Posted by Barb, enjoying the gorgeous Maine foliage
Friend of the Wickeds Daryl Wood Gerber is here today to tell us about Murder on the Page, the first book in her new Literary Dining Mystery Series! Daryl will giveaway one copy of Murder on the Page, paperback or ebook, to one lucky commenter below.
Take it away, Daryl!
How I Go About Creating Characters by Daryl Wood Gerber
First of all, may I say to all those who have suffered loss and devastation in the latest hurricane madness, I hold you in my thoughts and wish you calm and a speedy recovery back to “normal,” whatever that might entail. And a special shoutout to all who live in the Asheville, NC area, where my new mystery is set. Be of good heart.
So…creating characters…
In addition to plot, character is essential to building a good story. Readers have to engage with them. They should like or love the protagonist, at least the ones that are reliable narrators. They should believe the protagonist can prevail and justice will be served.
How do I build my characters? One of the key tools I start with is a set of questions. First of all, what is the protagonist’s name? In Murder on the Page, it is Allie Catt. Yes, the name could change over the course of writing the first book in a series, but most often, I stick to my initial choice. Next, I ask what the protagonist’s occupation is. What does she look like? I spend a lot of time creating a backstory for her that I might never include in any of the books, but it helps me define her. Did she go to college? Was she a good student? What were her personal expectations? How does she get along with her parents, if she has any? Does she have any pet peeves? Any special quirks? A favorite piece of jewelry, book, singer, movie? Does she like animals? The list can be extensive. I save these answers in a file.
Then I start in on the other main characters. In Murder on the Page, Allie’s best friend is Tegan Potts. Tegan, in contrast to Allie, loves sci-fi novels and anime and unusual clothing styles. Allie loves mysteries and classics and simple lines. I worked hard to come up with Tegan’s name. I wanted something sort of kooky, yet easy to read on the page. Sure, I’ve come up with all sorts of unusual names for characters over the course of thirty-two books, like Naomi Clutterbuck and Crusibella Queensbury, and those are fun to pepper into a story, but a regular cast character should, in my humble opinion, have a name that is easy to pronounce.
You might be wondering how I come up with the rest of the names for a book. FYI, in one reference file, I have recorded the names of all the characters I’ve used. Yes, all. It’s over fourteen pages long, single-spaced, in alphabetical order. I consult it often. Also, FYI, I prefer not to duplicate a name in a book series, though I have used the same first name for characters in multiple series.
Here’s how I begin. Creating an alphabetized list helps organize the characters’ names. I start with the letter A. Do I want a character with that first letter? If so, I then consult the Internet to find women’s names starting with A. For example: Abigail, Angie, Allie, etc. I may choose one but not all three. I put that name by the A in my alphabetical list and move on to B. Do I want a B character? [You get my drift.] Caveat: I might use the same initial if two characters are related. In the Cheese Shop Mysteries, Matthew and Meredith are cousins. In the Fairy Garden Mysteries, there are three sisters: Holly, Hattie, and Hedda. I might also use the same letter but it shouldn’t “sound” the same. For example, Celia and Chloe or Fern and Frank sound and “read” completely differently, right? Funny story, kid you not. I remember a book where, in the same chapter, there were six men whose first names began with letter J, and none of them were necessary characters. They could have been “the gardener” or “the handyman” just as easily. I also recall reading a Swedish novel (for the life of me I can’t remember the title—help if you can!) and nearly all the characters’ names started with an H. There was even a family tree included in the novel so you could see how many were related. Confusing!
Okay, so, back to my next steps. I’ve created the basic backstory file and I’ve selected the names and the general descriptions of each my main characters. Then what? I dig deep to craft the remainder of their histories. Are they dating? Have they ever been married? Did they have any relationship snafus? Is there anybody that might want them dead? Any jealousies? Any outstanding warrants or infractions? Do they imbibe? Do they go cuckoo if they drink caffeine?
