There comes a point, at least for me, when the characters I have drafted take on a life of their own. They become as real to me as some of my long-time friends or family members and often I find myself telling their stories in social settings. I have found that this is a sure-fire way to be banned from future gatherings, but more on that in another post. When you have developed a character that you find intriguing, that perhaps has more to say than the few pages of text that you allow them in your novel…maybe it’s time to give them access to social media.
Think about it, everything we do as writers is about creativity and sharing a message. The best way of doing that to the masses, is by tapping into any one of the social platforms available on the internet today. By posting as your character, you can really get to know them, and perhaps find out how they would react to a certain situation. In my mind, this is especially beneficial for characters who span a series of books.
Facebook is one of the easiest platforms to use for this purpose, by way of the Create Page option they provide. This allows you to generate a page, tied to your privacy settings, for anything you are interested in. With a few photos from a royalty-free photo gallery, such as Pixaby.com, you can build your character’s platform and give your readers somewhere fun to visit between novels. The posts can be scheduled ahead, which is what I recommend, so messages can be generated when you have the time, and posted when you don’t. I have been having fun with one of the trouble makers from my series, you can find her Facebook Page here. This is also a great way to advertise future books!
I have also made great use of Pinterest. Not only have I found a ton of recipes I would love to try one day, but I have also built boards that allow me to visualize things for my books such as settings, props, attitudes, etc. I think of it as a visual mind map, one that I can share with my readers after my book is released. I think it is a fun way to give your readers a peek inside your head. You can see what I have brewing in mine on my Pinterest page here.
There is an overwhelming amount of software, apps and information on the internet, and finding the things that work for you and your schedule is key. Remember that tools are meant to help make what ever job you are performing easier, and what works for one writer may not work for another. With that being said, I have had pretty good luck using the tools I describe above, and hope you consider them for your character’s development. Most of all, have fun with your writing. Your characters will thank you…perhaps even on Facebook! DAH
D.A. Henneman - Romance Author 
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