If there’s one thing the Book Length Project Group members know, it’s how to dream up a powerful protagonist. But how does an author persuade their readers that the person at the centre of their story is as captivating as he thinks she is?
Book Length Project Group members brought their protagonists to our July meeting. They included:
- Walter, a strong-minded and confident head of the family
- May, who is adventurous, independent, but also desperate to be included
- Andrew, a gentle man who is driven to make a positive change in the world.
Walter’s, May’s, and Andrew’s creators love them. How can they make us love them too?
We started with Show, Don’t Tell and asked ourselves how can we show a reader the important characteristics of our protagonist? We decided we could do this through:
- Behaviour
- Dialogue
- Actions and reactions
- Inner thoughts
- The observations of another character.
Then we worked on our beloved protagonists. We made Walter give firm instructions to a family member. We watched Andrew reassure his newly pregnant wife. We heard the anxiety in May’s mind as she walked into a room full of people. We decided we loved them too and can’t wait to hear about what they do next.
What about you? How do you show your protagonist to your readers in your book length project?
The Book Length Project Group meets on the third Sunday of every month at Mattie Furphy House in Swanbourne. All FAWWA members and friends are welcome. If you would like to join us, please go to The Fellowship of Australian Writers WA (fawwa.org)
Karen Herbert 