Q My beta readers have all responded with similar feedback on the latest draft of my work-in-progress: my Detective Inspector needs a life outside the investigation. How can I address this without taking the focus away from the main plot, and without resorting to the clichés of drink problems and failed marriages?
Brian Motts, Edinburgh
A Far from detracting from the story, well-rounded characters will enhance your book and ensure readers are invested in what happens to them. A cleverly written subplot can reflect a theme running through the rest of the novel, so try pinpointing half a dozen issues explored in the main story, to see if any might resonate with your DI. I agree it’s good to avoid the drink and marriage tropes. Instead, work through your character’s back-story, starting with their childhood. Think about their relationship with their parents and siblings; events that happened in their formative years; the background to joining the police. You’ll be surprised what emerges. Don’t be tempted to include all this new information in your book though; the idea is to use it as a springboard for what’s happening in the DI’s life right now.