Characters drive a story.
Or so Terry has taught me over the years.
It is easy to believe him. He has created some of the most memorable characters in the fantasy genre. Druids. A Weapons Master. A redeemed evil witch. Some are reluctant heroes who rise to the challenge; some are vile creatures who nevertheless have more than one side to their characters. All are memorable in some fashion and remain with the reader long after the book has been closed.
In the memoir and writing guide Sometimes the Magic Works, Terry talks about what it takes to create such wonderful characters, spending two full chapters discussing it. He writes about how to create them, make them act believably, challenge them with proper conflict, and have that conflict move them toward inner growth against a worthy antagonist. You can tell from his comments that he has spent years and years perfecting character craft and it is one of the most important things to him as a writer.
Character questions come up all of the time on the website and for Terry when he tours, but one question gets asked more often than the others:
Continue reading my Suvudu article about the characters of Sider Ament and Deladion Inch!