THE 5 WHY CHARACTER ANALYSIS

THE 5 WHY CHARACTER ANALYSIS (C) 2013 Jerlyn Stone

As a Quality System Coordinator for a large manufacturing plant I use THE 5 WHY ANALYSIS to identify the root cause and corrective actions for all nonconformances.

You have a defect. You ask yourself WHY this defect happened. When you answer that question, you ask yourself again. WHY? When you get to the 5^th WHY, most likely you will have your true root cause. Then, develop your corrective action from that.

I’ve realized I can use this in my writing to build my characters. Each of my characters will have a conflict (defect)they must overcome(corrective action). Before they can solve the conflict, they must realize WHY they have the conflict. (Root Cause)

Below is a sample of THE 5 WHY CHARACTER ANALYSIS I used on my main character in my upcoming novel Taunting Tara. Tara is a Detective for the NYPD. A gruesome murder has occurred and this specific case hit her hard mentally. WHY?

You’ll want to do this for every minor or major conflict and how it affects each character. It doesn’t have to be lengthy, but detailed enough to lead you to knowing what actions is required to solve the conflict. Note: Some WHYS may have two or more root causes and each must be answered.

 

5 Why Character Analysis
Conflict	Why 1	Why 2	Why 3	Why 4	Why 5	Corrective Action
TARA -Latest gruesome murder hits her harder than most cases	The deep slashes. Innocent victim. The blood.	Flashbacks from when she was 10 years old returns.	Her parents were murdered.	A drug dealer stabbed them to death.	Over a picture incriminating him in the murder of a young girl.	Instead of fighting the flashbacks,  let the knowledge she gained from her experience help her find the killer in this case.
Detective Dobbs- His partner’s determination to solve this case may put their jobs on the line.	Do the same with each character.
Victim’s Mistress – She’s accused of murder.

Interview with CELLARDOORIANS

Thank you both for being with us today. I'm thrilled to have you. Please welcome the CELLARDOORIANS.

1.          Can you tell us a little about yourself?

We are two thirty-something attorneys who no longer practice but spend our days on the look-out for a good book.  We have six children between us and husbands who work all the time. So, we save our sanity by spending as many days as possible on our "marathon lunches" and escaping into good reads. 

2.          Your blog is called Cellardoorians. Very unique. Could you tell us what inspired you to name it this and exactly what is Cellardoorians?

We both love books.  We got this great idea to start a blog about books and everything related to them. We were trying to think of a name that had to do with the meaning of words; something that would directly relate to the written word. 

"Cellar door" is a phrase from one of our favorite movies, Donnie Darko. In the movie, Drew Barrymore plays English teacher named Karen Pomeroy. She tells her students that of all the words in the English language, "cellar door" is the most beautiful phrase. We decided to take that phrase and what it represents for our own.  Thus, Cellardoorians was born.

We also decided to take on pseudonyms for the site, based on strong female characters: Eowyn and Morgan le Fay.

3.          What genre do you most enjoy reading? Do you review all types of genres?

[Eowyn]: My favorite genre is probably fantasy/science fiction. But I do love a good mystery or a good romance.

[Morgan le Fay]: Yes, we both love fantasy/science fiction. Stories that combine the two are especially sweet. I also can get into anything that’s character-driven.

4.          Have you ever or thought about writing a novel/ short story/ etc. yourself?

[Eowyn]: Yes! Maybe one day I'll get the nerve to actually do so.

[Morgan le Fay]: Well, {blushing} honestly, I’ve been “working on” (i.e., mostly in my mind) multiple novels for several years now; maybe one day I’ll actually finish one. 

5.          Who is your favorite author? Favorite book? Favorite character?

[Eowyn]:  I don't really have a favorite author.  I'd read anything J.K. Rowling writes (except for The Casual Vacancy, seriously did anybody suffer through that?) I also read anything Tana French writes.  She writes murder mysteries, which aren't my favorite genre, but she is a crazy good writer. Favorite books include The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Harry Potter,  The Hunger Games, Gregor the Overlander, and of course, Pride and Prejudice.

