ways to use a single word like "sweetheart" and that's only the tip of a very big iceberg. 

As you edit your work, examining/scrutinizing/studying each phrase for length, connotation and f-l-o-w is a huge help to becoming the concise, tight writer you want to be. At least I think that's what you want to be (unless you don't need editing, in which case I'm going to excuse myself and go eat three pies, one cake and a bowl of ice cream, hoping to feel better about myself because edits are my middle name. After "Ruthy" and right before "never get it right the first time Logan".) 

In The Princess Bride, Buttercup is always herself. Sweet, endearing, beautiful and tough enough to stand up to Prince Humperdink. Every word she utters enforces that image.

Humperdink is a dastardly rich prince who cares nothing for Buttercup and everything for fame and power, a total egotistical jerk. But behind his evil air, you sense the heart of a craven coward, a man who cringes before pain like the sniveling liar he is. And that just makes you HAPPY when he meets his match.

Wesley... a simple farm boy, he's in love with Buttercup but must seek his fortune on the treacherous seas of the Dread Pirate Roberts.... Believed dead, we realize that Wesley lives... and comes for Buttercup only to find her heartbroken and ENGAGED TO THE SNIDELY WHIPLASH PRINCE!

Inigo Montoya.... 

Now, you might not see it this way, (you'd be wrong, but it would be rude of me to point that out here) but I believe Inigo Montoya is the glue that brought all the starring roles together. He is a man (Mandy oh-what-a-stinkin'-cutie Patinkin) who must avenge his father's death. He has searched and studied for over two decades, searching for the six-fingered man...  And now he just might find him, with Wesley's help. If they can get Wesley over being "Mostly Dead". And that's a trick.

And of course, there's Fezzik played by Andre the Giant. 

Fezzik's role isn't just to intimidate. He's the "Hoss Cartwright" of the bunch, the sweet gentle giant who doesn't know his own strength, but is loyal to a fault. His self-confidence is shaky and that's led him into trouble in the past, but now he's teamed up with the amazing Wesley and Inigo Montoya. And a holocaust cloak. And a can of matches.

Drat. I dare say no more.

So here's the deal. You gotta love this movie , OR promise to watch it before you die. That's not too much to ask, right? Comments are closed so we can all spend our time writing and editing today... But we can chat this weekend! 

And when you're writing (that's right, this is supposed to have something to do with craft, right, because we're a sweet, sharing bunch of Christian gals who love to share our foibles to help you avoid the same mistakes....) umm....  Write carefully. 

And edit. Make sure the action/voice/words match the character's persona, every step of the way.

There you go. 

With comments closed, come on over to facebook and like my link to this post on my facebook page... and I'll throw your name into the basket for a copy of "Home on the Range"... Win it before you can buy it! (it's really the cat's dish, but I wash it out REAL GOOD before I throw  your names in. Only cool people have actual baskets.) 

Nick Stafford's the good son, the one who stayed home, the one who worked the land, the fields, and the cattle dynasty... if he's so good, why is his life thoroughly messed up? And as a single parent, with two struggling girls, can he put things back together enough to truly make his "Home on the Range"?

I'd love to have you read it and review it on Goodreads or any book distributor when it comes out, if you've got time... And if not, no worries. 

Ruth Logan Herne is having a hoot with this new bend in the road, she still has trouble believing that anyone would really pay money to read what she wrote, but since they do, she'd like them to continue that trend.  You can visit her at ruthloganherne.com, The Yankee Belle Cafe  or at ruthysplace.com 

Twelve Tips for Choosing Character Names

with guest Keli Gwyn 

Names are special, aren’t they? Some names just make you smile, such as those in this meme I created especially for the Seekers.

To see how much a name matters, imagine this: you’re scrolling through your Facebook feed and see a friend’s baby or grandbaby announcement. If you’re like me, the first things you do—after oohing and ahing over the adorable baby pictures—are assure yourself that the mom and little one are both doing well and that the predicted gender was correct.

