September 2025 …
In my April 2024 blog I talked about outlining a new major work using a Mind Mapping method. I created a network of characters and their relationships with each other and the overarching story. That outline developed into a full 80,000 word novel which has now been through five drafts and become what I now refer to as Grey of the Night – previously known as Searching.
An aspect that I hadn’t appreciated at that time, was the concept that, as you write, the characters reveal themselves. Grey of the Night is a police procedural crime story set in and around Melbourne, and I launched into writing the first draft with a clear expectation as to who the protagonist would be. Naturally, there was a detective, DS Laura Grey, who was trying to solve the crime. Initially, she was going to be my antagonist.
However, as I wrote my first draft, I realised that Laura Grey was having it too easy. I decided to put more pressure on her from various sources. Sure enough, the more pressure I imposed on her, the more her character emerged. So much so, that by the time I finished the first draft she had become the most interesting character by far. This is not a person I have met in ‘real life’, nor is she based on anyone I know, but I found I had created such an interesting character that I immediately started rewriting the draft to change her from being the antagonist to the protagonist.
Fortunately, my initial outline was strong enough that the redrafts were not onerous. Characters I had initially included as minor players took on more prominent roles and interacted with her to give her more life and nuance. I have discussed the emerging character of the detective with my wife, Monique, who has enjoyed becoming immersed in the character of DS Grey; Laura’s frustrations, determination, and ‘history’ with the other characters. Laura’s developing character has now allowed me to imagine additional novels which will centre around her, including one for which I have already written an outline.
I have relished the joy of letting my creative instinct be free enough for my characters to step out of the page and say, “Here I am; this is my story!”