How do you introduce new characters? 🤝

New characters keep a series fresh, even if their appearance is short-lived. And in the case of the Hernandez series, short-lived could be literal. 

When a new character comes along in my series, I usually assume it's for a short time to play a role in the plot. Occasionally these characters catch on and stick around, but that's if they're somehow connecting with someone else in the series. For example, I introduced a character named Sonny McTea a few books back with no intention of keeping him around. However, I later discovered that he filled a necessary role to balance out a couple of other characters, so I kept him on. 

The actual introduction of the new character should be smooth. Remember that the story is through the protagonist's eyes, so you're meeting that person along with your main character. What is his/her impression? This depends on what matters to that person. If it's Jorge in my Hernandez series, he's sizing up the new character; are they strong? Powerless? Trustworthy? Do they seem nervous? A different protagonist may notice other things, depending on what they value. 

The important thing is that new characters show up when needed. They have a role. When that role is fulfilled, there's no need to keep them any longer. Too many characters confuse readers and writers. Think of it like an episode of your favorite show. Some characters are only on for an episode, while others stick around for the entire season or series. But if they do stick around, there has to be a reason. 

Why Editing Almost Made me Quit Writing 😩 (Updated)

Most writers go through a phase where they want to quit writing. There are numerous reasons they are discouraged, especially when you are first starting. For me, editing was the fly in my ointment. 

With my first book, I hired a professional editor. I paid a lot of money to have my work fine-tuned and, I thought, perfected. How did that work out? 

I had readers complain about the errors and grammar. 

With my second book, rather than hire a professional editor, I had a few people with a good eye for grammar to edit my manuscript. One of these people complained that my first book had many 'distracting' errors, so I thought this would be the perfect person to help. How did that go?

People complained about the errors and grammar.

By this point, I wanted to quit writing. I tried the two logical ways to resolve this issue only to get shit on regardless, so I was hesitant to try again.

Did I mention that my most vocal critics were other writers?

At any rate, I feel I've since worked out the kinks. I decided not to let these criticisms hold me back from doing what I love. It's been a learning curve, and 16 books later, I think I have a grasp on things. 

Here are a few suggestions for other writers who struggle with editing:

1. Check grammar, punctuation, spelling, etc. I recommend using something like Grammarly, and I've also used Polishmywriting.com. Sometimes these sites catch things you might miss. 
2. Check for any unnecessary words. For example, I tend to overuse the word 'just'. So I go through my manuscript to see when I can delete it. There are many other words like 'really', and I think 'always' is another. I would do a Google search to see what other overused or unnecessary words you can cut out. 
3. Do things make sense? Do your character's reaction fit their personality? Is that a normal reaction? I once read a well-known book where a character couldn't perform an important task due to illness and had her (clearly) less mature and inexperienced friend take it on. Who does that? Most people would either look for a better alternative or drag themselves from their deathbed. 
4. Do things line up? Did your character schedule a party for next week, and suddenly it's taking place a month later? Did she leave the house wearing a red dress and come home to remove a black one? Is she blonde in chapter one and suddenly a brunette in chapter two? These errors are easy to make, especially when you have a lot going on in your manuscript and many characters.
5. Not only do you need to worry about typos for words, but what about people, places, etc.? Your character may live in 'Lonemon apartment buildings' in chapter three, then 'Lomemon apartment buildings' in chapter twenty. It's easy to make this kind of mistake. I have a 'Maria' in my books but have checked through the final manuscript for 'Marie' just in case. It's easy to miss this sort of error; and even easier to do so when typing fast.
6. It doesn't hurt to fact-check if you aren't 100% sure of something. I have some Spanish in my books, so I often research to confirm that I have the correct spelling and meaning. Sometimes I will check other things I'm iffy on; for example, is it 'toe the line' or 'tow the line' 
7. Always have help. If you can't afford a super expensive editor, find some reliable friends and family members with a good eye. They may catch things you've missed along the way. 
8. You're not perfect, and chances are, some errors will still slip through. Don't hate yourself for it, and certainly don't quit writing if it's your passion. No one is perfect. Not even other writers (or your critics)