Series Characters

I've been giving this a lot of thought, and speaking with Mentor about it.

I think if you have a series character, I, as a reader (and I would do this as a writer) want them to grow in each book. If they "backslide" and make mistakes I still want them to grow and I want them to acknowledge the growth -- say one step back and two steps forward.

We discussed J.D. Robb, of course, and mentor is of the opinion that in mysteries the plot is enough so the growth can be smaller. Personally, I feel that both Dallas and Roarke are continuing to grow, so I am fine with that.

There's also the regular amateur sleuth mystery series. Many of the detectives in the classics don't grow that much -- Miss Marple, Poirot, Henry Merrivale.

But I was reading a very short (3 book) series from a while back and the heroine was a very powerful woman, and she didn't grow, and this might have been why the series (in which the author had just introduced a villain who could return), didn't go any further.

So this is up to you as the writer -- but, in my opinion, the character should grow from book to book.

May you enjoy your own growth today.
Robin