Have you ever read a book or story description that claims it is “character-driven”? What exactly does it mean for a character to drive a story’s plot? Is the author sitting at the keyboard while a bunch of unruly characters make him write this and that?

Well, yes. No. It’s complicated. Maybe an example will help show what we writers go through with these pesky characters.

It happened to me a few hours ago, while fleshing out a chapter by tacking on a short, 2-3 paragraph scene. I intended it as something quick and simple to build up to the start of the next chapter. But one of my characters decided to show the protagonist how much she really knows about his past, and this turned into a big surprise for him (and the author penning his reaction in first person), which in turn built up even more tension (escalation!) to set up that next chapter.

This character, you see, couldn’t help it. It’s who she is, smart, savvy, playful, and she just had to show him. And I as the author had to let her reveal this truth about herself. It just had to happen. In the process, the relationship between her and the protagonist reached a higher plateau, one that helps reach the story’s climax — which I keep telling myself is just around the corner, if only my characters will cooperate!

Oh, and that next chapter I was setting up? Here is how it starts, a preview of Active Shooter, a novella prequel to Pink Ballerina (which by the way it’s free for one more day, and that would be today!).

(Click on the image to see it larger)

See more samples of my work through my Amazon author page.