Imagine you’re at a party. People are drinking, laughing, and chatting all around. You walk over to the punch table and serve yourself, when someone approaches you.
“Hi. I’m Derek. How are you?” The tall, blond-haired, blue-eyed man facing you is grinning.
“I’m Amy. Nice to meet you.” Now that the preliminaries are over with, what else can be said?
The hunk touches your arm. “So, Amy, what do you do?”
Isn’t that always the way it is? Well, maybe not EXACTLY like that, but as people we tend to judge a person by their career. Wouldn’t it then stand to reason that as readers we do the same?
Have you put much thought into what your characters do for a living? Does their job have much to do with who they are? Is their career important to the story? These are some questions you should think about before you write because you need to understand who your characters are and what made them chose their line of work. Maybe they followed their parents’ path. Maybe they allowed their parents to choose their career for them, in which case they might hold a lot of resentment deep down. Or maybe they picked this particular career because it’s their passion. Whatever the case may be, you need to understand the whole situation. It’s not enough to know Shar’s a home stager. I had to figure out what compelled her to become self-employed. Why wasn’t she happy as a realtor? Not only that, but I needed to do a little research so I could understand what exactly a home stager does. To put it simply, they help sellers stage their home in the best way possible to attract the most buyers and the highest bids.
While doing my research, I came across a very useful resource. Raymond Obstfeld and Franz Neumann wrote “Careers for your Characters: A Writer’s Guide to 101 Professions from Architect to Zookeeper”. The book includes professional jargon and buzz words, educational requirements, salaries, benefits, perks, expenses, a daily schedule, and the difference between the public’s perception of the job and the actual job itself. This book is a great tool if your character’s career doesn’t jump out at you.
How do you choose a career for your main character? Have you worked in that environment and therefore are an expert in the field? If not, how do you ensure your character comes across as authentic?
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I have some working knowledge of a couple dozen fields and lots of friends to fill me in on their jobs if I need some info. So I tend to go to my own experience first, friends' experience second, and a distant third for researching a career I know nothing about.
ReplyDeleteHowever I assume that if I came up with a specific job my main character had to be doing, I'd research that via the book you mentioned. I think I even have it on the shelf for someday use!
I write for kids, so careers are usually relegated to secondary characters. But the book you mentioned sounds fantastic. I'm writing it down right now! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteMost of my characters are kids :)
ReplyDeleteBut it's amusing to me in MG and YA books how many of the parents of the kids are writers!
It may be a great book, but it will do in a pinch. Best of all, our characters need to exhude the angst of their passion, the state of mind of their daily routines. If the writer never had full time jobs, he/she will never understand the inner workings of an industry stamping the soul of those characters.
ReplyDeleteMy suggestion? Go and intern/volunteer/immerse yourself in your character's life.
Writtenwyrdd: Using your own experience and that of others is always better than a book, but at least we both have that option.
ReplyDeleteAmy and PJ: I'm sure you have other types of challenges with your writing. Amy, you're welcome. PJ, that's hilarious.
Lynnette Labelle
Lakeviewer: That's a great idea. Although, I wouldn't be able to do that since I'm a stay-at-home mom. I've had several different kinds of jobs (including teaching) before the kids were born, so I can appreciate a good day's work though.
ReplyDeleteLynnette Labelle
Mine tend to do something I've had connections with, personally or through a friend or family member. I can usually draw from what I know, and then research and ask questions beyond that.
ReplyDeleteMy stories tend to take the MCs through some soul-searching, which includes their taking a close look at their jobs. In my finished ms, she up and changes careers - but I haven't gotten that far with the second. :)
That book sounds like a very helpful one!
Thanks for the information. I think about occupations if the story is going to involve it. For example, one character I am working on is a helper at a homeless shelter. It's really dependent for me. Great post.
ReplyDeleteI consider a lot of things about my character before deciding what their career is. Typically, I think about their career nearly as much as their characteristics. I need to have something that works with the part they'll be playing in the book. Do they need a lot of free time? Are they good with commitment? Young or old? I think a character's career says a lot about the character and it's an important thing to consider.
ReplyDeletethx for the tip, lynnette
ReplyDeletei try to write a detailed bio of all my main characters, usually more info than i need, but one never knows
That sounds like a great book. I write historical romance. So is there similar books for ancient era? At the moment, I rely on wikipedia but when it comes to jargons used by a certain profession, it's seem hard to find.
ReplyDeleteIn Quest of Theta Magic
Mr. Google has been a faithful boyfriend so far. In my current WIP, the characters are compilations of people I know, so careers and such are pretty easy to do.
ReplyDeleteI do tend to subscribe to the write about what you know about theory. My last novel was about three women on an allotment, I traind in horticulture. But I have to say this is not something I've given too much thought to, and I should. Thanks for the tip about the book.
ReplyDeleteAnd thanks for poping over to my blog. Yours is fab!
Great point. Thanks for the tip about the book on character professions. I'm going to go find a copy. It sounds like exactly what I need to get some of the unique jargon that goes with some jobs.
ReplyDeleteSince I write fantasy careers are a bit different than they are in books more closely tied to reality. You are so right that a person's career really defines them to the world. It also speaks volumes in many ways about who they are, or can at least add an interesting twist.
ReplyDeleteThat is a really interesting book about careers for characters. Thanks for sharing it!
My careers are related to the plot of my story. Either their professions compliment or contrast with the story. My current heroine is a folklorist. Last one was a manager at a dress shop in the mall and the one before that was a bookeeper in an autobody shop. Their jobs are dictated by the action.
ReplyDeleteCool! I'm googling it right now!!
ReplyDeleteMy characters' jobs have come from either myself or people I know, but even at that I've winged it at times. This book sounds great.
My internet is on and off today. I had written a reply to everyone else, but when I tried to post it, the internet was down and I lost everything. Grrrr... Since I don't have time to rewrite it all, I'll just say this: The book is great, but my copy was printed a few years ago. I use it as a base so I can get an idea of what my character will do. Then, I go online and research that job, so I know current salaries, etc... Thanks for visiting and commenting. I always love to hear from you.
ReplyDeleteLynnette Labelle
just to let anyone who's intrested know that the book is still available on amazon, just ordered it.
ReplyDelete