Vol. 23, No. 2 Make Characters Memorable with Metaphors by Elizabeth Lyon n my work with writers over the years, I’ve vanquished. What if these two characters come to believe that mastering plotting is marry each other? far easier than mastering characterization. I Expressing the metaphor Creating depth of character means, for the writer, diving into the mostly uncharted waters Aer you have discovered the metaphor for of the psyche, the soul, and the spirit. your character, the next step is to find the words and concepts that express that Recently, I led one of my three critique groups metaphor. Use your thesaurus or do a com- on a guided tour of these waters. I gave the puter word search, as I did when I entered ‚“art assignment of discovering and developing a terminology.” Is your character a nature-lover, metaphor for the protagonist or other point-of- a descendant of farmers? Your word and view characters. One of my dictionaries defines phrase list might include: broadcasting seeds, metaphor as: “A figure of speech in which a term planting, waiting for the harvest, plowing is transferred from the object it ordinarily des- under‚“for everything there is a season,” roots, ignates to an object it may designate only by fertile, fields, trust and faith, sowing and reap- implicit comparison or analogy.” e dictionary ing. is list becomes your resource for more goes on to give the example, “the evening of my authentic characterization. You can literally life.” We use metaphors in daily speech all of the build a dictionary, a lexicon, for your charac- time. Don’t believe me? Dog days. Buried under ters. Draw from it when you are writing this a mountain of paperwork. character’s point of view, in narration and in Metaphors matter in life dialogue. With knowledge of a character’s pri- mary metaphor and with a word list in hand, My belief is that human beings make decisions you’ll have an easier time with one of a fiction that are consistent with the metaphors or writer’s most difficult tasks: writing an Elizabeth Lyon has been an independent book editor myths they have learned and adopted. Since extended metaphor. since 1988. She is the author of six books for writers fiction seeks to approximate life, but is far more with more than 65,000 sold. Three of those guides selective, it makes sense to limit to one, or two, e careful sculpting of believable characters are dedicated to writing, revising, and selling fiction: the metaphor that represents each character. is so important, that in Manuscript Makeover: A Writer’s Guide to Fiction, Manuscript Makeover, Revision Techniques No Fiction Writer Can and The Sell Your Novel Tool Kit. The December For instance, many characters fit a warrior Afford to Ignore, I devoted 100 pages to what issue of The Writer magazine selected Manuscript metaphor. Fighters, soldiers, law-enforcement can go wrong and how to revise to create Makeoveras one of “10 Great Writing Books in 2008.” personnel, and survivor types may view their authentic and original characters. Elizabeth Lyon lives in Springfield, Oregon. Her web- lives as a battlefield. If the battle or war site is at www.elizabethlyon.com. metaphor fits a character, you can expect this Fun with metaphors character to think, talk, and act consistent with Once you get the lay of the land—the land of that metaphor. metaphor that is—you will have all kinds of fun, working your word lists and phrases into Let’s take characters who see life through the the prose, planting subtle seeds that the reader viewing lens of an artist. e portrait of their Monitoring Project may sense at deep, perhaps right-brain, levels. lives will be far different from that of one on e culmination could be a wonderful harvest: a battlefield. ese artists could consider the The news isn’t great. Don’t miss “Fewer deeper and truer characterization, more shades and gradations of meaning, see life as Reviews for Women” by Nadia Gordon AKA artistry in your writing, and touching the a canvas awaiting the application of color and Julianne Balmain on page 11. reader. Like a cleansing rain or a breath of vision. What would it be like for the artist to Parity in reviews was one of the found- mountain air, your writing will refresh you and find common ground with someone who ing principles of SinC. Every member your reader. Have you guessed that I began life divides the world into the powerful and the must be concerned. on a farm? weak, into friend and foe, conquered and Get a Clue President’s Message inSinc Marcia Talley . .3 Editor’s Note the Sisters in Crime Quarterly Molly Weston . .3 The mission of Sisters