I do the same for all the suspects and the victim(s). Each character needs a biography. I might not spend as much time on an extraneous character’s details, but I know what each looks like, their age, and their geographical birth location, which might color their way of speaking. For example: Allie is originally from the Asheville area, but she went away to college. When she didn’t fulfill her college dream of becoming an English professor—jobs were hard to find—she returned home to Bramblewood to reinvent herself as a caterer. After all, she’d been cooking for herself since she was five, and worked parttime as a caterer during college. INSERT IMAGE OF ASHEVILLE
Sometimes I search for images online to link to my character. For example, in Murder on the Page, I decided Isla Fisher (the talented and funny redheaded actress in Wedding Crashers) would be an ideal choice for Allie Potts. Allie does her best to give off a girl-next-door kind of vibe, but she has a curvy body as well as curly red hair that her mother says is saucy, bordering on scandalous. She has a terrific sense of humor. She laughs easily at her name, Allie Catt, although the jokes over the course of her lifetime are plentiful. The earliest reference to Catt is Catford, a name of medieval English origins, which initially meant a ford frequented by wildcats, and Allie considers herself pretty wild. She’s just glad her parents didn’t name her Pussy. INSERT PICTURE ISLA FISHER
All in all, creating character is one of the most joyous aspects of writing. I love getting to know them. They become friends over the course of the year that it takes to craft a novel and rewrite it, ad finitum. I also enjoy having a wealth of imaginary friends. A writer who spends lots of time alone needs company.
Questions, dear reader. How important is a character’s name to your enjoyment of a novel? Do you enjoy a cast list or reference list in a book to help you recall who everyone is? Do you ever come up with kooky names for characters and suggest them to authors? Do you realize how many characters go “unnamed” in a TV mystery show, like mortician #1 and mortician #2? One lucky commenter below will receive a copy of Murder on the Page, paper or e-book. Winner picked by October 21.
About Daryl Wood Gerber
Agatha Award-winning author Daryl Wood Gerber is best known for her nationally bestselling mysteries, including the Literary Dining Mysteries, Fairy Garden Mysteries and Cookbook Nook Mysteries. As Avery Aames, she penned the popular Cheese Shop Mysteries. In addition, Daryl writes suspense including the well received The Son’s Secret, Girl on the Run, andthe popular Aspen Adams suspense novels. Recently Daryl, who loves a challenge, published a Christmas romance, Hope for the Holidays. Fun Tidbit: as an actress, Daryl appeared in “Murder, She Wrote.” She loves to cook, garden, read, and walk her frisky Goldendoodle. You can learn more on her website: httsp://darylwoodgerber.com
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About Murder on the Page
It’s a truth universally acknowledged that a genuinely top-notch party must be in want of a theme. Allie Catt, caterer and personal chef in the beautiful mountain community of Asheville, North Carolina, has devised a winning formula by using her clients’ favorite books as inspiration. Her first themed event is based on Pride and Prejudice (Allie’s cat, Darcy, approves), and it’s so popular that soon she has grand ideas for future parties based on Rebecca, The Great Gatsby, Babette’s Feast and more.
Business is booming, and a rival catering company is fuming. But there’s a sting in the tale when the aunt of one of Allie’s clients and best friends, Tegan, is murdered. Tegan is the victim’s sole heir, and quickly becomes the main suspect. Allie has no doubts about her friend’s innocence, but how to prove it?
Once again, Allie’s love of literature comes to the rescue, and with some guidance from her favorite fictional detectives, including Hercule Poirot and Sherlock Holmes, Allie sifts through the clues. With a little luck—and the kind of pluck that would make Elizabeth Bennett proud—she may be able to stop a killer from serving up a second course of murder . . .
The Wickeds 
Congratulation on the new series, Daryl! It sounds fun, and I’ll tell my Asheville in-laws about it (although they are on a long break until services return, staying with their daughter in Charlotte). Poor Asheville…
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Thanks, Edith. I’m having a blast writing it. POOR Asheville is right. My nephew lives there. My heart goes out to all who have suffered.
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Hi, Daryl, and congratulations on starting a new series. As a reader, I pay attention to characters’ names, and, as you pointed out, I get annoyed when too many first names start with the same letter or, since I listen to audiobooks, sound. Why do authors confuse us poor readers when there are so many names in the world to choose from?
As the author of the Polizei Bern mysteries set in Switzerland, I try to use Swiss-German first and last names that won’t be too strange or confusing for readers. I still have old Canton Bern phone books that I use to pick appropriate names for different regions of Bern.
By the way, I think Asheville, NC, is a wonderful city, and I was there for a few days with a friend coming home from the Nashville Bouchercon. I’m sad that people there have had such a terrible time since Milton hit.
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Kim, foreign names can post a problem for people when reading. I remember reading a Ludlum book and it had a lot of Russian names in it and I finally resorted to reading the first letter to keep them straight. LOL
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I do like a list of characters and a map is good too. I find myself referencing them often. It refreshs my memory on who is who and where the characters live and businesses are located. Thank you so much for this chance at your giveaway.
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Paula, I agree. Lists help and outlines, too, especially when you’ve put a book aside for a few months and written something else and then you have to do edits on the previous book! Yipes. Brain muddle LOL
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I do appreciate a kooky name for a kooky character! And I love a reference list of names and who they are, I find myself often going back to them when they are included. Some character names are so memorable to me, like Aurora Teagarden and your Fiona fairy, they’re part of the lure to continuing a series, I think.
