Free Elements of Fiction Writing - Conflict and Suspense by James Scott Bell

Morelli, who “specializes in virgins,” has his way with Stephanie behind a case of chocolate eclairs in the Tasty Pastry.
    Then disappears from her life for three years.
    Until the day Stephanie sees Morelli in front of the meat market. She is driving her father’s Buick and guns it, jumps the curb, and bounces Morelli off the hood. She gets out and asks if anything’s broken. He says his leg. She says, “Good,” gets back in the car and drives off.
    Now that is how you characterize for conflict! In just the first few pages we have a distinct description, action, and confrontation. Running a car into someone is sort of the definition of conflict, wouldn’t you say?
    But Evanovich doesn’t stop there. Even as Stephanie must deal with Morelli, there’s another man in her life, another bad boy named Ricardo “Ranger” Mañoso. Orchestrating for conflict, Evanovich makes Ranger
Cuban-American, former Special Forces, slick black hair in a ponytail, and a buff don’t-mess-with-me body.
    The first time they meet, it’s to establish a working relationship. Ranger is going to train Stephanie in the ways of the bounty hunter. And their first case is brining in, you guessed it, Joe Morelli.
    Now we have a triangular conflict, set up from the very start.
    Of course, the Plum novels are peppered with great supporting and minor characters, who add up to endless possibilities for conflict. Plum herself is “the blue-eyed, fair-skinned product of a Hungarian-Italian union.” The other characters she runs across are cast to be different.
    Like Lula, African American filing clerk, large and in charge, crammed into Spandex.
    Or Grandma Mazur, seventy-something grandmother who, in her skivvies, resembles a soup chicken.
    And all down the line. Evanovich gives us all the color and spice and potential conflict because of her great characterizations.
Assembling a Stable
    In the old movie studio days, when actors were under contract, it was said they were in a stable. Not very flattering, of course, but close to the truth. Actors under contract didn’t have a say in the projects they were cast in. They were, indeed, somewhat like cattle.
    The days of the old studio contracts are long gone, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a stable of your own. No one’s going to know!
    So start assembling.
Actors
    Think of all the characters you really like in the movies. I mean major and minor characters. Who were the actors?
    That starts your list.
    For example, I always liked the old character actor Alan Hale. Not Junior, who played the Skipper on
Gilligan’s Island,
but Senior, who was in numerous classics including
The Adventures of Robin Hood
and
It Happened One Night.
    Hale was versatile and always brought a jaunty stamp to his roles. I want him around for some comic relief on occasion.
    I can make him old or young, but he’ll still be Alan Hale.
    My favorite actor of all time is Spencer Tracy. He could play a wide variety of roles, and at different ages. The young Tracy could be a tough criminal type or a priest, a crusty fisherman or a doting father.
    So I’ll keep him in mind for certain roles.
    Go ahead. Make your own list.
Fictional Characters
    Did you know that fictional characters in other books can slide right over and start working for you?
    No one has to know: You’re going to change enough about them to make them your own.
    Let’s say you’re reading the latest thriller from one of your favorite authors. You really like the character he created, the eccentric cab driver who happens to be a psychic. You like the voice and you like the quirk.
    Steal it and shape it to your own use.
    Is this legit? Stealing from other authors?
    Not only is it legit, it’s one of the best ways to get material.
    This is not plagiarism. This is you observing the collective creative mind out there and snatching what you need.
    When you read a book with great characters, don’t waste them. Hire them.
    Change their sex or age. Or keep them