Do Characters Always Tell the Truth?

What happens if one of your characters is dishonest and lies to his enemies or even friend? Are these small, white lies or are they full-blown whoppers? For one thing, it would place your story smack-dab in the center of real-life. The white lies are standard in our lives, like “I’m going to be home late because I have a meeting.” When the truth is, “I’m stopping by the mall to look at that new pontoon boat that was just delivered.” Afterall what harm did that do? The whole family would have a ball on a new boat.

Now the reader knows that this character tells small fibs. Does he tell them all the time or just occasionally? Is it a stretch when the reader finds out that in conversation the character might be holding back truths or even out-right lying? Maybe there is a hint of a hidden, parallel life or past-life secrets.

Is it in character if your fibbing protagonist reacts to catastrophic events as a hero or leader and saves the day? But he lies, you say. When the real test comes, we know that his underlying strength and focus is his saving grace, and the fibbing was isolated to maneuvering through modern life. Or the other side of this scenario, do his lies grow bigger and more frequent leading to distrust and collapse? See how fun this is!

One time in a writer’s club, after I read twenty pages of an early manuscript of Spanish Pieces of Eight, a fellow looked up at me and said, “I really hate that character, because of that fib he told.” I was overwhelmed with joy. That fib got a visceral response from a reader. I knew I was on the right path.

Bottom line is, your characters need to be people that you know and love or hate. But in the end real people.

-Rick Glaze