Creating a series hero

by fpaulwilson on Feb.03, 2010, under F. Paul Wilson

With the Repairman Jack series approaching its 15th volume, I get asked about this a lot. I’m probably not the best person to ask, because I did not want to start a series at the time I wrote The Tomb.

Some background: After The Keep I started a new novel that stalled. One night I had this frustration dream about being trapped on a rooftop and chased by something. No matter what I did I couldn’t kill it. I woke up in a sweat and knew I had to use that. But it wouldn’t fit in the current book, so I started fresh.

I had to come up with a character who could survive that scene, but for the hell of it I decided to turn all the cliches for an action hero on their collective heads. I wanted the anti-Jason Bourne. No special forces training - he’s not a former Ranger or SEAL - no history with the CIA or any government agency, no black ops skills, no training of any kind. Everything he knows is self taught or learned on the street.

Okay. Then I took it a step further and made him an anarchistic urban mercenary with no identity. He has no SSN and has never paid taxes. He can’t call up old buddies in the government to run a set of prints or a license plate for him. He’s on his own, on a wire, with no safety net.

When I finished The Tomb I knew I had a series character on my hands, but I didn’t want to do a series. I had my next 2 novels written out in my head. So I left him bleeding to death at the end of the book.

But he wouldn’t die. The Tomb never went out of print and readers bugged me for years for a sequel. Finally, 14 years later, I gave it to them. He’s since taken over my writing career.

How to create an iconic series hero? Start by smashing all the icons.

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7 Comments for this entry

Doug
February 3rd, 2010 on 12:03 pm
Millions of people are glad you gave in to the pressure!
Spaz
February 3rd, 2010 on 1:53 pm
I would have to ask what kind of satisfaction (personal and professional) you’ve gotten from the subsequent books. After those fourteen years, were you separated enough from the first novel to feel less resistant to writing the series? I’d have to assume you felt more at home with it as time went on.
Veronica
February 3rd, 2010 on 2:18 pm
Very thankful that you continued with Jack! I look forward to a new adventure every year, many times re-reading the previous book before I begin the newly released.
Every page grabs me, holds me fixated until the next and when the end comes, I’m ticked cause I have to wait for the next book!
May I ask, will it be difficult to refocus your thoughts on something/someone new after all these years of just Jack in your head?
fpaulwilson
February 3rd, 2010 on 4:05 pm
@ Spaz - Well, when I brought Jack back in LEGACIES it was going to be for one book. I had so much fun and it was so well received, that I made him the hero of CONSPIRACIES. And that was even more fun, so I decided to get on that horse and ride.
fpaulwilson
February 3rd, 2010 on 4:07 pm
@Veronica - I’ve done other books during the Jack years, like SIMS and MIDNIGHT MASS and THE FIFTH HARMONIC, so it won’t be that hard.
Veronica
February 3rd, 2010 on 4:53 pm
I must sincerely apologize to you. I never really wanted to read your other books, I feared nothing could compare to your Jack. I know that sounds very narrow minded but I had the same problem with Agatha Christie’s books. Loved Hercule Poirot but not Miss Marple. The writing was very different and it bothered me, so I couldn’t read that series.
Guess that leaves many titles I can read after Jack is complete, something to look forward to!
Jim
March 1st, 2010 on 9:19 am
Veronica - Don’t be so silly! F. Paul Wilson’s books are all top notch and regardless how far out they may go, they always getcha to thinkin’… Enjoy all of them.