Step Three: Story Outline (Plot your Novel!)

To be blunt, outlining doesn’t stifle your creativity. Sit down and actually try out the outline I’m going to share with you, and you will find that you have to be very creative to think of story events that fit into each stage of your book. On top of that, it’s just an outline. The real work (and creativity!) comes from actually writing the darn thing. The outline will serve more as a backbone for your writing so that it can stand up straight instead of crumple under the weight of all those extra unnecessary scenes and plot holes you’ve likely been writing without even realizing it. (Yes, even I am guilty of this. If you don’t believe me, go check out the preview of my self-published book In My Head on Amazon.)

I also want to give some kudos to the writing resources that I used to create my story outline process. I already introduced Victoria Lynn Schmidt’s 45 Master Characters in my last post, in which I created a few of the characters for my current project. This book has a section in the back for plotting a novel. I absolutely love how she breaks the three acts of a story into 9 manageable stages. She even has a feminine journey and a masculine journey which gives you two different plot structure choices. I use “he” and “hero” when drawing inspiration from the masculine journey, and I use “she” and “heroine” when elaborating using the feminine journey.

I stumbled upon Tara Maya’s video “How to Magically Outline Your Novel … (So It Practically Writes Itself)” and I have to admit that her stages of a story also ring true for me. Her video also does a great job of explaining why writers should use outlines. The video is at the end of this Hub. I decided to try something new, so I went with her general outline for this post, but with a twist.

I decided to try and elaborate on each stage in the journey using the 45 Master Characters journeys. In this post, you will find each of Tara’s stages with a blurb written by me, explaining what I would do with that stage in general. (Then below, I also share a pretty generic description of my specific project, stage by stage.)

Act 1:

Opening micro-conflict (mini version of overall conflict)

This stage of a story doesn’t have a counterpart in either the feminine or masculine journey. It’s the only stage that doesn’t seem to cross over in a significant way. In her video Tara explains that her outline is adapted from a screenwriting outline. Now the lack of a cross over makes sense. Movies start with micro-conflicts! Just think of your favorite movie. There is probably a micro-conflict that gets the viewers in on the action immediately (especially if it’s an action flick). My example here is the second Avengers Movie: Age of Ultron. The movie opens with the whole gang in the middle of a mission. And because movies are structured this way (and we are pretty darn used to getting thrown into the action immediately) authors have taken to opening their novels with micro-conflict too. Use this stage to hint at the overall conflict of your book by creating that same conflict on a much smaller scale. This is also a great opportunity to show that your character is proactive, and to build up an expectation of what your main conflict in your book will be.

Daily Life before transformation (The perfect world)

The masculine journey begins with the Perfect World. We see the hero in his daily life and probably get a good hint about the theme of the story. Your main character (especially if he’s masculine) will likely be facing one of three societal issues in this stage: Performing, Providing, or Protecting. Essentially, the world he lives in will be pushing him to fit into a neat little box. Maybe he already conformed, and he’s not happy about it. This stage can be a chance to show why the character needs to go on his journey in the first place.

Opportunity for change (The Betrayal or Realization OR The Call)

I like to think of this stage from both the feminine and the masculine standpoint. The hero might feel called to take action. Maybe a brief run-in with the villain surprises the hero, or maybe the hero realizes what his goal should be, and he sees a chance to change his life. He could receive an order from his boss, or get put on the path through some sort of belief or misstep.

With the feminine journey the opportunity for change is really more of an opportunity rather than a challenge or order. Oftentimes feminine characters have been living a life with some sort of coping strategy. (There are five different ones, and if that is interesting to you, I strongly suggest you get the book!) By now, the coping strategy will prove to be useless. She might realize that she wants something more out of life, or she might feel betrayed by society, by herself, or by the villain. This is called the inciting incident. The character will respond to this stage differently depending on her coping strategy.

