Past Events: Significant Details or Trivial Incident?

In a captivating tale, the author meticulously weaves the story of Lucy, a character whose life takes an unexpected turn when her love interest, an arachnologist specialising in spiders, is offered a dream job in a state teeming with diverse spider species.

The love interest's job offer comes with a condition of immediate acceptance and a move within two weeks. He proposes to Lucy, asking her to accompany him to his new location. However, Lucy faces a dilemma between her fear of spiders and her love for her partner.

The author, in crafting believable characters, encourages writers to be imaginative when creating character traits. In Lucy's case, her fear of spiders is not just a random trait but a significant part of her character development. This fear can be traced back to a near-fatal black widow spider bite when she was seven, an event that the author deems relevant to the story.

However, the author prefers to focus on plotting the story rather than every minute detail of a character's life. Dramatic events in a character's history should only be included if they relate to the main plot. For instance, if the plot involves Lucy overcoming her fear of spiders as part of her character growth, the author would need to invent a storyline where spiders could be an issue.

Understanding a novel's characters, including their motivations and reactions, is crucial. The author emphasises the importance of making a character's motivations for their traits clear, as it adds depth to the character. In Lucy's case, her fear of spiders is not just a phobia but a deeply rooted fear with a specific origin.

The author also suggests that unless a character trait is important to the story, it should not be included. For example, Lucy's friend who studies arachnology and is interested in venomous spiders, while an interesting detail, is not specified in the story.

Moreover, the author proposes that a character trait can be used as a major source of conflict and build a story around it. In Lucy's story, her fear of spiders presents a significant obstacle to her relationship and her new life.

In conclusion, the author's approach to character development is strategic and purposeful. By focusing on relevant traits and weaving them into the plot, the author creates characters that are relatable, engaging, and central to the story. Lucy's decision could significantly impact her entire life, making her journey a compelling one for readers to follow.