Character development is a higher priority than plot development for author, editor, and ghostwriter Kathi Macias. She always knows where the book will begin and end, but isn’t clear on what will happen in between. That’s because this part depends on the characters, so Macias devotes more time to developing and getting to know her characters. She uses a method that is described in her book, The Train-of-Thought Writing Method, which calls for authors to know the ins and outs of their characters, even if all the details won’t be mentioned in the book. For example, Macias believes authors should know what music a character would listen to in the car, or what he or she would buy at the grocery store. Thinking about these details helps bring characters to life and make them more three-dimensional.
This really helped me! I love character development, but struggle with plot development. By digging deep into the personality and characteristics of my characters, the plot naturally unfolded before my eyes! Thank you so much for sharing your words of wisdom!