Many thanks to the Vixens for inviting me to blog today! As the daughter of two counselors, my personality was under observation from Day 1.
When I was a baby, my parents noticed that I didn’t like to be held by people I didn’t know.
When I was a little older, they observed that my mouth, which never stopped talking at home, clammed up around strangers.
Being counselors, they put a name to my personality. And that name was: Introvert.
You’re probably familiar with the term. After all, most writers are introverts, as are most political cartoonists, mad bombers, and mimes, to name just a few professions.
Slapping someone with the label “introvert” is part of the study of personality types, which is pretty interesting because almost everyone has a personality. Understanding personality type can offer insight into workplace dynamics, the needs of friends, and why toddlers always cry just before you drop off to sleep. (Just kidding. No one can explain that last one.)
Keeping personality type in mind can also help writers understand their characters. It can even shape the plot of a book.
When I started writing historical romance, I thought of the London Season—that glittering whirl of nonstop social shenanigans that lasts for all the months Parliament is in session. How would an introvert deal with a Season? And how would an outgoing person feel when left behind?
These what-ifs became the core of my historical romance debut, SEASON FOR TEMPTATION. Stepsisters Julia and Louisa are best friends, both very devoted to their blended family. When shy Louisa is separated from her family for a London Season, she struggles with society, and she escapes at the first chance by agreeing to an engagement of convenience.
Her fiancé of convenience, James, Viscount Matheson, is trying to dispense with a messy family scandal by making a respectable marriage. Louisa’s calm, quiet logic seems like just the solution—until he meets fun-loving Julia, and an inconvenient love begins to grow.
You guessed what happens: a love triangle. But it’s an unusual triangle, because all three people—James, Julia, and Louisa—are well-meaning. They all want to do what’s best for their families. They all have to battle their natural personality preferences to fit into the roles marked out for them. And this leads to some really painful decisions.
While Julia and James are my hero and heroine, Louisa’s a very important part of the story, and I wanted to give all three sides of the love triangle the right ending. In the book, Louisa asks a question I asked myself: What would make her happy? As a fellow introvert, I made my best guess for her. And I think she’ll be fine for a while.
Have you ever thought about the personality types of characters? Do you like stories with characters that resemble your personality, or are different from you? Comment for a chance to win a copy of SEASON FOR TEMPTATION!
Note: SEASON FOR TEMPTATION will be shipped to the winner on release day (10/4)!
Order this book: Amazon • Barnes & Noble • Indiebound • Powell’s
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40 comments:
Hi Theresa
Interesting post! I did a Myers Briggs survey as part of a personal development program at work several years ago and it turned out that I too am an introvert. This was no surprise to me but everyone else was amazed. I think that most people take 'introvert' to mean shy and quiet but that isn't necessarily so(at least in my case, it's just that I'm out of my comfort zone amidst crowds of strangers.
I don't think I prefer characters in books to have the same personality traits but I do think maybe I understand introverted characters better.
Great to have you here, Theresa!
And you debut looks fabulous!
I always think of personality types. My first hero had an addictive and obsessive personality disorder! LOL <-uh, definitely not me. But the heroine had one character trait that is me because I asked myself what if I was in her situation what I would do. That was to be accepting and do what you have to do to make any situation (no matter how horrible) work for you. Not that I've been in anything so awful as Jinan.
Richard was just a smart ass in my second book. The villain was ten kinds of crazy rolled into one giant creepy. <-neither are me
Elliott was an introvert in the third. <-I'm mostly introvert, but that's probably half the population
I could go on. :)
Thank you for visiting the Dark Walk with such a fantastic blog!
Congratulations on your new book Theresa. I do enjoy all sorts of personalities in my stories but I don't like it when I think I know the personality of the character and then he/she starts acting out of character.
Welcome to the Dark Walk, Theresa! We may not have cookies but there is wafer-thin ham and cheap champagne, LOL.
This book was just such a pleasure to read. No villains,just honorable people caught up in something unexpected. I loved all the characters and can't wait for Louisa's happy ending!