Resistance to the opportunity (The illusion of a perfect world)

In Tara’s plot outline the character resists the change. This is natural, in that most people are slow to change in real life. For this reason, I have related this stage to the Illusion of a Perfect World from the feminine journey. This is where the character’s coping strategy comes in. (In 45 Master Characters, this stage comes before the last stage, but I could easily see how the two could be switched. For one, resisting change is natural. After realizing there is a chance for change, it makes sense to revert that that coping mechanism and say “No thanks, I’ll just keep my simple easy life, thanks.”) I think it’s worth noting that if the heroine’s daily life is perfect, then there’s no reason for her to avoid giving up and returning to the perfect world. That’s why it’s an Illusion of the Perfect World. There must be something about this place that makes it so the heroine can’t quite function – and wouldn’t want to stay once she realizes that her life could take a different route.

Point of no return (Awakening – preparing for the journey)

The heroine has come to a harsh realization about her life. She might have been betrayed or challenged to go after what she really wants. She makes the decision to change her life and pushes herself toward a concrete goal. This stage is purely feminine, and in case you were wondering, it is her turning point, which happens at the beginning of the feminine journey. (Don’t worry, this full outline creates a multi-climactic story.) This is a great time for the heroine to gather her weapons or tools and prepare for her journey. The more active you can make your protagonist during this stage the better, because making that first step toward change is a big deal!

Act 2:

Entering the new situation (Small Success)

The hero has answered the call and started out on his journey. As your hero enters into his new situation, this is a great time to show him having a small success. He may have received warnings before he set out on his journey, but he ignored them and has already had some small measure of success in spite of them. He knows he can succeed where others have failed. He doesn’t want to sit back and examine things. He wants to take action.

Meeting friends, enemies, romance; Transformative Experiences (Friends and Enemies AND Invitations)

This stage combines two from the 45 Master characters, so it’s rather beefy. Your hero will meet new friends and enemies, or if he already knows them, they will fully enter the story here. This is a chance to introduce some side characters and possibly start a subplot for your book. You should really show the hero shine when he interacts with these new characters. Show his character traits – both good and bad.

The idea of Transformative Experiences made me think of Invitations, the fifth stage of the masculine journey from 45 Master Characters. This stage is masculine, but it involves inviting the hero to go down the feminine journey. He is essentially given a chance to give up on his outward goal and go through an inner transformation. Even though the invitation is extended, the hero will likely ignore it, walk away, and continue on his path. But the fact that the invitation is given will remind readers of that theme you set up all the way back in Act One.

Problem brings them together (Eye of the Storm)

In this stage (also called the Eye of the Storm), the heroine feels a false sense of security. She is surrounded by her allies and probably getting ready to go after her goal. Or maybe she has faced her fears and changed her life by entering the new situation, and she feels like the journey is over. This stage brings to mind a movie montage of happiness and hope. Maybe the characters are training together in preparation for defeating the villain. This stage can end with the heroine taking a risk she shouldn’t take, while the villain watches and schemes away.

Problem drives them apart (The Descent)

In this stage a small problem drives the heroine’s allies to abandon her as she nears the point of descent into the main conflict of the story. Now that the heroine has made a life-changing decision, she has to face the changes this decision brings. With the Descent, the heroine will face her fears alone. She can face seven different issues during this stage, each one corresponding to the seven chakras. (These issues are summarized briefly as survival, sexuality, willpower, love, self-expression, intuition, and self-awareness. If you want to know more, again, buy the book!) Ultimately, the hero must give up all control during this stage and surrender herself or her weapons. She must confront her issues without putting up a brave face.

Crisis Hits (Support)

This stage doesn’t quite have a nice tie in to the journeys in 45 Master Characters. I imagine that if the villain is initiating the final conflict of the novel here, then the heroine would gather her weapons and her allies together to offer her support. As the crisis hits, she would willingly accept help from others. This can be the event that brings everyone back together after the small problem that drove them apart. Very often, these supporting characters have problems of their own, and she can let them make amends for leaving her by helping her now and accepting her help in return.

