When a Character Is Closed, use a Key to Open Them Up Sometimes a character zips their lip and refuses to cooperate. You know who you want them to be. You know what you want them to do. You know their backstory. But when you put them in a scene, they seem flat, lifeless… boring. When that happens, adding more backstory or description isn't always the answer. Sometimes the best way to add depth to a character is to give them someone, or something, that allows another side of them to emerge. I ran into this problem in one of my early novels, now titled Tara’s Dilemma. Tara was the female love interest and main character, but I couldn't figure out how to make her layered and nuanced like the characters I loved to read about. This is the book I wrote (and rewrote) for fourteen years. Still, Tara was two-dimensional. She said all the right words, but she had no LIFE. One day, I woke up with a new idea. I brought in a dog. A stray dog showed up in the ranch yard, and she enticed him with food and kind words. She named him and sat on the porch step to talk to him. Suddenly, Tara came alive. She told him things she wouldn't tell another soul. Finally, she opened up to show her vulnerability, humor, fears, and tenderness without telling us about them. The dog wasn't particularly important to the plot. He was important to her. I've come to think of this storytelling device as a Character Key, a minor character, animal, object, or relationship that unlocks traits in a major character that would otherwise be difficult to reveal naturally. A Minor Character Can Do a Major Job A Character Key doesn't need a story arc. They may have very little space on the page. Imagine a hardened police officer who keeps everyone at arm's length. If you tell readers that he has a compassionate side, they yawn and put down the book. Then, maybe you introduce a homeless boy. Maybe the officer buys him a hamburger and discovers the kid is smart and likable. Eventually, he takes the boy home. Now we see something completely different in the officer.

Which matters more to a novel’s success: a brilliant premise or unforgettable characters? Tell us what you think in the comments!

What makes you give up on a book you were initially excited to read?

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