Characters With Life

Well, it's happened again.  That bratty Aili decided it wasn't enough to hijack the ending of my last book, Facing the Fire.  Now she made me rewrite the first part of the third book.  It's going to all work out, and nothing I've written is wasted, but my story starts earlier than I thought.

I love that my characters are developing and becoming more their own people.  Each book gives more background on someone and lets us learn more about them.  We learn a lot more about Kyson in book two, and Aili gets a surprise in the ending that carries her into book three.  Even Andvari shows more of his background in the second book.

Now when I'm writing a story my characters are often telling me how they'd respond to what I'm putting them through.  I'm no longer having to form them so much.  They're showing enough individuality that I just know how they'd respond.  

Book three, yet to be titled, also lets me introduce more characters, and even build on some previous characters you meet in book two.  Even my secondary characters have a history and their own preferences.  Some are more serious, some more playful, and some are enthusiastic about their hobbies.

Aili learns a lot more about herself as she interacts with people, and she's going to visit a busy camp with a lot of people to interact with.  It's when we spend time with others that we really learn who we are.  She's still growing and learning her place in the world, and for someone who grew up almost alone, she's going to be stretched like never before.

We all have to ask "who am I?"  Aili will spend some time looking back and looking ahead.  With her band changing with each accomplishment, she is growing up quickly in status in her world.  Can she keep up?  How about you?  How did you feel, navigating the challenges of becoming an adult and learning who you were?