Act 3:

Terrible secret is revealed / attack starts (Trials)

Stage 6 of the masculine journey is called Trials. The hero faces more obstacles that must be overcome if he is to reach his goal. The terrible secret that is revealed could help hint that the hero is going to change when he reaches his turning point. This is a great time to push your hero into that change.

All seems lost (Death – All is Lost)

The villain is back with a vengeance. This stage is like a reversal that ends with a dark moment when all seems lost. During the crisis, we saw the heroine’s inner conflict. Now it’s time to show her outer, plot-driven conflict.

Self-sacrifice or symbolic death (Death – A fork in the Road)

Here, the hero reaches the fork in the road where he must debate his options: change and find success or face death and failure. He can face his real or symbolic death and continue down the path of awakening, or he can rage against death and take the path of rebellion, and fail to reach his goal. If he takes the feminine descent, he may lose sight of his goal for a moment, but he will be changed by the experience. His tools are failing him, and his plan is falling apart. He’s shown courage up to this point, and now he may have to use his brain or follow his heart.

Final showdown (Awaken or Rebel AND the Moment of Truth)

Here is that classic turning point, when the hero faces off against the villain and realizes his true purpose in life. He becomes the active creator of what he truly wants for himself in this stage. It is the moment of truth, when the heroine has found her strength and resolve and goes after her goal with a passion. She has reclaimed her weapons and her identity and realizes that she was the creator of her own fear. She acts out of power and truth and takes the final steps to show her transformation. She now embodies the opposite of her former coping strategy.

Conclusion – Wed or Dead (Victory or Failure AND Full Circle)

If the hero chose to awaken, he now finds victory and rewards. If the hero chose to rebel and rage against death, he now finds failure and death (literal or symbolic). He has the courage and knowledge to face any challenge the villain may throw at him, and he triumphs! Then she returns home to see just how far she’s come. She sees her old life for what it is. Thanks to her journey, this world is changed somehow, which might bring her to choose someone else to go on the journey next. Most often, the person she was closest to before she awakened on her journey will be the one who is influenced by her transformation and will hear the call to change as well. Give your reader a sense of satisfaction that the heroine was successful and accomplished her goal.

Act 1:

Opening micro-conflict (mini version of overall conflict)

Elda’ri, Arro’way, and Drake are attacked by a small band of Shifters. Elda’ri and Arro’way both help defend their possessions and their lives. Elda asks Drake about closing Chakras that are open. She needs to know if she can hide that she has reached Fourth Chakra already.

Daily Life before transformation (The perfect world)

Elda’ri and Arro’way are on their way to the heart of Fox Clan to meet the Whisperer who will bring them south to Bear Clan, where the Sylvan are fighting against the Impyre. Elda and Arro play a game, meditate, and travel across the northern region of Sylva.

Opportunity for change (The Betrayal or Realization OR The Call)

At Fox Clan they meet Rait’sa and she assesses them both. Backstory on how Elda helped Arro unlock his second Chakra.

Resistance to the opportunity (The illusion of a perfect world)

Rait’sa says she won’t bring Arro’way along. He’s too green, even though he’s older than his sister. Arro insists he is ready, and Elda says she won’t go without her brother.

Point of no return (Awakening – preparing for the journey)

Rait’sa gives Arro a test to gauge if he really is ready for the Impyre. He passes and she takes the two siblings to a Porter and they dimension walk to the southern border.

Act 2:

Entering the new situation (Small Success)

Elda and Arro come to their new camp. They only barely get settled in when reports come in of an Impyre attack. Elda helps take out a gunner and a leecher (Arbiter and Initiate, respectively). Arro almost gets himself killed, but manages to get away, though the Igniads do so as well.

Meeting friends, enemies, romance; Transformative Experiences (Friends and Enemies AND Invitations)

Introduce some fun supporting characters. The enemy is clear, but they will learn more about them in this chapter. Elda will be invited to reveal her secret, but she will resist the urge.

