Characters Who Keep Secrets

Can a point of view character keep a big secret, without losing the reader's sympathy? That was the subject of a program I presented last week to the Central Iowa Fiction Writers group in Des Moines, Iowa. And the answer is YES -- if the author is careful.

Here are the rules for playing fair with the reader:

Only keep important secrets.

If it’s important enough, it should be secret.

Give the character a good reason to finally break down and tell the truth.

Don’t tease.

Ask the normal questions.

Have another character ask or answer the obvious question.

Tell the truth wherever possible.

Don’t lie, no matter what.

Divert the reader’s attention to something else.

Foreshadow, foreshadow, foreshadow.

What do you think? Let's talk!