Regina Puckett

I created the plotline and characters. I had no doubts about what was going to happen in every chapter, so how did I get tripped up by a conversation two of my characters had in my sweet romance, Songs that I Whisper? I was at my computer just typing away, when out of the blue, Suzette tells Bill that her mom was to never know her brother had once bailed them out of jail. I actually stopped typing to stare at the computer screen.  Did she just say they had been arrested?  Where on earth did that come from? I reread her words again just to make certain, but sure enough, it was right there in front of me.

Now, I either had to figure out why Suzette and Bill had been arrested or delete that part of her dialogue. It would have been easy enough to delete it.  With just the touch of a few back spaces and I would have been the only person on earth to have ever known my sweet Suzette was a felon.

Fortunately, I only considered that option for a few seconds before shrugging and deciding I loved her anyway.  Suzette was my fictional child, so as her mother, she needed me to back her up no matter whatever trouble she had gotten herself into. Of course, now I had to think of a reason why the two of them had been arrested without making them into hardened criminals. It took me about two weeks to think of the best crime for them, but in the end, it was the right thing to do.  That scene added color and gave the reader a small taste of Suzette’s quirky side.

You’re probably wondering why I didn’t just delete the unexpected part of Suzette and Bill’s conversation and move on.  After all, it was only two sentences and not a major part of the plot. It also would have saved me several brain cells that I could ill afford to lose.  The truth is I seldom do things the easy way, and since I had created Suzette and Bill, I decided to trust them. I have discovered over the years that my characters know who they are better than I do.

Not every writer likes surprises but I relish them.  I’m a fly-by-my-seat type of writer.  I tried planning and plotting my first two books but soon discovered it never worked out the way I thought it would.  I always begin each book with a rough outline in mind, but as soon as my characters know who they are, I let them have a voice in what is said.

Over the years I have learned to trust my characters.  After all, I did give birth to them.  As their mother, I should be proud that they have a mind of their own. While this works for me, I’m not recommending that other writers should change their own writing styles.  If you’re a plotter and planner, then plot and plan away, but if you are ever surprised by something your characters have to say, stop before you hit that backspace key.  Maybe, just maybe, you should trust your characters enough to let them have a say in how their story goes.

Regina Puckett
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