I am a weird mix of hideously shy and never-shut-up. I dread public stuff (RWA, anyone?) but once I'm there I am sort of okay--of course I've had Kris and Tiff to help.
When I write, I try to make sure the psychological motivations make sense (Before I met my decidedly un-introspective husband, I was engaged to a clinical psychologist.I discovered I wasn't quite crazy enough for him, but I did take some courses, LOL). I think the more depth you can bring to a character, the better.
i prefer a different character with me because nerdy is a boring person lol. but never mind, because i love reading book a lot =D
Congrats on the release of your first book, Theresa!
I enjoy diversity in my books but I certainly feel drawn to characters who have similar character traits. I'm quiet shy myself and when I started reading romances in my late teens I probably tried to see how other people (like the charcters in a book) were handling their shyness.
I'm looking very much forward to reading your book. It sounds right up my alley. :)
claudigc at msn dot com
Thanks so much, Vixens, for inviting me to the Dark Walk today!
Beebs--exactly, being an introvert doesn't mean being quiet all the time. It's all about comfort zone. Thanks for your comment!
Tiffany--thanks for the kind words, and for the sneak peeks into your characters. I love knowing how writers develop different characters! It does seem like giving them traits we can identify with (even if we don't share them COMPLETELY) :) can help us imagine them into well-rounded life. (And LOL on "ten kinds of crazy rolled into one giant creepy!")
Maureen--I completely agree with you. Characters in romance often undergo a change (for the better, we'd hope), but the change needs to make sense to the reader from the plot/events of the book.
Thanks for the comment!
Maggie--thanks for the ham and champagne! I've always thought the Vauxhall food sounded delicious...not to mention the other goings-on there!
I'm so glad you enjoyed reading SEASON FOR TEMPTATION! Like you, I was trying to make sure the motivations made sense--though I do think my characters did better than I would in the same situation. :) Well, it's fiction, right??
Eli Yanti--absolutely, variety is good! Especially for those of us who read all the time. Thanks for stopping by!
ClaudiaGC--that's a great observation. I agree that characters with similar personalities can be models for what to do--especially in romance novels, where the women tend to be confident and convinced of their self-worth, despite their circumstances.
Sarah Wendell of Smart Bitches, Trashy Books has written a lovely book about this(Everything I Know about Love, I Learned from Romance Novels)--it's out next Tues, 10-4. I loved how she put into words all these rules that we readers "knew" and valued.
Hi Theresa. Congrats on your debut release. I enjoy different personality types. I tend to lean toward strong, independent characters.
Crystal816[at]hotmail[dot]com
CrystalGB--strong, independent characters are very admirable, aren't they? There are a lot of them in romance, which is part of what makes romance great. :) Thanks for your comment!
@Theresa You have read it already? I'm jealous! ;) I loved her first book and will be definitely reading EIKAL!
Congratulations on your debut, Theresa! I look forward to reading Season for Temptation.
I'm evangelical about Myers Briggs. It helped me understand classroom dynamics better than all of my educational pschology courses combined. I'm a strong INFP--no wavering between classification for me, but one of the reasons I love reading fiction is that identifying with characters allows me to find kindred spirits in characters with whom I share similarities AND to experience vicariously some of the qualities I don't possess.
ClaudiaGC--yes! I sneakily sneaked an ARC from SB Sarah and was so glad for an early read. If you liked Beyond Heaving Bosoms, you'll definitely like this one too.
Janga--"evangelical about Myers-Briggs" describes my family too. My parents are currently trying to figure out my toddler daughter's type. (They're pretty sure she's an extrovert, but haven't figured out her other traits yet.) Very good to know how helpful the types were for you in the classroom!
I too like reading about opposites as well as kindred spirits! I'm an INFJ, and I'd say Julia's probably an ENFP and Louisa an INTP. Their aunt is an ESTP for sure, and she was a lot of fun to write. What would I never say, ever? I thought about it, then put the words in her mouth.
Hi, Theresa! Thanks so much for guest blogging with us! As you know, I loved your book. It was charming and reminded me of Julia Quinn in the best of ways. :)
And, yes, I totally think about personality types of characters and usually try to do "opposites" as in if he's cold and cynical then she'll be warm and Pollyanna optimistic.