[Morgan le Fay]: Well, that pretty much sums it up! I’d only add Moby Dick (it’s a deep-rooted and mostly unexplainable thing with me) to the list! And anybody who makes me wish I’d written their words, that’s the sign of a good book to me.

Thanks so much for having us!

--
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HAPPY NEW YEAR

Chances are you will talk to a nutcase today.  I already have. I faced her in my mirror this morning.

* * *

     But, I have a good excuse. I love the holidays and family, but it drove me nuts. It took me away from my norm. I DID NOT GET TO WRITE FOR DAYS!

     Because of that, my heroine in my upcoming novel TAUNTING TARA, Detective Tara Woods and her partner Detective Matt Dobbs did not get to work on a recent horrid murder case. It almost became a cold case.

     Because of the holidays.

     But, she's back to work and interviewing suspects.

     Tara swears, The New Year will ring in Justice.

INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR J.A. HUSS

 

First of all J.A., thank you so much for being with us.

 

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

 

Hi Jerlyn, thanks for having me on your blog.  I’m a fairly new fiction writer, having only started in January 2012. But I’ve been writing non-fiction full time since 2008.  I have a science background and I love science fiction, so I decided that I’d like to write science fiction that young people (new adults) might like to read.

 

2. Can you tell us about your current release?

 

My current release is actually the first three books in the I Am Just Junco series.  I hate cliffhangers and I knew that book one, CLUTCH, would have to end on a big question mark, so I decided to write and release the first three books in the series at the same time.  The second book, FLEDGE, immediately picks up where CLUTCH left off, while the fourth and fifth books have a different storyline, so the end of book three, FLIGHT, was a good break for readers.

 

3. Have you always written New Adult Science Fiction?

 

Yes!  (Because these are the only fiction books I’ve ever written!)

 

4. For the readers who may not be familiar with the New Adult Science Fiction, could you tell us a little about this genre?

 

The new adult genre deals with young adults that have left high school and are just starting out in their adult lives.  This is a time of high conflict, life-changing decisions, and anxiety – so basically the perfect backdrop for stories!  My books just have a touch of science and fantasy mixed together with a high-intensity heroine who is dealing with her new-found independence for the first time.  I think this captures the struggle of new adults perfectly.

 

5. Could you tell us about your three book series, I Am Just Junco?

 

Sure!  In the first book, CLUTCH, we find Junco on the edge of a major decision.  Will she enter a restricted area of her futuristic country?  This choice, and each subsequent one, changes her life forever.  She’s coming to terms with a lot of things in this book, but mostly she is coming to terms with herself.  Who is she?

 

FLEDGE begins right after CLUTCH ends and Junco finds herself in a new environment, surrounded by strangers, and expected to do things that she’s not entirely on board with.  And FLIGHT concludes this three book plot-line and sets the readers ready for the final two books.

 

All three books are exciting and not for young adults!  Junco has a major potty-mouth and there is a lot of realistic violence.  They have twisty plots, severely flawed characters, and a lot of emotion. 

 

 

6. What inspired you to write these books?

 

Before I started my non-fiction business I got a part-time job traveling all over Colorado inspecting farms.  I’d spend entire days just driving around by myself.  I fell in love with the state and started world building for a future novel so I had this story in my head for about five years before I actually started writing it. That’s pretty much how I was able to write all three books so quickly. 

 

7. Your NEW ADULT ADDICTION blog, http://newadultaddiction.blogspot.com

you mentioned that you write under two different pen names and you also have 190 non-fiction titles that caters to teaching science to home learners. Can you tell us more about these?

