The creation of a character is one of the more personal things that a writer ever does.
It cuts across all genres. Who is this person? How do they drive the plot? What’s the storyline that drapes around them?
Why do they matter?
Character Studies and Reviews
Any writer who tells you that they put nothing of themselves into their characters is either lying or not really making characters. They may be making mouthpieces to further an agenda.
Or they may be creating stick figures to hang a plot on. They might be impatient and looking to cut to the chase without all of the preliminary bullshit.
But there is always going to be something or other there. If you are writing people with depth and imagination, and you want them to be real, then your own experiences are going to inform them.
And, in a way, that’s why sensitivity readers matter. I am a middle-aged Jewish woman from the northeastern United States. And so, by definition, I cannot possibly be in the head of a slave from the 1770s.
Now, I do, honestly, feel that we writers can craft a character who does not have our shared experience. But we need to approach it well.
Talk to people. Is this believable? Does this person resonate with you? Are they respectful to your heritage, culture, and background?
Shakespeare wrote Lady MacBeth. Agatha Christie wrote Hercule Poirot. And so on, and so forth.
A character should be partly like you, because you inform and shape them. But you don’t have to be exactly like a character in order to be able to write one effectively.
As of the initial writing of this blog post, they haven’t hit any of major age-related touchstones such as turning 18 yet! So, we can’t really cover many pivotal moments, to help inform us when writing fiction about Generation Alpha.
However, we can cover the entire time frame, as far as we know it.
Considering the Entire Time Frame When Writing Fiction About Generation Alpha
This time frame starts off with the aftermaths of the Egyptian revolution of 2011, Arab Spring, and NASA ending the space shuttle program.
The Covid-19 pandemic, the first term of President Donald Trump, and the Russia-Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war dominate the middle of this period. Plus, there’s the rise of artificial intelligence.
The very end of this period hasn’t happened yet. All we can really do is speculate.
Given that President Trump is supposed to only be able to serve one more term, the 2028 presidential elections will be a major event. Will Kamala Harris return? Will JD Vance run for the country’s highest office? How about someone else? We shall see.
What’s Next for Generation Alpha?
For the most part, writing fiction about Generation Alpha means writing science fiction. Certainly, you will have to speculate about the future. In general, extrapolating current events to their logical conclusions can be a good way of going about this.
There’s no one I specifically name. However, Glenn Storey from The Duck in the Seat Cushion is of the right age.
Takeaways for Writing Fiction About Generation Alpha
As of the initial writing of this blog post, the oldest members of Generation Alpha are only thirteen years old.
Writing fiction about Generation Alpha should cover some of the tween milestones many kids go through, such as confirmation and bar/bat mitzvahs. Also, there are kids with older siblings and friends who may be attending quinceañeras.
And, unless your Generation Alpha characters are the youngest members of the British royal family, their issues, incidents, and problems are more likely to be compact and personal. As in, being affected by parental divorce versus saving the world.
Of course, you can write a ‘chosen one’ story with tweens. But that’s been done a lot lately. What would you like to write that’s different?
A Look at Writing Fiction About Generation Z or iGen (1997 – 2012)
Of course, as of the initial writing of this blog post, Gen Z had not yet hit 35. And a lot of them hadn’t hit their quarter-century mark, either. And 65? Forget about it! So, unless you’re writing about the future, writing fiction about Generation Z means writing about their youth.
My characters Minka Lopez, Dez Hunter, Nell Murphy, and Kitty Kowalski, all from Mettle are all members of iGen.
So, let’s look at some pivotal moments, to help inform us when writing fiction about Generation Z.
The Generation Z Turns 18 (2015 – 2030)
This time frame starts off with NASA’s Dawn probe orbiting dwarf planet (asteroid) Ceres. The World Health Organization declares the eradication of rubella in the Americas. Also, SpaceX lands an uncrewed Falcon 9 rocket.
The Covid-19 epidemic and the first term of President Donald Trump dominate the middle of this period.
As of the initial writing of this blog post, this time period has not yet ended. However, the period from 2020 to 2024 gave us a world where misinformation is everywhere, and there are significant political divides in the United States.
Considering this generation and the end of this time frame can mean extrapolating what’s already happened. Or try turning it on its head.
