Writers must know their characters
inside and out. Prior to beginning a story, consider writing biographies of the
characters that detail their histories, appearances and personalities.
“Think of someone you know or knew as
a child who reminds you of the character you’re trying to create,” Clark says.
Then use that person’s mannerisms and expressions as a basis for fiction.
Mary Higgins Clark
(born December 24, 1927)
Curious facts about:
Her first book was a biographical novel about
George Washington, Aspire to the Heavens,
based on a radio series, vignettes about presidents.
She went to college after her
children were grown and she was already an established writer. In 1979, she
graduated from Fordham University at Lincoln Center summa cum laude with a B.A.
in philosophy. To celebrate, she gave herself a graduation party. The card
read: "this invitation is 25 years overdue -- help prove it's not too
late."
Two of her novels were made into
feature films, Where Are the Children? and A Stranger Is Watching. Many of her
other works, novels and short stories, were made into television films.