The next question that comes to my mind is, “What’s the baby’s name?” I feel shortchanged if it’s not mentioned. I must resort to referring to the baby as “your little princess” or “your handsome fellow” in my comment instead of using the carefully selected name given by a couple of understandably proud parents.

Because names are so important, moms and dads put a great deal of effort into choosing them. Authors do the same. We’re supposed to anyhow, but I’ve been known to pick names that are problematic. Thankfully I have a savvy editor who looks out for me.

In order to choose names that work well, I keep the following twelve tips in mind. You can catch the highlights in the infographic below or read on to learn more about each of the suggestions. And they’re just that—suggestions. I’m sure you have some tips of your own. Feel free to share them in the comments. For now, here are mine…

1) Give strong main characters strong names.

Certain names evoke strength, which is what we want our main characters to exhibit. A man named Miles, Spencer, James or Flynt—the names of the heroes in my published novels—is likely to be perceived differently than a man named Egbert, Odell, Llewellyn or Ignatius. The latter names could be fun for eccentric secondary characters in a historical, though.

2) Clarify gender with distinct names.

I gave the heroine of my August release, Make-Believe Beau, the name Jessica Sinclair, but early in the story she tells the hero that everyone calls her Jessie. Her real name, Jessica, is what you’ll see in the back cover blurb, though. The reason is that Jessie could be confused with Jesse, and my publisher doesn’t want any confusion. The hero and heroine of a romance need to be clearly identifiable.

3) Portray personalities with characterizing names.

In my second Love Inspired Historical, A Home of Her Own, I wanted the hero to have a past sweetheart who was a socialite. I chose the name Sophronia Wannamaker. Without even hearing a description of her, readers can tell she’s a woman who has an elevated opinion of herself. I even worked in a subtle hint about her desire to turn her future husband into a gentleman she felt was worthy of her by choosing the last name Wannamaker. (Think “want to make ’er” man a success.)

4) Bear the characters’ initials in mind.

Chip and Callie are the hero and heroine of Make-Believe Beau. They first appeared in my previous book, so their names were set. It wasn’t until I submitted the proposal for my March 2017 release, Her Motherhood Wish, that my editor taught me another tip. To help readers keep the main characters straight, especially in a romance where there are a hero and heroine who spend a great deal of time on the page together, it’s best not to have their first names begin with the same letter. Lesson learned.

5) Use names to reflect nationality or region.

The hero of A Home of Her Own, James, is a first-generation American who is the son of an Irish father and a German mother. Since his heritage comes into play in the story, I chose O’Brien for his last name. I gave him a more traditional first name that sounds “American,” since his immigrant parents were eager for him to fit in.

My first novella, “A Love Returned,” in the Seven Brides for Seven Texans Romance Collection to be released this coming December, takes place in Texas. I wanted to show that the heroine’s father is a Texan to the core, so I chose name with a Southern feel: Beauregard Culpepper.

6) Know how to use nicknames effectively.

In the first version of A Home of Her Own that I sent my editor, the hero’s mother insisted on calling the heroine Rebecca, but the hero opted to called her Becky. My editor said this could be confusing to readers. I could see her point, since the names begin with different letters. My solution was to have everyone call her Becky.

The heroine of A Bride Opens Shop is named Elenora, but the hero calls her Ellie. At first she’s irked by his use of the unaccustomed nickname, but as the story progresses, she grows to accept it. Her gradual acceptance of the name shows her gradual acceptance of Miles, thus making the nickname a useful tool. In this case, the two names worked because the initial is the same.

7) Keep a lookout for cutesy names.

In my first Love Inspired Historical, Family of Her Dreams, the heroine’s best friend, Polly, has a two-year-old daughter, Abby. I have a hard time remembering the little girl’s name because before the story went through revisions, her name was Anna. My savvy editor had me change it because she thought having Polly and Anna was too much. As many times as I’d read the story, I’d missed the Pollyanna connection. See why I’m so grateful for my wonderful editor?

8) See if someone famous—or infamous—has the name.

