Bill Wetterman Day 4

Fleshing out characters:

Fleshing out characters is where many authors start their novel. This is the last thing I do.
Knowing the world into which I’m dropping them, knowing the tension and conflict they’ll face,
I ask myself more questions. What is the character’s worldview? What events shape their past?
What strengths and weaknesses will cause them to succeed or fail? I research where the main
characters were born, if it’s important, the history of the area. I describe how each looks and fill
out a character profile.

Wait, there’s more. Once the characters are solid in my mind, I talk to them. I show them the
outline of the book. I set the rules. “I’ll give you some freedom in each scene. Surprise me by
showing me something unique. However, do not Sin. I am God. I determine the outcome I want.
Don’t change my novel. Enjoy yourself within your scenes. Sin, in the world of my novel, is a
character attempting to change the outcome I’ve slaved so hard to build.

Once I flesh out my characters, I’m ready to write. A novel takes me two months of planning,
two months of writing, and two months of editing to complete.

Now for Yellowstone and my protagonist Creek Indian Mary Kenton. Her abusive upbringing
overcome, Mary holds tight to her Christian faith and to her former military, survivalist husband,
B. K. She doesn’t believe God will allow disaster to overtake America. Her husband trains her in
weaponry and martial arts, but she ignores his group’s preparations. When Yellowstone
explodes, all the things she holds sacred come into question.

My method of creating novels works for me. I’m not suggesting it will work for others. But to
create a neo noir feel to my work, Tension must build past the bursting point. When all the rules
she lived by dissolve, her decisions shock her soul. They will yours as well. Do not expect
lawyers to take cases to court. There is no court. Reality and Christianity philosophically clash
throughout. Will her faith remain at the end?

In my final post, I’ll cover the struggle I face as a conflicted novelist who writes On The Wild
Side.

Below are the links to my books and my social media.

Yellowstone on Amazon Kindle http://amzn.to/1N8pWEi
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/Bill+Wetterman?_requestid=307651
My Amazon link: http://amzn.to/1jOwdIR
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/search?Query=Author+bill+wetterman&pageNumber=2
Create Space: http://bit.ly/1MeVVwX
Facebook Link https://www.facebook.com/authorbill.wetterman
Blog Link. http://billwetterman.com/writing-on-the-wild-side-blog/
Website Link: http://billwetterman.com/
Twitter Link: https://twitter.com/BillWetterman
LinkedIn: http://bit.ly/1RuckSC
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5760081.Bill_Wetterman