15 Minutes of Fame is SO One-dimensional

Submitting to an agent or editor can be scary. Especially when (okay, IF) they respond and reject your work because they think your characters are one-dimensional. Ouch. That hurts. How could it not? You love these people. (They're NOT just characters in a book.) You regard them as friends. They have faults and flaws and idiosyncrasies just like real people. You KNOW they do because you created them, right?!

Do these same rules apply to Hollywood? Who tells the creators of reality television programs their characters are flat and one-dimensional?

Believe me when I say I find people fascinating. I’ve always enjoyed reading biographies and watching television shows that delve into the psyche of an individual. I watch people wherever I go. I eavesdrop on their conversations. (Sorry. I can’t help it!) I also watch and analyze their mannerisms and body language.

I try to figure out what makes these people tick.

Understanding why a person acts the way they do helps me to create believable, memorable characters that walk off the page. I love to plunk these individuals in the middle of a story, give them a problem, surround them with friends and relatives, and then sit back and watch the mayhem begin.

That said, I rarely watch reality TV programs. I have a hard time believing these are real people in real situations. To me they’re in the spotlight for one reason: they want their 15 minutes of fame. And that’s SO one-dimensional. If fame and fortune is all that makes these people tick, I want more. I need more. I'll turn the channel until I find a real person or character.

Do you agree or disagree? Am I missing the point of these programs?

Today is day 7 of the Mystery We Write Blog Tour. I’m visiting with M.M. Gornell, and we’re talking about this very topic. Leave a comment (either here or on her blog) and you will be eligible to win one of three e-copies of FRANK, INCENSE AND MURIEL, the first book of my Muriel Reeves Mysteries. The winners will be announced December 9.

Good luck in the draw and happy reading!

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