Evelyn David
Sullivan Investigations Mystery Series

Generally speaking, we get slightly nervous when someone confesses that they hear voices. On the other hand, as writers, we readily admit that sometimes our characters rattle on so much to us that we're tempted to suggest, politely but firmly, that they shut up. But that would be a mistake.

Some authors write complete backstories for each of their characters in order to frame motivations and actions. But the problem with that approach, and we're not suggesting that it doesn't have value, is that it's in a vacuum. Knowing that Penelope Primline is a 30-something single with a crush on her boss Hugo Hunk may help you find the rationale for Penny's decision to kill Melissa Maneater when the tramp starts to make time with clueless Hugo.

But it's not until you really get to know Melissa, and find out that she actually volunteers in a soup kitchen, takes care of her widowed mother, and supports her six brothers and sisters, that you understand that maybe Melissa, last name notwithstanding, isn't a worthy victim. Maybe you want to keep Melissa around for a sequel so you decide not to kill her off. Or you might decide, as you write more of Penny and her interactions with Hugo, that she is alternatively a heartless killer and needs to do hard time up the river OR you actually like her because she's a sassy, smart, sexy broad who will play well for the full run of not only the first book, but the subsequent four sequels. Maybe it's Hugo who needs to take the fall and take his chiseled chin out of your universe.

Our point, and we do have one, in fact, several, is that your characters need to talk to each other and, when they do, you need to listen very carefully. Here are some suggestions for how to (legally) eavesdrop on your own characters.

1. Don't try to herd cats, just open some cans of tuna. Put another way, go with the flow. Be open to change. Try different approaches and don't assume that you know the outcome of your story, even if you're the writer. Your characters are not fully formed on page one. Much like your children, they grow and mature as you write them.

2. You've got the power, use it. It's your book and in this case, you are the judge, jury, and if necessary, the executioner. If one of your characters, in spite of a strong start out of the gate, becomes incredibly boring, you've got options. If necessary, he becomes victim number two. Alternatively, figure out if he's boring because other characters have so much more life in them. Is the character redeemable or merely rubbish?

3. Move it or lose it. Don't obsess or get bogged down. You'll have plenty of time later, during the editing process, to lament why a particular character or scene didn't work out the way you intended. It's more important to keep your fingers typing; to keep the voices in your head talking.

4. Excuse me, what did you say? Listen carefully. Just who is doing all the talking? Make sure that the voices you hear don't all sound alike. If your male characters all talk like your favorite car mechanic, you've got trouble. Each character should be distinct and recognizable by the reader even without a "Hugo said" at the end of the sentence.

5. Would you like a cup of hemlock? Don't just listen to the voices in your head; actively encourage your characters to talk to each other. Have them talk about dinner; about the barking dog across the street; about the body rotting in the cellar. Don't be afraid of dialogue; write lots of it. Put the words on paper, and then read them aloud. Make sure the dialogue sounds true to life. Of course you probably can't use all of it in your book, but the more practice you have of writing "character chatter," the better you will get at creating real "people."

Keep writing, keep listening to the voices in your head, and keep checking back here for news, views, and writing tips.