 

Basically I write science curriculum for homeschoolers.  I started my company, Simple Schooling, in 2008 and started writing nature studies for elementary age kids.  At the time I was just finishing up my master’s degree in forensic toxicology so I decided to write a high school forensic science course.  It took off from there and I ended up writing a complete high school anatomy and physiology course and a middle school physics course.  After that I switched from long courses to unit studies, which areshort in-depth courses that take one topic, like butterflies or caves, and allow kids and parents to break science down to these high-interest areas. 

 

8. What else have you written and where could we find them?

 

All my printable non-fiction is available at an online homeschool mall called CurrClick and I also run a classroom called TheSimpleHomeschool.com where parents can purchase online course subscriptions to go with the workbooks.

 

7. Can you tell us about your next great New Adult Science Fiction?

I’m currently finishing up the Junco series, but after that I have a paranormal romance series scheduled.  I can’t say too much about it because it’s still in the planning stages, but it will be a true romance (unlike Junco, which has romance in it, but only as a subplot) and it will have a lot of exciting action.  :)

 

Thank you so much for having me on your blog!  It’s been a pleasure!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/NjUzMGNjNzk5NmM5YWQ1NmM2ODgxM2I3ZjJlM2FmOjI=/

Happy Thanksgiving

I hope everyone had a great and safe Thanksgiving. If you're like me, you ate too much and Black Friday'ed too much.
  But,  woohoo, I did manage to publish my new short story Terrorizing Tara on Smashwords.
 
 

  

Terrorizing Tara (Short Story) is the second romantic suspense, short story in the "Tara" series. Detective Tara Woods comes face to face with a serial killer who wants to make her victim number five.

 Detective Tara Woods and her partner Detective Matt Dobbs investigates New York's third murdered woman within two months.
There is one sickening detail they'd intentionally kept from the media on all three women found. The same M.O. convince them they had a serial killer on the loose and time suddenly runs out.

Terrorizing Tara can be found on Smashword at  
 

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/257037

INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR MISSY FRYE

 

1.     Welcome Missy. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I'm a southern girl who grew up in the country. I spent my formative years wanting to see the world only to discover as an adult that there's no place like home. Besides writing and books I love genealogy, movies, tennis and family. I don't know what else would interest your readers. I think Dean Martin surpassed Frank Sinatra in both talent and charisma. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and I've had the same best friend since I was fourteen years old.

 2. Can you tell us about your current Short Story releases and where we may find them?

I've self-published three short stories:

Abandon - An unexpected encounter with a rock star gives a divorcee a new perspective.

Fool's Journey - Maks had but one goal on his mind. Steal a rock and return it to a dying boy. What he didn't count on was a mysterious beauty insisting she tag along.

Miltonia Butterflies - Young Paz explores a garden and encounters a unique flower. In order to share her discovery with her mother, she must overcome a few obstacles.

 All can be found at Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/MissyFrye They have propagated to other sites, but Smashwords is the centralized location for download.

 3. Can you tell us a little about your next Women's Fiction?

The Widows of Wyatt Abney revolves around two women, Yancy and Beth. As teenagers they lost a great love when Wyatt Abney died. Twenty-five years later they meet again and they throw their families into turmoil; along the way they discover whether they’ve truly moved on or merely moved forward.

 4. What inspired you to write this Women's Fiction novel instead of your Short Stories?

I've always loved to write stories, but some ideas won't fit into the short format; it takes longer to get the story told. The characters of The Widows of Wyatt Abney have been rattling around my brain for a long time. After practicing the art of storytelling in the form of short stories, I felt I was ready to write a novel. It's been a satisfying experience so far.

 5. On your Missy Writes blog, you mentioned your experience in pitching your novel for the first time. Can you tell us more?

I was sorely unprepared to pitch during the Ozark Writers Conference, but at the last minute decided it would be a good experience. The actual pitch was a disaster. I let the agent overwhelm me when I should have been better prepared and took control. It taught me a great deal. Next time, I'll be able to describe my book in a few sentences and defend my choice of genre.

