Alison Schaffir: On Writing Three-Dimensional Characters

Alison Schaffir is a social media strategist and young adult author living in New York City. A lover of contemporary fiction, Alison developed her debut novel, Your Dream for Me, fusing two of her favorite interests, fashion and theater, together.

She graduated from University of Richmond with a major in business marketing and a minor in psychology. When she’s not making up stories in her head, she loves indulging in Trader Joe’s lava cakes, belting early 2000s pop hits, and spending time with her friends and family. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

In this post, Alison discusses the development of her characters throughout the writing process of her debut novel, Your Dream for Me, her advice for other writers, and more!

Name: Alison Schaffir
Literary agent: Cindy Bullard
Book title: Your Dream for Me
Publisher: Level Best Books
Release date: March 7, 2023
Genre/category: Young Adult Romance
Elevator pitch for the book: After fashionista, Scarlett, meets theater lead, Nathaniel, she decides to shadow his spring play, but when a rival threatens her, she must use her sewing skills to keep her design dreams and relationship from unraveling.

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I’d say it was a compilation of moments throughout my own high school experience that planted the seed in my head. Similar to my main character, I have always had a love for fashion and worked as a retail sales associate when I was in high school. Additionally, I did set design for the school musical one semester and realized how much I enjoyed it.

I thought it’d be interesting to create a character who explores both interests and grapples with where her true passion lies. Similarly, high school is full of friendships, first loves, self-discovery, and figuring out your path. I wanted to weave those themes into my novel because they’re particularly pertinent at that stage of life.

This book took me about seven years on-and-off to come together between writing, editing, querying, and going through the publishing process. I began writing it when I was a sophomore in college, and I’m just publishing it now at the age of 26. With that said, I’m grateful I started so young because it helped me capture the heightened emotions and nostalgia that come with being a teenager.

The idea remained pretty consistent from conception to completion, although I did make fashion and theater more of a focus in my later drafts. Earlier on, I was so focused on writing the romance that I neglected other aspects of the main characters’ lives. Once I went back in, I was able to write them more three-dimensionally by focusing on their passions outside of the relationship.

Absolutely. I think the biggest surprise was how long it takes to go through publishing. Once you get a book deal, people assume that they’ll be able to buy the book shortly after. But it can actually take up to a year or two before the book lands in the public’s hands. There’s so much that goes on behind the scenes like editing, proofreading, design, distribution, marketing, and publicity, which is the reason for the longer timeline.

Another big learning curve is that it’s never too soon to begin marketing your book. I assumed that once my book came out, I’d simply post some pictures on social media and host a small launch event. But I learned that if I really wanted to generate buzz, I had to start marketing months in advance–getting reviews, sending my book out to the media, and advertising on different platforms.

Yes. I ended up working with a developmental editor who was especially knowledgeable in this department. My biggest takeaway was how important it is to fully develop your characters.

In the early stages, I wrote a story that was plot-driven, but it didn’t focus much on the characters and how they were growing throughout the story. I had to work on giving them motivations, personalities, and backstories, and I had to ask myself why they made certain decisions. Once I worked on this, their unique voices shined through more, and the story began to come to life.

I also had to learn how to raise the stakes to create more conflict. Throughout the writing process, I challenged myself to consider the obstacle for my main character–what was preventing her from achieving her goal and the consequences if she wasn’t able to achieve it. This helped to create a more compelling story because I was able to draw readers in, so they wouldn’t lose interest while reading.

I wrote this book with the intention of entertaining and inspiring. For me, reading has always been an outlet for creativity and escapism. I love to throw myself into the story and lose myself for hours, getting wrapped up in the characters and plot. Because of this, I wanted to write a heartwarming story that anyone could appreciate–just like my favorite authors have done for me.

It makes me smile to think that my words could impact others and allow them to explore new emotions. Whether my book causes readers to laugh, cry, or swoon, I hope it will transport them back to their high school days to reminisce on the beauty of friendship, first love, and following their passions.

I’d say: Don’t be afraid to fail. The first time I sent my book out to agents, I received all rejections except for one “revise and resubmit” request. If I had let that stop me, I never would have ended up where I am today.

Instead, I got back on the horse, learned from my mistakes, and kept pushing forward, even if I wasn’t sure where the path would lead. The beauty of writing is that it’s not just about the outcome.

Regardless of being published, writing this story has led me to make wonderful connections, become a better storyteller, push through hard times, and find opportunities I wouldn’t have otherwise. With that said, enjoy the process, try new ideas, and let your imagination take you wherever you want to go.

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