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Kathy, absolutely. Aurora Teagarden is a fabulous name. And thanks for the shoutout for sweet Fiona the Fairy. I love that character!
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The only thing I don’t like is a name that is something you couldn’t pronounce. Sometimes I come across such odd names that don’t seem they could be real. I know now anything could be real but, I am old and I like something that makes sense in my brain.
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But sometimes you should try typing that name into a search engine. You might find out it IS real. There are some pretty funny ones. 🙂 Just sayin’.
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Congratulations on the upcoming release of “Murder on the Page”! Super excited about this new series. The fact it releases on my birthday makes it a wonderful birthday present.
Do love the names of some of the characters in books. I’ve often wonderful how an author came up with them. I can definitely see why the early work in developing characters would make the flow of writing the story would be easier for the author. Plus how they are described to where the reader can visualize them can draw them into the story. I do enjoy a reference list if the number of characters are numerous. As I’ve grown older, it helps to keep up with who is who when someone in the front of the story shows up several chapters later making me think ok now who was that again. Flipping to a reference page is easier than trying to find them back when first mentioned. Haven’t personally came up with any names, but have often heard someone’s name and thought that would make a great character’s name.
Thank you so much for the wonderful chance to win a copy of “Murder on the Page”. It’s on my TBR list, and has been since first mentioned. I can’t wait for the opportunity to read and review it. Know without a doubt that it’s going to be an amazing read. LOVE your books!
2clowns at arkansas dot net
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Happy early birthday, Kay. I’m so glad having the index helps. I find it super helpful myself when reading well populated books.
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I like a cast list if there’s a lot of characters to keep track of. I recently read a book with multiple generations and relations where the family tree at the beginning was extremely helpful to keep everyone straight. I like names that have a meaning behind them or say something about the character. A kooky name sticks with me more than a John or Jessie.
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Alicia, I saw something like that, too. A tree can be very helpful.
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This new series sounds like it will be another success and I’m looking forward to it!
I don’t think the names of the characters change the book for me but I do like quirky names as they’re easy to remember. I think a list of characters to refer to is a great idea! Sometimes when a book has lots of characters I get confused where they fit I .
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Carol, thanks. It is important to remember when the butler shows up, right? HAHAHAHA
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How important is a character’s name to your enjoyment of a novel? Actually, the name does not matter. It is interesting when some old names pop up which is actually nice. I usually do not need a cast list or reference list? Do you ever come up with kooky names for characters and suggest them to authors? When ask I do send in names to the author. Do you realize how many characters go “unnamed”? Yes, basically in movies. However, in books they are normally named.
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Sherrie, totally agree. In books you can’t really get away with officer 1 and officer 2, but I often create characters that are described by type. The tall guy. The thug. If they have lots of lines, then they get a name. 🙂
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Welcome and congratulations, Daryl! Thank you for sharing your “behind the scenes” process, which is surely very time consuming, but it proves most useful! I appreciate all your efforts to create an intriguing and mysterious book…just my cuppa! Since I read in several languages, names are very important to me, especially if they are similar, or if they are long and difficult to pronounce. If an author does not provide a “Cast of Characters” at the beginning. I write all the names and who they are in a small notebook I carry with me as I read. THANK YOU!!! I am printing yours 🙂 As to cooky names, I have not had an opportunity to provide suggestions to an author, but I have met real people with quirky names such as Donald Duck, and my favorite…sisters Ima and Yura Nass 🙂 I also do online research looking for possible faces that resemble what a protagonist may look like, so I do so appreciate your providing Isla Fisher’s photo as a guideline for Ally! I know I will thoroughly enjoy reading MURDER ON THE PAGE. Thank you for the hours of fun reading you give us readers. JOY! Luis at ole dot travel
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Olle, that’s a great set of names. I knew a Sandy and Rocky Shore. LOL
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Congratulations on the new series. I look forward to reading it. I appreciate a character list especially when they have similar names.
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Glad to oblige, Wendy.
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Love the blurb for this new series. Looking forward to reading it. I like “cast lists” in books, or family trees, depending on what makes more sense. Love maps as well. Names help make the character come to life, so if they do not fit the character or are distracting to the story they become important in the wrong way. Congrats on the new release!
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I was reading how Agatha Christie came up with Hastings name in the Poirot mysteries. She wanted a character that was too “hasty.” Cool, right?