in Crime is to promote the professional development and Chapter Highlights . .4 advancement of women crime writers to achieve equality in the industry. Updated Breaking & Entering L.C. Hayden . .5 We Love Libraries! . .5 Marcia Talley, President Jim Huang, Bookstore Liaison Economy vs. Publishing Cathy Pickens, Vice President/President Elect Mary Boone, Library Liaison Jessica Faust . .6 Mary Saums, Secretary Charlaine Harris, At Large BISG Conference Molly Weston . .7 Kathryn Wall, Treasurer/Authors Coalition Liaison Nancy Martin, At Large Malice Domestic . .8 Sandra Parshall, Chapter Liaison Julianne Balmain, Monitoring Project Agatha Nominations . .9 Ellen Hart, Publicity Judy Clemens, Past President Conferences & Happenings . .10 Lorraine Bartlett, Social Networking Guru Peggy Moody, Web Maven Fewer Reviews for Women Laurel Anderson, inSinC Proofreader Molly Weston, inSinC Editor/Layout Nadia Gordan, AKA Julianne Balmain . .11 Law and Fiction Beth Wasson, Executive Secretary, PO Box 442124, Lawrence KS 66044-8933 Leslie Budewitz . .12 Phone: 785.842.1325; Fax 785.856.6314; e-mail [email protected] Building Bad Guys Katherine Ramsland . .13 SinC into Great Writing Workshop Presidents of Sisters in Crime Judy Clemens . .14 1987-88 Sara Paretsky 1995-96 Elaine Raco Chase 2003-04 Kate Grilley SinC Board Minutes 1988-89 Nancy Pickard 1996-97 Annette Meyers 2004-05 Patricia Sprinkle Mary Saums . .15 1989-90 Margaret Maron 1997-98 Sue Henry 2005-06 Libby Hellmann Briefly…from Beth 1990-91 Susan Dunlap 1998-99 Medora Sale 2006-07 Rochelle Krich Beth Wasson . .15 1991-92 Carolyn G. Hart 1999-00 Barbara Burnett Smith 2007-08 Roberta Isleib e Docket 1992-93 P.M. Carlson 2000-01 Claire Carmichael McNab 2008-09 Judy Clemens Patricia Gulley . .16 1993-94 Linda Grant 2001-02 Eve K. Sandstrom 2009-10 Marcia Talley 1994-95 Barbara D’Amato 2002-03 Kate Flora Deadlines & Submissions • Deadline for articles for the September issue of inSinC is July 15. Legend • Include name, email and mailing address, and phone number with submissions. In 2008, the board of directors of Sisters in Crime implemented a new strategic • Send columns, articles, high-res photos, plan. ree goals emerged from this plan. inSinc articles will be marked with ideas, praise, and story ideas via e-mail to icons to represent the appropriate goal. Molly Weston [email protected] 919.362.1436 Advocacy, monitoring, and reporting, Docket • Members’ publications since this edition will be listed in The Docket. 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SinC does not investigate each submission independently and articles in no way constitute an endorsement of products or services offered. No material may be reprinted without written per- mission from Sisters in Crime. Sisters in Crime©2010 Marcia Speaks t’s mid-May, and like many mystery writers, Margaret Maron, PJ Parrish, and Elaine Viets. I’m finally catching my breath aer running With a hip new cover designed by Kelly Iwhat I’ve come to think of as the Mystery Nichols, half of the mystery-writing sister team Trifecta. Following the Edgars in New York of PJ Parrish, the informative book is a bargain City where Sisters in Crime was the guest of at $11.99 directly from the publisher. Order Mystery Writers of America Executive Vice- yours today www.lulu.com/content/paperback- President Larry Light at the awards banquet, I book/breaking-and-entering/8558738. caught an early morning train to Washington, e Sisters in Crime board met at Malice DC for the annual Malice Domestic Domestic, too—see the minutes (see p. 15) Conference, then, three days later, drove with for details—and had an informative aernoon a carload of Sisters to Oakmont, Pennsylvania brain-storming session with the chapter pres- for the fieenth annual Festival of Mystery idents organized by chapter liaison, Sandy Par- sponsored by this year’s Raven Award winners, shall. e Guppies gathered for lunch, and the Mary Alice Gorman and Richard Goldman of membership—including five goddesses— Mystery Lovers Bookshop. Sisters in Crime came together early Sunday morning for a Sis- that benefit our members, such as “SinC Into seemed to be everywhere over that long week- ters in Crime breakfast where Vice President Great Writing” at Bouchercon in San Francisco end, not just as participants, but as sponsors Cathy Pickens and Treasurer Kathy Wall, ably this October, a booth at the American Library (Chesapeake Chapter helped fund the hospi- fielded questions about the proposed changes Association annual convention in Washington tality suite at Malice Domestic) and volunteers to our By-Laws.