Last week I ran away to Iowa and conferred with my partner in crime, Kelly Klepfer, on the mystery we're writing. Our goal is to finish by the end of November. Can we do it, folks? Time will tell!

So today's Tidbit focus is on creating a detective. Our hero is Detective Jared Flynn. Want to vote on which picture we should use as his model?

Choice #1?

Or Choice #2?

Make your selection in the comment section.

Now then, looks aside, the most key element in a detective is what makes him tick. What is his motivation to solve the crime? Why should he go after your killer instead of kicking back with a take-out pizza and Netflix? Something needs to make your detective decide to risk his life to capture a murderer.

Whatever it is should be a combo of past and present. An event in your hero's life caused him to choose to become a detective. Mix that in with the events that are currently going on in his life to trigger him into action. If you fail to do this, you won't have a believable character, savvy?

Motivation is a must have. Nail it down before you even begin writing a story and you'll save yourself a lot of grief later.