The Generation Z Turns 25 (2022 – 2037)
This time frame starts off with billions of people being vaccinated against Covid-19. Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her Platinum Jubilee (70 years on the throne, a record for British monarchs), and Elon Musk buys Twitter.
Since most of the middle and all of the end of this period hasn’t happened yet, we can only speculate about it. The second election of Republican Donald Trump in 2024 means he’s supposed to be president until 2028.
There may be some in The Duck in the Seat Cushion, too.
Takeaways for Writing Fiction About Generation Z
Gen Z was raised on the internet. So writing fiction about Generation Z should include computers, tablets, and smartphones. Therefore, if you wish to show iconoclasts or Luddites, or maybe a post-Apocalyptic world, then Zoomers probably wouldn’t have any of that.
And, as character Kitty Kowalski is like in Mettle, when the power goes out and they might not survive, forget her parents. She barely thinks of them at all. This insufferable spoiled brat misses her phone.
The Millennial Generation or Generation Y (1981 – 1996)
Authors who believe that writing fiction about the Millennial Generation means only telling tales of youth are going to be in for quite a surprise. As of the initial writing of this blog post, the oldest millennials had turned 33.
And now, let’s look at some pivotal moments, to help inform us when writing fiction about the Millenial Generation.
The Millennial Generation Turns 18 (1999 – 2014)
This time frame starts off with the euro being established as a currency, and Bill Clinton being acquitted of impeachment charges. IT professionals fret over the potential for a Y2K bug.
The events surrounding 9/11 dominate the middle of this period.
By the time this period ends, Boko Harum militants kill approximately 300 people in Nigeria, and the British comedy group Monty Python calls it quits. Plus, the shooting of Michael Brown triggers riots in Ferguson, Missouri.
Millennials Turn 25 (2006 – 2021)
This time frame starts off with NASA launching the first interplanetary space probe to Pluto (New Horizons), and the Human Genome Project publishing its final chromosome sequence. Plus, there’s the execution of Saddam Hussein.
The West African Ebola epidemic dominates the middle of this period.
By the time this period ends, Donald Trump’s supporters riot and violently attack the US Capitol building, and the container ship Ever Given runs aground in the Suez Canal and disrupts global trade for days. Derek Chauvin is convicted in the murder of George Floyd.
The Millennial Generation Turns 35 (2016 – 2031)
This time frame starts off with David Bowie dying of liver cancer. The gorilla Harambe is shot and killed due to an incident involving a child. Also, the Chicago Cubs win the World Series for the first time since 1908.
The two impeachments of President Donald Trump and the 2020 election with the subsequent coup attempt on January 6, 2021 dominate the middle of this period.
As of the initial writing of this blog post, this time period has not yet ended.
However, the period from 2021 to 2024 saw the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol by supporters of Donald Trump, continuing issues with Covid-19 and its many variants, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
When I’m Writing Fiction About the Millennial Generation
Right now, I don’t seem to have any characters from the Millennial Generation. However, it’s possible that there are some from The Duck in the Seat Cushion but I don’t have the birthdates on file yet.
Takeaways for Writing Fiction About the Millennial Generation
With the youngest millennials already 28 years old, any present-day plans for writing fiction about the Millennial Generation should not be centered on high school life. Or even undergraduate life.
So, consider the young adult experience, as millennials navigate marriage, parenthood, and trying to purchase a home.
Want more about writing fiction about current generations? Then be sure to check out the other blog posts in this series:
Sometimes the forgotten generation, Gen X is the ‘baby bust’, so the cohort is small. Writing fiction about Generation X should take into account that they tend to not dominate wider groups, because they just plain don’t have the numbers.
My character Dr. Mei-Lin Quan of Mettle is a member of Gen X.
And now, let’s look at some pivotal moments, to help inform us when writing fiction about Generation X. Of course, no one in Generation X has turned 65 by the time of the initial writing of this blog post.
Generation X Turns 18 (1983 – 1998)
This time frame starts off with the final episode of M*A*S*H, the invention of the 3D printer, and the first commercial mobile cellular telephone call.
The breakup of the Soviet Union and the reunification of Germany dominate the middle of this period.
By the time this period ends, Andrew Wakefield publishes his since-debunked study claiming a link between vaccines and autism.