Problem brings them together (Eye of the Storm)

Training montage. Develop side characters!

Problem drives them apart (The Descent)

Characters’ flaws push each other away. Elda and Arro both face at least one issue.

Crisis Hits (Support)

Their defense line gets attacked.

Act 3:

Terrible secret is revealed / attack starts (Trials)

They fight. Elda is forced to use her Whisperer ability to gain the aid from a beast so she can save herself or her brother or both. Only a few close friends see it, and she asks them to keep it a secret.

All seems lost (Death – All is Lost)

A Burner (Invoker Commander of the Impyre with fire magic) joins the fray. The siblings’ fire infusions are useless against him.

Self-sacrifice or symbolic death (Death – A fork in the Road)

Elda tells their commander Rait’sa about her true abilities, so that as many people as possible will survive this attack.

Final showdown (Awaken or Rebel AND the Moment of Truth)

Elda awakens to her Changer powers and takes on aspects of (this beast). She defeats the Invoker, and along with her friends’ help, they push back the Impyre attack.

Conclusion – Wed or Dead (Victory or Failure AND Full Circle)

Everyone is impressed with Elda. She worries that she won’t be a true member of the Defense Band now, but Rait’sa insists that Elda is too young to lead her own Band, and she just got here. Why would she go home now? Elda and Arro get to stay together on the front lines until he can go home.

Step Two: Creating Compelling Characters

Here is Step Two in my creative process, with a commentary to follow. If you missed Step One, please check it out HERE first.

These are two characters for my current fantasy project, set in the realm of Sylva, the Forest Realm of Pangaia. In Step One I laid out my process for creating the fantasy world. Now it's time to start populating it with some compelling characters.

Yarroway of the Fox Clan (Sylvan Splitter):

Overview (Age, sex, title):

Yarroway (M) is a boy of seventeen. His friends and family call him Oway. He has just unlocked his Second Chakra and ascended to the level of Splitter. He must leave his home and begin his adult life on the southern border, defending his Realm from the Impyre.

Description:

Oway is fair of skin with long braided red hair and fox-like pointed ears. He has freckles on his nose and a wide smile that accentuates his canines. He is somewhat short, but makes up for it with his speed. He is lean but with wiry muscles. He wears leather jerkins over orange cloth tunics, thick brown cloth breeches, and tanned leather boots that reach his calves. He fights with a fire spear. He is fast and agile and stronger than he looks.

Personality Traits: (Archetype)

Oway is the Protector Archetype: Ares. He lives in his body instead of his head. Physical activity makes him feel alive. In a way, he lives on ‘eggshells’ feeling like everyone is out to get him. (This clashes nicely with Rait.) He is a ticking time bomb, but he is also fiercely loyal and protective. He can make women feel special and cared for. From an archetypal standpoint, Ares tends to avoid thinking about the future and is more in the now, ready for the next adventure. He likes to take risks. He cares about his family, and in his eye, the best way to protect them is to go off to the battlefield as soon as possible, so that he can come home to them sooner. He will fight for a good cause when others would give up.

Objective:

Survival is the basic objective, but he does have a goal beyond that: to prove himself to the Whisperer who has come to bring him to the fight.

Motivation: Why the character cares about the objective. What will be gained?

Yarroway knows that if he impresses the Whisperer, the commander is sure to make certain he receives more training. Oway’s long term goal is to be able to return home to his Clan one day, to see his sister again and take his mate. His goal is to become a Whisperer as soon as possible, and then impress the Demutator so that he can become a Changer. Then he will be free to leave the battleground and return home to take on a leadership role within his Clan.

Stakes: The consequences of not gaining the objective. Create suspense.