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Thanks, so much Makennedyinaz! Talk about a wickedly crazy name. LOL Yes I know it’s a moniker. But really cool.
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I think that a character’s name is something that actually draws me to purchase the series.
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Good to know!
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A character’s name is important to the story so you can identify who is who. A catchy name may make you remember them and a character and those close to them their name should be repeated. I read a story and the killer’s name was mentioned as a first name only and when they declared the name they said the whole name and even though I knew who the killer was I had to go through the whole story to find his name. Deborah
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That’s interesting, Deborah. I often repeat characters last names to anchor them for someone reading. The full name can help bring the image back, I think.
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I’ve never given much thought to how a character’s name impacts me. But I know how much care authors send on getting the names just right, so I’m sure I’m benefitting from all their work.
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Thanks, Mark. We try. 🙂
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Congratulations on the new series, Daryl. I do love a quirky name. I always thought Charles Dickens and JK Rowling came up with some great ones – quirky, memorable, yet fairly easy to read.
I do not like it when too many characters have names that sound too much alike. So confusing. Same for hard-to-pronounce names. At least give me a hint as to what they sound like!
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Yes, Charles Dickens did fabulous job. Uriah Heep. Wow! What a name. Miss Havisham and Pip? Great.
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Yes, Liz, Dickens nailed it. Uriah Heep? Awesome. Miss Havisham and Pip. Perfection.
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Congratulations on your latest, Daryl. Sounds wonderful. And hugs on the Asheville location.
Your characters names are fabulous. Especially Allie Catt. A stroke of genius.
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Aw, thanks, Kait. Allie just came to me and she’s so spunky and sassy. Love her. As for Asheville, as mentioned above, wow, what devastation. The town will come back, but it will take time.
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Congrats on the new book. Looks like I have a new series to read. I do like a reference list of characters. I read lots of series and it’s good to help keep track of who is who, especially if it’s been some time between books. Some series are similar to others I read and the list really helps refresh my memory before I start reading. As I get older it’s harder to keep track.
I do have a couple unusual names to share. My mother’s name was Motana, so named because my grandparents lived in Montana when she was born. People called her “Mo” and she was unique like her name. We adopted a Siamese shelter cat named ZuZu and liked the name so kept it. It’s the only time out of all the cats we’ve adopted through the years that we didn’t change the name.
Thanks for sharing your process. I found it interesting and can see how useful it is. It’s insightful to learn each author’s process.
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Love your mother’s name, Sherry. And Zuzu is so sweet for a cat. I think sometimes unique names do establish a person’s personality. Take mine, for instance. Not a lot of Daryl women around. Over the years, I had to defend my mother’s right to choose. LOL
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Reading is my passion….started young! Can’t wait to start the new series! Congrats! I think the name of the character should sometimes reflect the character’s personality! I love it when they have an unusual name and are always having to explain ( just adds a little humor) but the name doesn’t impact my like or dislike of the main story line!
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Nanvy, right. Sometimes it’s like the character name is “Marilyn. Monroe. Not to be confused with the actress.” Heh-heh. The writer goes on. “I looked nothing like the blond bombshell. I had short black hair that I cut with cuticle scissors and a face that would scare a dragon.” Just riffing here, of course.
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Congratulations on the new series, Daryl. I am looking forward to reading it. I have all your other books on my shelves in my library in my home. The character name is important to me in the sense that I’m being introduced to someone that with any luck will become a friend in my mind. It needs to be a memorable yet simple enough or clever enough to remember. I love a character list at the beginning of the book that I can refer to if necessary to remind me the role they play in the story. Also especially in the early writing of the book series it’s hard to remember for us old folks who is who until we’ve spent more time with the characters.
I have on occasion offered an idea for a name when the author asks the readers to offer ideas for one. I know you didn’t ask, but The Cookbook Nook books have been a favorite of mine that you’ve written. I also love your suspense novels. Just so you know, I like the Fairy Garden series as well. I hope this series has a long and successful life in your mind and on the page.
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Aw, Laurie, you have been a steadfast reader for me, and I truly appreciate your sentiments here. Thank you!
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I love a cast of characters at the beginning of a book, along with a map and family tree, when appropriate. Yes, names are important to me in forming a character in my mind. Ease of pronunciation and no confusing similar names makes the book so much more enjoyable.
My favorite real name is Ronald McDonald who owned a funeral home where I used to live. Oh, and the police chief’s name was Yogi.
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Yogi for a police chief? Oh, Ginny, I love that. How could he “bear” it? LOLOL (I’m having too much fun.)
