Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are by Susan Girolami Kramer
Remember that scene in The Wizard of Oz when Glinda the Good Witch cajoles the Munchkins out of their hiding places to greet Dorothy, whose house has just landed abruptly on the Wicked Witch of the East? Sometimes I feel like Glinda when I’m developing characters for my novel or short story, catching only glimpses of their eyes peeking out from behind the bushes or a flash of hands grabbing tightly to the tree that camouflages them. Stubborn creatures! Often they remain hidden until I relax and sing that sweet song—come out, come out, wherever you are and meet the young lady who fell from a star—except I coax them to come out and meet the writer who wants to make them a star on her page!
In my eagerness to capture their essence, I sometimes forget to let my characters evolve on their own terms and at their own pace. I find myself wanting to pin down their personalities within the first few chapters without having to fully flesh them out. Unfortunately, in doing so, I render two-dimensional characters who quickly fall flat as the plot progresses, and I’m forced to back-track in order to fill in gaps of information and description.
Glinda was persistent and didn’t leave the Munchkins to hide. She wanted them to come out, and she knew how to ease their fears. So, too, our characters, especially our main characters, need to be given proper honing. With that in mind, take a deep breath; hum a few bars; peek around in the remote corners of your mind, and then let go…and don’t forget to pack a flashlight.
Susan Girolami Kramer is Newsletter Producer for Rose & Thorn Journal. She wears many hats at her job as a Communications Specialist and at home on her off-hours. She’s a photographer, fiction and poetry writer, editor, and publication designer. She has won several awards during the last two decades for her photography and recently held a display at a local gallery. By day, she writes articles for an Association’s newsletter. By night, she taps into her more creative writing skills. Susan lives in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, with her husband, son, and pug, Truman. Visit her at coffeegirlgirolami.
It helps if we have a tin man or scarecrow friend along for the journey to Emerald City too. Writing/crit groups and writerly blog friends are a must-have. A pair of magical ruby shoes wouldn't hurt either.
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Thanks Angie ... yes, if you find a pair of those ruby slippers, let's share!
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I'd like those magical ruby slippers, too - though if those monkeyscome around never mind!
WOnderful Susan!
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Indeed, I find that those characters will wrestle me to the ground and mud me up if I do not give them free reign once they docome out. Most of the time I find they are only hiding because they do not trust me. I feel much like the snake in Jungle Book; "Trussssssst in me, oh trusssssssssst in me...`/;o)>
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