September 2 question – Do you have a favorite character archetype you tend to gravitate toward in your writing?
Character archetypes matter because they resonate with readers; they are recognisable and intrinsically understood. Using them to our advantage can elevate our stories by drawing the reader more fully into our character’s world. The archetypes can give us a blueprint to ensure our reader sees a truth in our character’s actions because they fit a known psychological profile. Pardon me while I list them, for my own edification
Jung noted 12 character archetypes, each with its own set of values, traits, and motivations. They are broadly grouped into three categories:
- The ego archetypes: the Innocent, the Everyman, the Hero, and the Caregiver
- The soul archetypes: the Explorer, the Rebel, the Lover, and the Creator/Artist
- The self archetypes: the Jester, the Sage, the Magician/Wizard, and the Ruler
Jackie, the spunky, yet traditional Midwestern farm wife, was my main character throughout my Faith, Family, Frenzy! series, which totaled four books. I suppose she’s an innocent along with being a caregiver. In other parlance, she’s a church lady as well as a lunch lady, which everybody recalls from their school days. She wore an apron rather than a Superwoman cape as her uniform, her cover in daily life.
She was a character.
I’ve long desired to add a cozy mystery about Jackie and her circle of small-town friends and family whose lives are prone to frenzy, but my efforts have lapsed due to health issues in the last couple of years. I’ve just renewed my commitment to completing this book by renewing my ProWritingAid subscription.
Don’t judge me. I liken use of the AI tool to having a writers’ group for instant critique, correction, and feedback at my fingertips. This has become increasingly important when writing a weekly blog post despite having little public interface, especially when unable to drive in the early weeks of knee replacement…
P.S. in the forever-forthcoming cozy, Jackie is neither the victim nor the villain… she’s innocent. (wink-wink)
You’ve committed! Make it happen.
After a couple of false starts, I need to burnish my imagination and creative core… and, yes, I am committed.
I’m sorry for your health challenges. I really like cozy mysteries. Good luck with yours.
Thanks and thanks, Natalie
Writing about an everyday character is the hardest of all, I think. Takes lots of mojo and writing skills. It is much easier to write a flashier type, like a Hero or a Magician, like I do.
I hadn’t considered that, Olga. Thanks for the compliment. Jackie was based on the women who populated the small towns where I grew up. Perhaps I would have been her if I’d married and remained in Indiana, as many of my relatives did…