The Community

Lately, it's been so blazing hot where I live that it's been hard to do much of anything, and we can't afford air conditioning. So I've spent the last few weeks in a haze of heat, not sure if I'm awake or if I even want to be awake. All I can say is that I now know why California is called the Golden State, and it's not because it's a gold mine or because everyone's rich. That title is literal. Most of the countryside literally is gold, especially in the summer.

Advertisement images usually shown for California

 

 And these are literal photos taken in California. This is just one side of this state that some people are never really aware of. *Sigh.*

Reality for California residents not fortunate enough to live directly on some beach

Anyway, enough ranting about the heat for now, I guess. Lately, I've been watching anime and listening to music while doing art associated with my new series, DA Shadow phantom. Today, I was watching Ouran High School Host Club again with my sister. It's one I've seen more than once, but every time, I'm struck by the sense of community the viewers get from the interactions between the characters. There is that overall feeling that everyone belongs, a rarity in real life, but nonetheless something that everyone needs to feel once in a while.

Ouran High School Host Club with the show's key characters:

Haruhi is in the front, and is actually a girl, Hunny is the little boy to her right, Tamake is the tall blonde on the other side of her, and redheaded twins are Hikaru and Kaoru, the dark-haired guy with the glasses is Kyoya, and the guy with dark spiky hair with the solemn expression is Mori

 

Ouran High School Host Club: Meet the Characters

 

One thing I've discovered in my own writing adventure is that, sometimes, creating a sense of community is very important in the creation of just about any story. Even if it isn't as bright and shining as the one in Ouran High School Host Club, it's the other characters interacting with the main character or characters that give the readers a real sense of who's who. In other words, the characters become real people living in a real world. Even if the sense of community I show is a dark, fearful, or even creepy one, the readers are drawn into the world I've created.

Trinity Blood: Father Abel, Priest and Cruznik

 

This character has two major sides, and each one has a vastly different personality. The only way this personality change can be noticed, however, is through his interaction with the other characters, both friends and villains. With friends, Father Abel is a totally bubbly, sanguine character that is obsessed with food. Sometimes, he can even seem a bit silly. Once there's a violent vampire to hunt down, however, his personality does a nearly complete 180. He's suddenly all business and even a bit scary, as he is a vampire that feeds on other vampires himself. His personality in that state reverts to a more Choleric demeanor, one that is all action and has no more time for fun or frivolities.

 

But without those interactions, as small and inconsequential as they sometimes seem, these odd characteristics of Father Abel would be impossible to get across to the readers, and he wouldn't seem to be a real person.

 

A funny moment with Father Abel,

just an example of his sanguine personality

 

One way that I've found to write believable character interactions is to spend time observing the conversations of random strangers. Be subtle about it of course, so people don't think you're stalking them. You'd be surprised what you can learn about people in general by how they interact, and the more knowledge you have, the better your story will be. You don't want to end up with just talking heads. Another way to liven up character interactions, or just to practice your skills, that is actually kind of fun is through collaboration with another writer friend.

For instance, if you each have characters you are working on developing, try putting them in a scene together, determine a situation of some sort, and just go back and forth. Become your character and try to imagine how he or she would react to certain things said or done by the other person's character. My friend and I have done this often, either via chat or Google doc, when we were both on at the same time. Below is an example chat session between me and my best friend where we assumed the roles of our prize main characters engaged in a conversation. On the side, (or in parentheses) is our own interaction in setting the story straight or otherwise (you can skip down to the next image if you don't want to read all the chat stuff, by the way):

5:49 PM Beth: At the sound of Dalan's laughter Daelach's attention was drawn to his companion. His slivery blue gaze met Dalan's amber eyes and Daelach could not stop the look of hurt that flashed through his eyes. His body language shifted to one of mild hurt and even a hint of sorrow when he thought that his apprentice was laughing at him. Then a moment later he sighed as he pushed his feelings aside. At least Dalan was laughing again. That was the important thing.

5:51 PM (your turn)

 me: (back)

  (kay, I gotta read what you wrote)

5:53 PM Beth: (it seems to be taking you a while to process this :) )

5:54 PM me: (sorry, I also have to go back and read why Dalan is laughing in the first place)

 Beth: (why was he laughing?)

