by Kariss Lynch, @Kariss_Lynch
I never planned to write a series steeped in the Navy SEAL culture when I began writing my first book. But from the very beginning, Nick Carmichael couldn’t have been anything different than a tried-and-true, God and country Navy SEAL. And thus, my research began. I didn’t have any background with the SEALs, but I knew I wanted the series to be authentic, and my own spin. As my series progressed, I learned 3 helpful tips for writing a realistic military character.
- Decide how deep you want to go.
From the very beginning, I knew I didn’t want to write military fiction. I knew I wanted to write a character who was a SEAL. I wanted the reader to be able to see him active in his role, but I wanted the majority of the story to be about the SEAL team and life off duty. To that end, I decided to be careful how much military jargon I included. I didn’t want a reader trying to figure out what I was talking about or struggling to remember acronyms, something the armed forces is famous for. I decided early on the style I wanted for the book and amount of info I wanted to include.
- Find a friend who has been or is in the branch you are writing about.
This took some work for me. Through mutual friends, I discovered two men in my community who had served or were serving at the time. One was willing to help, and he immediately began to set me straight on my terminology, ranks, uniforms for the cover, and even realistic scenarios for combat and dialogue. I told him the style I was shooting for, and he helped me keep things consistent within the confines of the story. His one request was that my SEAL team wouldn’t be overly Hollywood in their portrayal. So we struck a balance. In some scenes, I stretched reality a bit to keep the story moving, but in others I made sure the activities matched how a specific operation might play out.
- Identify realistic resources to inform and inspire you.
My friend was helpful in this arena, too. He pointed me to helpful biographies, non-fiction accounts, shows, and movies to use for research. He even went so far as to tell me certain chapters to focus on and which ones took more liberties than was helpful for my research. I posted a photo on Instagram of a SEAL show I was watching and within minutes received a text about how their uniforms were incorrect and how other pieces would not be accurate for me to use for inspiration. Knowing the right things to read and watch helped place me in the mindset of my character.
Unless you have been a member of the military or have a loved one who has been, it can be challenging to write a character from one of the branches of the armed forces. Inaccuracies can, unfortunately, discredit the story. But with the right people and right resources in your corner, as well as deciding the kind of story you want to create, you can write a character full of flaws but filled with courage and heart, a character that pays tribute to those who have served and are serving.
When a car almost runs over him in the middle of a snowstorm, ex-Navy SEAL Micah Richards knows he’s hit rock bottom. After the deaths of several of his teammates, Micah is sure of two things: he only hurts those he tries to protect and their deaths are his fault. He has one family left on his list to pay his respects but stranded on the side of a mountain in the middle of the night, Micah has run low on options until Casey Stewart comes careening into his life.
The last thing Casey wants is a man, especially one as charming and handsome as Micah who reminds her of her heartache from high school. And especially not when she has so much on her plate: kids trapped in the middle of bad neighborhood cycles at home and a sister who needs out from under their mother’s roof. But helping is in her nature, and something about Micah makes her want to let him in.
Now in the same city, Micah and Casey just can’t seem to stay away from one another, despite Casey’s best efforts. The more, he gets to know the community, the more he wants to stay. When a local drug dealer goes awry, Casey has only one person to turn to—the one who could hurt her heart the most. Micah must face the demons of his past to fight for his new team and new dream—a woman with the heart of a warrior who fights for others. A woman he would die for.
Kariss Lynch is the author of the Heart of a Warrior series and loves writing romance about characters with big dreams, adventurous hearts, and enduring hope. In her free time, Kariss goes on adventures with her own personal handsome hero, explores the great outdoors, and tries not to plot five stories at once. Connect with her at karisslynch.com, or on Facebook, Instagram, or Goodreads.