There are many stakes. For one, if Oway cannot learn to be a Splitter, he will not fair well in battle against the Impyre. He could die if he does not learn to harness his new power. But he needs to not only survive, but to stand out, so that he can begin training to become a Whisperer. He will need the added protection of a beast to fight alongside him. He will need to ascend the ranks as quickly as possible, so that he doesn’t instead become a pawn on the battlefield who cannot ever make it home.

Oway fears not being able to protect the ones he loves and cares about. He would hate to fail and have someone get hurt because of it. He hates using his mind too much, and would prefer to jump to the physical solution to every problem that arises.

Obstacles: Inner and External. Set up the journey.

Oway’s new powers have only recently manifested. He hasn’t had enough time to train with his mentor before the Whisperer came for him. He is green. He has been fighting to protect the Clan village for some time, but has no experience in any real battles, only a few skirmishes in which he wasn’t the deciding factor in victory. He has fought against Eran Flitters, but who hasn’t? He has fended off an attack from a Shapeshifter or two, but that is not entirely special in and of itself. He is overly aware of his own lack of experience in a real fight. He needs experience, but what if seeking the very thing he needs puts him in a position where he is over his head and unable to do what needs to be done? He can’t put himself into harm’s way if he can’t get himself out of it. Would it be worse to be rescued by the Whisperer who brings him south, or to die trying to prove himself?

Oway needs to learn to use his mind as well as his body, to sit still and meditate, and to hold his temper. Above all else, he needs to learn self-control; he needs to stop taking risks. He needs to learn to defend himself by assessing a situation before reacting.

Backstory:

When he was a kid, Oway’s parents were both hurt in a Beast Tribe attack by the Rootless Wanderers. They are living now, though his father is crippled and his mother is scarred from the attack. He saw them both get hurt and was unable to help them. He wasn’t strong enough to protect them.

Oway has been trained by Mandrake (Drake for short) a middle-aged Sylvan of the Fox Clan who has served his time and was offered retirement to settle down and start a family back home. He is a distant uncle to Oway, and has a daughter that has caught Oway’s eye. Oway wants nothing more than to prove himself to Drake so he can win Juniper’s hand in marriage and start a Smallclan of his own.

Character Flaws:

Oway will physically react to an attack without thinking. He lives life on edge, always acting as if he is fighting for his survival. He can’t take anything lightly because of it. He can’t think things through well enough to see the consequences of his actions. He believes that those who hurt him (or his loved ones) deserve to be hurt. He will attack a Rootless Wanderer if he sees one, even if it is not the one who hurt his parents, and even if the Shapeshifter tries to run and isn’t attacking them.

Relationships:

The Whisperer is Rait, a female of the Bear Clan, who has a Bear Companion that she rides. She is immediately unimpressed with Oway’s thin weak body and his Clan, which is known for its trickery and lack of brute strength. He feels he must prove himself to her, especially because she seems painfully aware of how green he is. She urges him to stay with his Clan for another season to train and prepare himself before coming south, but he won’t listen because he is determined to prove himself and doesn’t like it when others tell him what to do. He was born a fighter and will die a fighter. He is too impulsive to think about the right course of action.

The other new Splitters are either impressed with his intensity and passion, or are unimpressed with his thickheaded bullishness. But Oway doesn’t care what others think, as long as he is free to react in the moment and enjoy himself. Oway would rather intimidate his new companions than make friends; he wants to show them the dark need for battle that lurks behind his eyes. In this area, Oway really needs to learn to become a protector, not just a fighter.

Rait of the Bear Clan (Sylvan Whisperer):

Overview (Age, sex, and title):

Rait (F) is a Whisperer of the Bear Clan. She is old and wise enough to protect herself and others, and for some reason she has remained a Whisperer for many years beyond what is considered normal. She is in her mid-thirties and will most likely never settle down and have cubs of her own. She is married to battle.

Description:

Rait is fierce. She has a bearskin cloak that she uses to control her Companion Ursa, who is always by her side. She often rides Ursa into battle, but if need be, she can allow Ursa to defend her while she takes on an attack stance with her own bear claws, which are the natural aspect of her Clan. She also has fangs, but she doesn’t fight with them unless necessary. Rait wears hard leather subligar with knee-high leather boots. She keeps her dark hair short. She fights with both brute force and agility.

