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Create interesting characters by giving them a secret or intrigue that they don’t want people to know about. Characters need skeletons in the closet, buried emotional wounds, hidden needs and shameful pasts. These are what keeps the reader engaged, creating tension and an urge to delve deeper into the characters background and personality.
A book is a wonderful excuse to be nosy and snoop in a way that is unacceptable in everyday life. It is the one thing a book can offer that real life does not – we can probe the underlying motivations of fictional characters in a way we dare not attempt with our real-life acquaintances, friends or lovers.
You'd love Tatiana de Rosnay's A Secret Kept - I blogged about it today. The real mystery is the universal one of human relationships.
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