When I created the doctor who first appears in A Home of Her Own, I named him Matthew Brady. For some reason, the names just sounded good together. The name also sounded somewhat familiar. I popped it into Google and found out why. Matthew Brady was the famous Civil War photographer who was alive at the same time my story took place. I quickly changed the doctor’s named to Matthew Wright. (I played with that name, since, in that story, Mr. Wright is really Mr. Wrong. Sneaky, aren’t I?)

A famous name can be used intentionally. In “A Love Returned,” each of the seven Hart brothers bears the name of a famous Texan. My brother’s full name is Sam Houston Hart, but like his brothers, he goes by his middle name. Houston’s famous name is essential to the story.

9) Test first and last names together.

It’s important to have a character’s Christian and surnames be a pleasing combination. To check for this, I say the two names out loud. They might look good on paper, but listening to them is a surefire test of how well they go together.

When writing a romance, be sure to try out the heroine’s first name with the hero’s last name. As she becomes more and more enamored of the hero, she certainly will.  

10) Shy away from the tricky S ending.

I learned this lesson the hard way. The heroine of Family of Her Dreams is named Tess. The possessive form of her name makes me sound like I’m hissing when I say it: Tess’s. Despite the awkwardness, the name was an integral part of the story, so I used it anyhow. I was careful to avoid using the possessive form any more than absolutely necessary, though.

11) Stick with standard spellings to keep things simple.

Unique spellings can be challenging, so we have to bear that in mind when using one. We can tweak the traditional as long as the spelling doesn’t confuse readers. We don’t want them to stop and scratch their heads as they figure out how to pronounce a character’s name.

Writers of contemporaries or fantasy would likely have more leeway than I do as a historical author, but I did make a small change from the usual in my August release. The hero of Make-Believe Beau is Flynt Kavanaugh. I got his first name off the back of the historic cardboard-mounted photograph of the gentleman I used as the model for the character. The name Flynt was written in faded ink. As soon as I saw it, I knew I wanted to use it, spelled just that way. Since the name is pronounced the same whether it’s Flint or Flynt, my editor let the variant spelling fly.

12) Make names memorable whenever possible.

The best way to ensure that our character’s names will stick in our readers’ minds is to create characters who are so well developed and well-liked by readers that they’re worthy of the names we give them. The Seekers do this all the time.

I’m sure if I asked you to list the names of Seekers’ characters that you remember, you would be able to come up with plenty. Actually, listing beloved characters created by Seeker authors sounds like fun, so feel free to give a shout out to those characters and their creators by name in the comments today.

Phew! You made it through all that, so I think you deserve a reward. Instead of offering one copy of Make-Believe Beau for today’s giveaway, I’m going to offer a print copy to three different winners, so your chance of winning just tripled. How’s that for sweetening the pot, er, Seekerville cat dish? (Winners announced in the next Weekend Edition.)

Questions for You

Many names have stories behind them. What’s the story behind yours?

I love my uniquely spelled name, even though it’s written incorrectly at times. When combined with my equally unique last name, I’m the only Keli Gwyn in cyberspace, which is way cool. Do you love your name? Why, or why not?

Make-Believe Beau

The Courtship Charade 

As a draftswoman in a man’s world, Jessica Sinclair causes a stir as her new male colleagues vie for her attention. And the company manager has an ultimatum: fake a courtship with her boss, Flynt Kavanaugh…or lose her job. But pretending to be smitten with the handsome engineer unleashes a real, complicated attraction—and could reveal the past she hoped to keep hidden.

Jessica is certainly the best person for the job. But as their make-believe romance escalates, Flynt knows that’s not the only reason he wants her on his team. However, with his past shrouded by a shameful secret, Flynt has always focused his ambitions on building a career, not a family. Now he has designs on Jessica’s heart, but can they trust each other with the truth?

Award-winning author Keli Gwyn, a native Californian, transports readers to the early days of the Golden State. She and her husband live in the heart of California’s Gold Country. Her favorite places to visit are her fictional worlds, historical museums and other Gold Rush-era towns. Keli loves hearing from readers and invites you to visit her Victorian-style cyber home at www.keligwyn.com, where you’ll find her contact information.