Personality Traits: (Archetype)

Rait is the Nurturer: Demeter Archetype. I picked this archetype for her because the Nurturer naturally cares about the children under her care. She will put others ahead of herself, especially if those others are children. She may bestow amazing gifts to her newly assigned Splitters under her care. She has been living on eggshells her whole adult life (so to speak) always worrying about what other people need before examining her own feelings. She is driven to help people, is extremely helpful, and is a great listener. She is generous and committed. She misses her home, but she will not allow herself to return until she completes the journey south with a group of young Splitters and reaches her destination without a single loss of life.

Objective:

To bring all the newest Splitters to the front lines alive and teach them a thing or two along the way.

Motivation: Why the character cares about the objective. What will be gained?

Rait cares about completing her task because as the Nurturer, she longs for love and belonging. She knows that the new Splitters under her care will care for her too. This particular job (bringing new Splitters south) is of extra interest to her because she remembers her first voyage and all the new Splitters who died along the way. Since she has started bringing groups of Splitters south, she has always vowed to do so without a single death.

Stakes: The consequences of not gaining the objective. Create suspense.

Rait’s whole identity and reason to live depends upon caring for others. She will protect those under her care, even at the risk of destroying their independence and even if she is protecting them from a danger that doesn’t really exist. She cares about not letting a single Splitter die, and every time she fails, she refuses to retire. She must have at least one trip south without a single death, or she will not consider herself accomplished in the ways of her Clan, and she will not settle down to have her own family.

Obstacles: Inner and External. Set up the journey.

Rait has to learn to let go of her attachment to her young Splitters and find her own identity. She needs to learn that being alone sometimes can be refreshing. Above all else, she needs to accept that it is time to return to her Clan. She needs to let go of her need to make a perfect journey south and instead, let others take her place and complete this task in her stead.

On the other hand, there are plenty of external obstacles in the way. She has to get a group of young Splitters to trust her enough to follow her orders blindly. She must trust herself and her own instincts in order to gain their trust, and this is a big obstacle for her. She worries constantly and second-guesses herself, and so when others second-guess her (especially the youngsters) she bristles easily and is very defensive. She knows the best ways South. She knows the dangerous areas and the safe passages. She knows that every journey is different and that there are certain things you can’t predict, but she is the best Whisperer in the Realm. She was made for this task, and she only needs to prove it to herself.

Backstory:

Rait has lost at least one Splitter in every band of youngsters she’s brought South. That is nine Sylvan altogether. She can’t help but feel guilty about them all. She still sees them in her sleep and her mind wanders to them during her daydreams. She sees them in the young ones she has currently under her care. She can’t let herself forget them.

Rait is most haunted by her own young journey south. She was on the journey with her best friend, who unlocked the second Chakra after she did. Her friend’s Chakra opened barely a moon before their journey south, and Rait is convinced that if her friend had had more time to train and prepare, she might have survived. Rait has a tendency to say “no” to recruits that are this green, to suggest they take another season to gain some familiarity with their powers before they journey south. She tries to say no to Oway for this reason.

Character Flaws:

Rait has fallen into a devastating depression over the deaths of the Splitters under her care when journeying South. She takes all the guilt upon herself, she can’t help it. Grief has consumed her to the point that others around her are suffering too. She needs to be needed, and so she continues to accept this tough job of bringing Splitters South. Rait hates quiet time, and must always be actively doing something, whether it’s training the new recruits, hunting for provisions, setting up camp, or going over resources to plan the next day’s tasks. She always joins the youngsters at the fire at night and though she doesn’t keep to herself, she doesn’t engage in idle chit chat either. She is constantly trying to teach her youngsters useful lessons.

