Richard Zimler on how he develops characters

July 20, 2023

Here, Richard describes his approach to developing characters in his historical fiction novel The Lost Gospel of Lazarus.

For Richard, writing the resurrection of the titular character Lazarus was an exciting new experience. He enjoyed inverting some perceptions of resurrection, a miracle that’s often considered a gift and a blessing. In his book, Lazarus is negatively impacted by resurrection because he feels deeply confused. The ordeal puts his faith into question and he struggles to reconnect with the living people in his life. Although Lazarus’ circumstances are supernatural and unique, Zimler’s approach to writing character remains the same; it is like painting.

His characters start as preliminary sketches, and throughout the creative process he adds layers that provide depth and contrast. He plays with ‘colours’ and changes ‘composition’, which is to tweak and experiment with the dynamics of the story and the nature of the characters.

For Lazarus, Richard knew that in the first chapter he was to awake from the dead and feel distressed and confused.  From there, Zimler discovered Lazarus’ character. It became important that Lazarus had complicated and strong familial ties. Zimler found that Lazarus was a deeply creative person, a mosaic maker, but also dreamed of being a teacher. This depth gives the characters of The Lost Gospel of Lazarus complexity and humanity.

Learn more about The Lost Gospel of Lazarus here and grab a copy here.