Iranian President Mohammad Khatami retracts a fatwa against Satanic Verses author Salman Rushdie that was in force since 1989, and the US House of Representatives forwards articles of impeachment against President Bill Clinton.
Generation X Turns 25 (1990 – 2005)
This time frame starts off with Germany reunifying, ARPANET being decommissioned, and South Africa releasing Nelson Mandela from prison.
The events surrounding 9/11 dominate the middle of this period.
By the time this period ends, dwarf planet Eris is discovered, there’s the launch of YouTube, and Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans.
Generation X Turns 35 (2000 – 2015)
This time frame starts off with the final printing of an original Peanuts comic the day after the death of Charles Schulz, and two Al-Qaeda suicide bombers attacking the USS Cole. Plus, the hanging chads election debacle which leads to the Bush v. Gore case going before the US Supreme Court.
The development of smartphones and the launching of familiar social media juggernauts like Tumblr and X (Twitter) dominate the middle of this period.
By the time this period ends, gunmen from Al-Qaeda’s Yemen branch attack the Paris headquarters of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, Greece suffers a government debt crisis, and there’s the founding of OpenAI.
When I’m Writing Fiction About Generation X
So, here are my characters from the Generation X cohort.
And in The Duck in the Seat Cushion, it’s main character MJ Tanner’s younger half-brother Will. There are also her ill-fated twins, Levi and Chloe. Plus, there are Sid’s children Lenny and Wendy.
Takeaways for Writing Fiction About Generation X
When writing fiction about Generation X, keep in mind that it’s a small cohort. Many of its members were latchkey children when they were younger (mothers would work and not be home when they returned home from school).
These two experiences, combined, can make the members of the redheaded stepchild of the generations a rather sarcastic bunch. It was, and still is, a major survival mechanism for them.
A Look at Writing Fiction About Generation Jones (1954 – 1964)
For me, writing fiction about Generation Jones is personal, seeing as I am a member of this cohort. The term is fairly new.
Generation Jones bridges the gap between Early Boomers and Generation X. It’s got a little bit of both in it.
And now, let’s look at some pivotal moments, to help inform us when writing fiction about Generation Jones.
Generation Jones Turns 18 (1972 – 1982)
This time frame starts off with HP introducing the HP-35, the world’s first scientific hand-held calculator, and Nixon going to China.
Associated Press photographer Nick Ut takes his Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph of a naked nine-year-old Phan Thi Kim Phuc running down a road after being burned by napalm.
The Vietnam War winding down and Watergate winding up, as gas prices start to rise dramatically all dominate the middle of this period.
By the time this period ends, Britain and Argentina fight the Falklands War. Vic Morrow and two child actors die while making the Twilight Zone movie, and Princess Grace of Monaco dies from injuries suffered in an automobile accident.
Generation Jones Turns 25 (1979 – 1989)
This time frame starts off with the Shah of Iran fleeing to Egypt as Ayatollah Khomeini takes over. Anwar Sadat and Menachem Begin sign an Egypt-Israel peace treaty, and the worst nuclear accident in American history happens at Three Mile Island.
The lead up to the fall of the Soviet Union dominates the middle of this period.
By the time this period ends, the first global positioning satellite goes into orbit, and the US government seizes Irvine, California’s Lincoln Savings and Loan Association, thereby kicking off the S&L crisis.
And the Tiananmen Square protests occur in China. The Berlin Wall, in place since 1961, is finally toppled.
Generation Jones Turns 35 (1989 – 1999)
This time frame starts off with Iran placing a bounty of $3 million on Salman Rushdie’s head for writing The Satanic Verses, and Tim Berners-Lee producing the proposal document that will lead to the Worldwide Web. The Exxon Valdez spills 240,000 gallons of oil into Alaska’s Prince William Sound.
The Oklahoma City bombing and the sarin gas attack in Japan, and their aftermaths dominate the middle of this period.
By the time this period ends, Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold conduct the Columbine Massacre, and JFK jr. dies in a plane crash. Boris Yeltsin resigns as President of Russia, with Vladimir Putin as the ‘acting’ president..
Generation Jones Turns 65 (2019– 2029)
This time frame starts off with the first case of Covid-19, and reports of the second instance of sustained remission from HIV. Volodymyr Zelenskyy is elected President of Ukraine.