Congrats on the debut! It really is such a great book!
Hi Theresa! When I read historical romances, I appreciate how the author developed the characters but most of the time I try not to intellectualize and over analyze characters and personalities... I just enjoy the novel and I look forward to reading SFT!
Elyssa--what a very generous comparison! I just fell over a little bit. Thanks so much--I'm very glad you enjoyed the book. And I do so love the opposites-attract dynamic you describe! Great for striking sparks as well as learning from each other.
mrsshukra--that's every writer's goal, to make you forget you're reading a story and instead just sink into it. :) Thanks so much for stopping by. Hope you enjoy SFT!
You know I can't wait to read this book. Trying to avoid spoilers. I think the balls in historical romances would be truly awful. They are fun to read about, but I don't think I could handle the smell let alone the crush of people. I tend to read a room when I come into it, and can't imagine trying to deal with all the subtext going on at a ball.
Can't believe it's almost October.
Janga
I'm an INFP as well.*g*
This testing is not widely used in Ireland so I haven't come across it again but I did find it very useful in understanding my own personality and helping me to decide on my eventual career path.
GayleC--agreed, the Regency is a nice place to visit on the page, but I wouldn't want to live there. I'm fascinated by the social rules and in love with the styles...but I'm also fond of modern medicine and indoor plumbing. And I'm very glad I never had to lead a country dance or be presented before the Queen of England!
Beebs--we are making it a party of INFs! Is there another assessment that's more widely used in Ireland, rather than Myers-Briggs?
Hi Theresa!
Congratulations on your debut release. Your book has a stunning cover :)
I find it easier to relate to characters who have similar personalities as me but when it comes to reading stories, I don't care that they have to be like me so long as it suits the story.
In fact characters who differ from me is my chance to live out their traits which can be a fun thing and can even help me get out of my shell :)
Na--thanks for the cover-love! I'm thrilled with it. The Kensington art department does great work!
You make a great point about different character types. Those most like us can be our window into a story, and those least like us are sometimes the most fascinating!
This sounds like a very interesting love triangle! I do think of personality types of characters and I always wonder what drives them to do the things they do. I think that's why I love to read so much - I'm always searching for that answer. I don't know if I have a preference, whether I enjoy reading about characters similar to me or different from me the most. I like them both!
I enjoyed this post, it was interesting and thought provoking. I've never really thought too much about personality types of characters, except those that are too annoying, or really shy and timid. I don't think I want to read about someone with my personality type, I'd rather read about someone different than me.
Season for Temptation sounds like a wonderful story and I'm looking forward to reading it.
Barbed1951 at aol dot com
Hi Theresa
I don't think Ireland does have an equivalent of Myers Briggs. I think when I did it, it was kind of a trial run. It doesn't seem to have taken off in this area although it may have been more successful in Dublin or Northern Ireland.
Margay--I second your statement "I always wonder what drives them to do the things they do." That's what reading and writing fiction is all about!
Barbara E--variety is the spice of life, isn't it? I really enjoyed writing characters that were different from me. It's a chance to try out things I'd never do in real life (like, say, call people "vulgar" to their faces, or wear a turban with ostrich plumes).
Beebs, that's interesting to know. I wonder if personality tests are culture-specific?
Hi, Jo's Daughter--thanks for stopping by! I notice that the more energy I have, the more I like in books. When I'm tired, I like a quieter story with someone more like me. Thankfully, there are romances for every mood!
Congratulations on your debut.
I think it's interesting to read about different personality types. Sometimes an author fails to switch things up, so the characters always feel fresh.
penfield716(AT)yahoo(DOT)com
Kim--that's a good point. Authors have preferences, and it makes sense that those would show in the characters they tend to write. Even so, my favorite authors keep every character feeling fresh and unique.
Great post! yes I do enjoy books that the characters are a lot like me. Although there are not many books like this out there. I guess we all think we are a little different.
lead[at]hotsheet[dot]com
Virginia--we *are* all a little different! :) But I agree, it's wonderful to spot something familiar in a character. Thanks for the comment!
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