 6. What is one thing that your readers may not know about you and should?

I'm passionate about helping other writers. Sometimes my writing suffers because I put others first. I'm learning to balance.

 7. What is one thing that has contributed to your success as an author?

I don't know that I'm really classified as a success though I wouldn't say I'm a failure either. What has helped me most is the ability to focus on writing alone. I don't have the emotional stamina to work full-time and write. Writers who do both have my highest respect. Because I'm disabled by chronic migraines and a severe depressive disorder I'm unable to work outside the home. Losing multiple jobs because I'm not dependable hit me hard. I've realized, despite my frequent pain, this is the best situation for me to focus on what I love. If I'm unable to write because of pain, the only person I'm letting down is myself.

 8. Your web page says you are a Creator of Tension Filled Emotional Journeys. What part of the emotional journey of 'Missy' ends up in your novel or short stories?

It's different for each story. Even the characters that I can't really relate to feed off my emotions. It wasn't until I had finished writing Abandon that I realized my inability to have children drove Greta's journey. There's a little bit of me in all my stories, some more than others.

 Melissa "Missy" Frye

My short stories are available for download: Abandon | Fool's Journey | Miltonia Butterflies

Follow my writing journey at Missy Writes or visit my website for more ways to connect with me online.

 

Visit my TEAM USO page and make a tax-deductible donation that will support our troops, lift their spirits, and honor their service.

Interview with Paranormal Author Jodie Pierce

 

First of all, welcome Jodie. Thank you for being with us today.

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I am 37 years old and live with my hubby John in Cleveland, Ohio. I've been writing since high school and have been fascinated with vampires just as long. My favorite holiday is Halloween which I think is even better than Christmas for me. I've been traditionally published since 2009 and have a few self published titles out there as well. I'm very family oriented. When I'm not writing,  I'm with my family.

2. Can you tell us about your current release?

Demise of the Vampire Queen is the third installment of my Vampire Queen Trilogy. The Queen/Countess has been pushing her weight around for centuries and those around her have decided she's finally gone too far. This is the story about her final plans and the plans of others to dethrone her.

3. Have you always written paranormal?

I've always written paranormal. In high school, I started writing romance but quickly left it because straight romance was boring to me. Now I include romance in my paranormal and I'm liking the match. I just wrote a contemporary paranormal erotica book and that was my first attempt at contemporary.

4. What inspired you to write this book?

 The Vampire Queen was my baby, my first real story of substance that I slaved over. After the second one, I thought it'd be fun to have a trilogy so I wrote this one to kind of tie things up.

5. On your  THE VAMPIRE QUEEN1 blog, you mentioned that you've had a
fascination with vampires since childhood. Can you tell us more?

 I don't remember how it started, I just remember being a child in elementary school, in the sweltering summer, in bed with a tank top and shorts on with a sheet wrapped around my neck thinking the vampires couldn't get me that way. I was never afraid of them and later wished to become one but have always had a sort of romance with them in my mind.

6. What else have you written and where could we find them?

I've written: The Vampire Queen (book 1), The Vampire Chronicles (Book 2), Condemned by a Vampire, Midnight Thirsts 2, Tales of the Vampire: From A-Z, Once Sanguist, Twice Bi, The Reluctant Vampire and finally Demise of the Vampire Queen, all of which can be found on amazon.com

7. Can you tell us about your next great vampire story?

My next great vampire story outline has already been completed and a draft written. Now it's time to expand, edit, improve, etc. It will be a paranormal, romance, erotica, horror story. A little of everything in it for everyone. My main links are:

www.thevampirequeen1.blogspot.com

www.thevampirequeen1.weebly.com

www.groups.yahoo.com/groups/Sink_Your_Fangs_In

www.facebook.com/jodie.pierce.14

vampiregds for Twitter

thevampirequeen on several other sites like goodreads, book blogs, stumbleupon, etc.