While in a frenzy over my novel rewrite this weekend, it hit me that just about a year ago my heroine, Imogen Bell, came into being. It all started because of the name Pinky. Coming across this name while working on a different story conjured an image of a young woman and I couldn't get her out of my brain. The result was that I took her on board, named her Imogen, and spent time with her until we found the right story.
It's funny thinking back to those first glimpses. I knew nothing about her, but I was driven to spend every waking moment getting to know her. She's no longer superficial but a fully matured individual who has become as real to me as any living person. And I can keep learning about her -- just like a real person. Rewriting has opened my mind to her other dimensions and I'm thrilled to explore these and bring my readers an even richer, deeper Imogen Bell.
When the writing gets tough, I always remind myself that my greatest excitement comes from discovery. I love unearthing character traits and dimensions. Just like in real life, the fun of getting to know people is that they surprise you.