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Once I am into the story, the character’s name is not that important. I mean I like a clever name but I just want to find out what happens! I enjoy your other series and my granddaughter is working on creating a fairy house at the moment! Margaret Utsey
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True, Margaret, there is that. Clever names only carry a story so far. It’s all about the mystery and resolution.
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That’s an interesting question! Yes, the name of the protagonist is important to me, probably because I want to relate to her (or him) on a personal level. Clever or unusual names are generally okay with me. The only time I recall being annoyed by a name was when the main character was Delilah, and the other main character was Sampson. It was just too corny for me, and I couldn’t take the characters seriously. But usually, the names that are in almost any story are okay enough.
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Pat, that made me laugh out loud. Was it a romance? HAHAHA.
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I like a character list and maps and family trees when appropriate. I agree with everyone that names should be easy to pronounce, or the pronunciation given, also not too similar to other characters’ names. I think I did give some suggestions of names for people or animals on Facebook when an author asked for them.
Thanks for the chance and looking forward to the new book.
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Sally, I agree the pronunciation if it’s a really tough name. That can be done cleverly, too.
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Daryl,
Best of luck with your new series! I love hearing how you go about choosing names. I’m chuckling because I do it so differently. I think of a name for a particular character, sound it out, then decide whether or not the name fits. I try to vary endings, but so many of my female characters have names that end in “ie” or “a.” I always create a list of character names and places for the book I’m writing and find myself referring to it constantly.
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Daryl,
Very exciting. I loved reading about how you create characters and keep track of them. As a reader, I keep track of characters, too. In fact, I choose character over plot as a reason to stick with a series.
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Judy, that’s interesting to hear. I do believe we start to fall in love with recurring characters and feel that they become our friends.
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A characters name is very important for the book for it because it makes the character more real and can reflect their personality. Love a reference list if there are too ma y characters to remember.
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Christine, in a cozy, there are ALWAYS too many names to remember! We’re creating communities.
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Congratulations on the new series and welcome back! What a lovely message to the people impacted by Helene!
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Daryl, congratulations on the new book! I love this, and the work you do from the outset. I will confess, I need a name, but often don’t have a full character sketch until after the first draft.
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Congratulations on your new series. I’m looking forward to starting the series. I don’t usually think too much about the name of the character, they usually grow into their names as you read the story. A list of characters is helpful to keep track of them when starting the book. A map isn’t that important for me.
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Thank you for letting us peek behind the curtain on your writing process! I really do appreciate a cast list or reference list to help me remember who everyone is and how they are interconnected with each other. That is especially helpful if I haven’t read all the books in a series or am reading the series out of order.
Nancy
allibrary (at) aol (dot) com
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I definitely need characters’ names to be invested in the characters. A minor character, such as the neighborhood mailman, I don’t need his name
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I have never thought about if a person’s name was important. I just connected the name with the character. If there are a lot of characters, that can be helpful. Especially if it is a short read or all of the characters were brought into the book in a short amount of time. I have not come up with kooky names. I have provided names of past relatives as well as common names. I do not watch much television so I do not realize that happens. Thank you so much for sharing. God bless you.
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A character’s name adds a great deal to the entire story. I enjoy classic and traditional names. No quirky ones or odd ones. A list is helpful since it can be hard to keep track of everyone. Maps are always an added dimension to the book.
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Congratulations on your new series! I always enjoy a cast reference in books if necessary. A Character’s name is important to me in books because it defines their personality throughout the story.
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I do enjoy the names of characters, and a cast list at the beginning is helpful when there are a lot of characters.
Some years ago I watched an author interview where he said that he finds photos in magazines of people who look as he imagines his characters and hangs them in his office as inspiration. A friend who has acted in local theater for years told me that she writes a backstory for her characters to help her understand how to portray them. I see both of their techniques in your practices!
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I love a character list, and maps are always helpful too. I am a visual learner, so both are very helpful to me.
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very important
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I think they are important, but I usually notice them more if they don’t make sense or flow – because usually they just seem like “real” people so their names are just what they are, like my neighbors or whomever. It’s important to me that they don’t all sound the same. For example, if three characters have names that start with “s” or they sound very similar like Seth and Beth. It becomes confusing when the names are too much alike. The characters have to be very different in order for them not to get confusing, which sometimes is true but not always. When I’m pulled in I know the author has put work into every aspect, including the names! 🙂
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I like a character list, and a map is also good. Sometimes I have to read pages a second and third time to figure out who is who. Now I did not have that problem in my youth, but I do now. So, I love those pages of information to figure out who is who and what is what. Character names do not matter to me that much, but I do love to see what character name you authors come up with. I would love to win the book. Keep up the good work and let me win.
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