Elmore Leonard On Characters

“Now, do you settle down and map out your plots? I suspect you don’t. Leonard: No, I don’t. I start with a character. Let’s say I want to write a book about a bail bondsman or a process server or a bank robber and a woman federal marshal. And they meet and something happens. That’s as much of an idea as I begin with. And then I see him in a situation, and I begin writing it and one thing leads to another. By page 100, roughly, I should have my characters assembled. I should know my characters because they’ve sort of… … But in every book there’s a minor character who comes along and pushes his way into the plot. He’s just needed to give some information, but all of a sudden he comes to life for me. Maybe it’s the way he says it. He might not even have a name the first time he appears. The second time he has a name. The third time…” (Elmore Leonard, Killshot)

Exercise: Character Emergence – The Unexpected Narrator

Key Writing Practice Development Techniques:

1. Character-First Narrative Generation
2. Organic Plot Discovery Through Character Interaction
3. Allowing Minor Characters Unexpected Agency

500-Word Writing Prompt:
“Begin with a seemingly peripheral character who appears to have a minimal functional role in a scenario. This character could be:

• A gas station attendant during a tense roadside interaction
• A hospital cafeteria worker observing a critical moment
• A maintenance worker in an otherwise high-stakes professional environment

Your task is to allow this character to unexpectedly become the narrative’s emotional center. Reveal their inner complexity through:

• Specific sensory observations
• A distinctive linguistic cadence
• An unexpected personal history that subtly reframes the surrounding circumstances
• Hints of an internal conflict or desire that transcends their apparent marginal status

Write a 500-word piece where this initially overlooked character gradually reveals surprising depth, potentially redirecting the narrative’s implied trajectory.”

Evaluation Criteria:

• Character Authenticity (40%):
• Nuanced, non-stereotypical portrayal
• Distinct voice/perspective
• Psychological complexity
• Narrative Surprise (30%):
• Subversion of initial character expectations
• Organic character emergence
• Compelling narrative pivot
• Linguistic Precision (20%):
• Economical yet evocative language
• Distinctive narrative rhythm
• Precise sensory details
• Thematic Resonance (10%):
• Underlying emotional or philosophical insight
• Suggestion of larger human experience

Strong Response Examples:

• A parking lot attendant whose brief interaction reveals profound loneliness and unexpected professional dreams
• A custodian whose oblique observations expose institutional power dynamics
• A temporary worker whose marginal perspective provides critical narrative perspective

Weak Response Examples:

• Stereotypical character descriptions
• Forced or melodramatic revelations
• Lack of specific, grounded sensory details

Follow-Up Workshop Questions:

1. What unexpected aspect of the character most surprised you during writing?
2. How did the character’s perspective alter your initial narrative assumptions?
3. Identify moments where the character’s language reveals deeper motivations.
4. Where might you expand this character’s potential storyline?

Recommended Exemplar Text:
Raymond Carver’s short story “A Small, Good Thing” – A magnificent exploration of how seemingly peripheral characters (a baker, grieving parents) can transform a narrative’s emotional landscape.

Two-Hour Session Structure:

• 15 min: Exercise Introduction & Discussion
• 45 min: Writing Period
• 30 min: Initial Read-Aloud/Reflection
• 30 min: Peer Response & Discussion

This exercise directly channels Leonard’s belief that characters are living entities who emerge and assert themselves beyond an author’s initial conception. Writers should approach the prompt with curiosity and openness, allowing characters to surprise them.