This is Part 1 of a 4 Part brainstorming process that will cover an entire novel idea that’s set during December.
The first part covers our main characters for the novel. I don’t write in 1st person, so our POV would be at least two of the characters. Depending on how long I want the novel to be, I could see using all four characters POV, if I think it would help the story. But two would be the minimum. No names yet as I’ll figure that out when the writing actually starts. For now, I just use an abbreviated description from my initial thoughts of them.
The four women all have ties to one man, Mr. Tanner. This is just a placeholder name, but it would be something fancy/rich sounding handsome dude in a suit vibes. He’s already dead at the start of the novel. He died in a bad car accident almost a year before on New Year’s Eve. This will be an important plot point in the novel.
The first character (and most likely my main POV character) is snowboard chick. She’s the youngest of the women and while there’s an age gap between them all and her, no more than 10 years I’d say. She invites the other women to a ski trip/lodge vacation the week before Christmas. Plenty of time to have fun and still be home before Christmas Eve. She was Tanner’s girlfriend when he died and became friends with the other women. They all stayed in touch after his death, as the four of them were put in his will and were well taken care after his funeral.
The brunette chick was Tanner’s business partner. They got along really well and they will flirt playfully with each other when they were both single but nothing ever happened between them. They enjoyed the fun of it and didn’t actually want anything more. What their business was will be important too, but I haven’t decided on it yet. She’s the only one married now. Her husband doesn’t see the point of her going on the trip but he’s not being a prick about it. There’s no trouble in paradise with their marriage.
The blonde chick was Tanner’s personal assistant and helped manage him day to day as he was a gifted but scatterbrain kind of person. She knew how to direct his focus. They had more of a good friends/family type vibe between them nothing romantic. She liked working for him but couldn’t imagine ever seeing him as anything other than her boss/friend and he saw her more as the friend who kept him from getting in his own way.
The black chick was Tanner’s lawyer. She’s the second youngest character after snowboard chick and the one who actually knew Tanner the best. Her dad was Tanner’s lawyer forever even before his current business and she took over for her dad when he retired. Tanner was the only one who believed in her ability despite her young age. He was like the big older brother to her.
They each have busy lives now for different reasons but the idea of getting away for a week is too good to pass up and all accept the invitation.
Everyone is excited for the trip. They’re all still sad about Tanner’s death and see this trip as a way to finally move on and start fresh.
