top of page

You Might End Up in My Next Book

  • Writer: Dale Thele
    Dale Thele
  • Jul 13, 2019
  • 2 min read

Updated: Mar 12


Photo by Pixabay
Photo by Pixabay

You may already be in one of my stories


I say this not as a warning or to shock you. When I develop a story, I have a basic plot (and subplots) in mind. For any plot to occur, there must be at least one character. I imagine someone I know or someone I’ve seen as an actor on TV or in a movie who might fit the role. From there, I craft the character, taking characteristics from different people to produce a character profile. Usually, I start with someone I know in real life, from my present or past, as the base personality, and then I build on that until I visualize a character that best suits the story.

From there, I Google-search for a photograph that best fits my image of the character. I then attach the photo to a character profile sheet describing the character. The profile includes a physical description of the individual’s likes, dislikes, dreams, fears, etc., until I have compiled a complete character profile.

Rarely do I use the attributes exclusive of one individual. When crafting a character, they are a composite of qualities from many diverse people. Sometimes, I craft a character(s) out of the blue. Take, for instance, my novella, MASKED IDENTITIES. The interior story's two characters (Christian and Ezra) are entirely made up—two fictional characters from 1900 London, England, without connection to anyone from the real world. However, I researched popular names of the period, clothing, and hairstyles, including facial hair.

In my upcoming novel CLIPPED WINGS, most of the characters are composites of real-world people. Shane Davison, the 18-year-old narrator and protagonist, is loosely based on me and some of my real-world experiences. I base other characters in the novel on real-world people from my past and present. I made up only a few characters with no specific individual in mind.

So, when you read something I’ve written, don’t go searching for yourself as a character. However, should you recognize an aspect or trait within one of my characters, embrace the recognition, knowing that maybe, just maybe, you were part of the inspiration for that character.


I would like to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment in the Comment Box at the bottom of the page.


Dale Thele, Bestselling Fiction Author

Bestselling Fiction Author

Stories with an LGBTQ+ Twist

corrupting readers since 2008


Don't miss another blog post! Get new blog post notifications and new book/story releases sent directly to your email. Click here to subscribe.

Comments

Rated 0 out of 5 stars.
No ratings yet

Add a rating

Sign up for FREE monthly news and updates from Dale Thele

|

|

 Austin ⋆ Texas ⋆ USA

 Copyright  ©  2025   Dale Thele.  All  Rights  Reserved.

bottom of page