  (I was a bit confused by that)

 me: (that's what we get for breaking off in the middle)

5:55 PM (hold on)

5:56 PM Beth: (It would be easier for me to tell if you sorted events into a more logical order XD)

5:57 PM me: (I know, that'll have to wait)

6:00 PM Noticing the expression on his mentor's face, as briefly as it had surfaced, Dalan swallowed any more laughter that wanted to come out. But what should I tell him? he wondered. That I was laughing at his last outburst? It had startled him, but was not the triggering factor. "I wasn't laughing at you," Dalan assured the tall man at last. "I can't explain it. Haven't you ever simply felt like laughing before, even if there is no good reason?"

  He shrugged. "I dunno, it just seems to take the pressure off."

  (brb)

6:02 PM (back)

  "A lot's happened."

 Beth: There was a gentle look in Daelach's eyes as he smiled at his young friend. "I can understand that urge quite well, actually. I'm sorry I was being touchy." He sighed again. "I just can't seem to win," he muttered more to himself than to Dalan.

6:04 PM me: Dalan decided not to comment on that last statement. If he commented on every odd thing Daelach said, Dalan was sure he would never stop talking while he was around the guy.

6:05 PM Beth: (bwahhaha. This is soooo true!)

 me: (hehehe)

 Beth: (Daelach is a huge oddball XD)

  (whose turn is it?)

6:06 PM me: (and the elf side is quite chatty)

  (um, it could go either way)

6:07 PM Beth: (the elf is only supper chatty with people he has a deep connection with. If there is a close bond with someone he finds it remarkably hard to keep his mouth shut and hide information about himself)

6:08 PM me: (being part sanguine will do that to you)

 Beth: (the dragon knows how to keep his mouth shut...usually)

 me: ('usually' is the key word)

 

So, in stories, as well as in real life, community is very important. In my story, DA Shadow Phantom, I give every character a back story, no matter how minor, even if I never show it to the readers. That way, the characters all have motive when interacting with the main character, making my main character seem all that much more real, his own motives clearer as the plot develops. If Dalan didn't have realistic encounters with even seemingly random people, he would seem to the readers to be cut off from any world, let alone the one I've created for him, just like the figure above on the far right, the one that is standing on a puzzle piece disconnected from the others.

If the illusion is shattered, the readers won't stay in the story. If, on the other hand, the other characters form the pathway to understanding the main character, like the figure above, the story will flow more smoothly. Here is one example of a character interaction that seems random that is actually important. Dalan, my main character, is a shapeshifter running around his home city of Athallia protecting people too weak to protect themselves. One day, he comes across an elderly bag lady being mistreated by a day patrol, whose task it is to keep the streets clear. He defends her.

The interaction is brief and seems inconsequential, but it actually serves two purposes. One, it reveals more of his character, that he really does have a soft heart for those suffering needlessly despite his own problems. Two, as thanks for Dalan's help, the bag lady puts a charm on a pendant Dalan has that his sister gave him. Later on, that pendant helps Dalan on his journey to find out his true purpose.

Dalan's Pendant, batwings protruding from three interlocked triangles,

all circumscribed inside of a hollow ring

On a closing note, DA Shadow Phantom, Volume 1: Transformation is now for sale in multiple ebook formats here:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/334369

Everything is finally in order!

I've also submitted it to the Amazon Kindle Bookstore as well, so it should be up there for Kindle within the next twelve hours.


Happy reading!

For more artwork and story-related stuff, or if you just want to get in touch with me and see what I'm up to, visit me at these websites:
Facebook profile: https://www.facebook.com/nicole.hubbard.50

Facebook DA Shadow Phantom: https://www.facebook.com/pages/DA-Shadow-Phantom/125944890946328?notif_t=page_new_likes
Facebook North Country Series: https://www.facebook.com/NorthCountrySeries?fref=ts

Deviant Art profile: http://nykol-haebrd.deviantart.com/
Tumblr profile: http://nyko-shad.tumblr.com/