Relationships:

Rait and Oway do not get along. She sees a bullheaded kid who will get himself, and other members of their group, killed. She fights to exclude him from the journey and leave him behind with his Clan for another season. She babies him when he won’t give in and demands to join her group. She overworks him in her effort to prepare him for the worst. She fails to see a leader in him because of all his flaws, and she fails to see his potential, or let him prove himself.

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Commentary by A.C:

I love creating characters. It's why I write! Story ideas and fantasy worlds may entice or inspire me, but characters keep me going. They are what brings a story to life, in my opinion. So I have always endeavored to create compelling characters who jump off the page. To do that, I have used Victoria Lynn Schmidt's 45 Master characters for quite a while, and I swear on her book. If characters are hard for you, or even if they aren't, consider looking up her book HERE. These are the archetypes I mention, and they have proven time and again to help me create original characters who feel like living breathing people.

I have also tried something new and organized the information according to Ellen Brock's Eight Steps to Create Interesting and Complex Characters. Check out her video HERE. While this didn't so much help me with the content of my character sketches, it did help me organize them nicely.

Behind the Archetype

To be upfront, I didn't really create any of the characteristics described here (besides the physical description). Most of this is adapted straight from Victoria's wonderful book, but tailored to fit the fantasy world that I have created and know so well. The beauty of that book is that each archetype is fully realized, though the layout is different than Ellen's Eight Steps. Simplifying the information into eight categories helped me zero in and really use the archetypes with purpose. It was interesting to see how the two strategies complemented each other.

For Yarroway (who quickly became Oway) I have chosen Ares, the Warrior. I knew Oway would need to be a fighter early on, but that didn't necessarily mean he needed to be this archetype. What helped me decide to go for this seemingly cliche choice was all that archetype's flaws. I wanted Oway to be confident in his fighting ability even though he was somewhat inexperienced. I wanted him to be charismatic so he could hold the reader's attention, and so he could inspire Rait to finally obtain her true goal and be able to forgive herself and go home to her Clan. To do that, I knew I needed an archetype with a compelling reason to fight. Hence Oway's backstory, which walked right off the pages of 45 Master Characters.

Rait was originally going to be the Amazon archetype. She's a fighter too, right? But I quickly rethought her actual role in the story and decided that she should be the true main character. I want her story arc to sizzle! I picked the Nurturer then, because I knew that someone who protects and fights is compelling, but someone who protects children and fights to keep them safe is even more so. I wanted her to have a good reason for what she was doing with her life, and I wanted to give her something to reach for, even if subconsciously. This eventually grew to become a middle-aged woman who has thrown away her own chances of having children in order to protect others' kids. This became Rait, the she-bear who will defend her surrogate cubs with a ferocity that is both terrifying and beautiful. And in the end, it is Oway who will show her that her real life has yet to begin, and she need not put it off any longer.

A Note on How I Name My Characters

Naming characters is a tricky thing. I started typing this entry and immediately went for my Magical Book of Names by Phoenix McFarland, a compendium of many many wonderful names from all over the world. In this case, I opened to the middle and started flipping pages until I came across the section of magical names from the green man's garden. In a Realm based on plant life, this rang true for me. 

My character's names are never safe from the revision process, but in the meantime I know I need to call them something. I picked Yarroway, because it was a name that I wanted to use for another character in my Code Chronicles, but which I had to change. It is a variation on Yarrow, a root used for protection and courage. The meaning is there, even if the sound of the name doesn't have the right feel for me down the road.

I found Rait on the next page. It is a Druid name associated with Brambles and Myrtle, which is a very old and powerful magical name. Rait is an older woman's name, a name of someone who has the wisdom to know when to be silent and the will to keep it. Again, the meaning is nice, but I'm not sure if I like the sound of it. Nevertheless, my Magical Book of Names has proven helpful as always.

Thank you for reading!

With hopes to inspire and shamelessly plug some fantastic books on writing,

This has been another glimpse at A.C.'s desk!