The Covid-19 pandemic dominates the middle of this period.
As of the initial writing of this blog post, this time period has not yet ended. However, the period from 2022 to 2024 sees Russia invading Ukraine, and Queen Elizabeth II dying. Hamas attacks Israel, thereby precipitating the Israel-Hamas War.
When I’m Writing Fiction About Generation Jones
So, here are my characters from the Generation Jones cohort.
In Mettle, it’s Nell‘s beloved Gran, Sally Murphy, born in 1962.
Takeaways for Writing Fiction About Generation Jones
This is the younger, and perhaps more technologically savvy half of the Baby Boomer Generation. But they didn’t really get to enjoy all of the Early Boomers’ good economies and prosperity.
Their touchstones are Afghanistan and Somalia, not Vietnam, and Watergate rather than Woodstock. As the living segue to Generation X, writing fiction about Generation Jones during their childhoods might just involve showing latchkey children.
Want more about writing fiction about current generations? Then be sure to check out the other blog posts in this series:
A Look at Writing Fiction About Early Boomers (1946 – 1953)
I prefer to split the Baby Boomer generation, as I feel there’s a marked difference between this group and the latter half (Generation Jones). When writing fiction about Early Boomers, it makes sense to lean into the 60s. But there’s more to this group than flower power.
And now, let’s look at some pivotal moments, to help inform us when writing fiction about Early Boomers.
Early Boomers Turn 18 (1964 – 1971)
This time frame starts off with the US Surgeon General declaring that smoking may be hazardous to one’s health. The the US government authorizes the 24th Amendment, thereby outlawing the poll tax.
The first computer program written in BASIC is run. And the first student protests against the Vietnam War happen while the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is passed.
The Vietnam War dominates the middle of this period. Many other student protests follow the ones in 1964.
By the time this period ends, Charles Manson and three of his followers (Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinkel, and Leslie Van Houten) are convicted in the Tate-LaBianca murders. The UK and Ireland switch to a decimal-based currency.
And Led Zepellin performs Stairway to Heaven in concert for the first time, in Belfast.
Early Boomers Turn 25 (1971 – 1978)
This time frame starts off with the founding of NASDAQ and Satchel Paige being voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. And there’s the founding of Starbucks, in Washington state.
The Watergate scandal and its aftermath dominate the middle of this period.
By the time this period ends, the Blizzard of ’78 hits New York and New England, killing about 100 people. The world’s first test tube baby, Louise Brown, is born in the UK. Pope John Paul II becomes the 264th pope.
The First Half of the Baby Boomer Generation Turns 35 (1981 – 1998)
This time frame starts off with Iran releasing the 52 American hostages it had held for 444 days, just after the swearing in of Ronald Reagan as president of the United States. The first successful flight of a space shuttle happens (it’s the Columbia).
And the CDC reports that five homosexual men in Los Angeles have a rare form of pneumonia only seen in people with weakened immune systems. This is the first documented report of HIV.
Everything from bombings by the Unabomber to scientists discovering the hole in the ozone dominates the middle of this period.
By the time this period ends, the Drudge Report breaks the news of the Clinton-Lewinsky affair, and there’s the founding of Google.
Early Boomers Turn 65 (2011 – 2018)
This time frame starts off with Kim Jong Un succeeding to the leadership of North Korea upon the death of his father, Prince William and Catherine Middleton wed, and President Obama announces the killing of Osama bin Laden.
Unrest in the Middle East and Africa dominates the middle of this period.
By the time this period ends, seventeen high school students are killed at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas school in Parkland, Florida. Also, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle wed; Canada legalizes the recreational use of cannabis; and Saudi Arabia allows women to drive.
When I’m Writing Fiction About Early Boomers
So, here are my characters from the Early Baby Boomers cohort.
The Duck in the Seat Cushion is all over this cohort. There’s Sid Tanner, born in 1946, and main character MJ Tanner. She’s born in 1949. All of their classmates, and both of their spouses also belong to this group.
MJ and Sid’s stepbrother, Hal Brown, also has a birthdate during this time frame.
Takeaways for Writing Fiction About Early Boomers
While the 60s are a truly pivotal time for early baby boomers, they’ve done a lot since then. Their sheer size has made them the 900 pound gorilla in a lot of spaces.
So, when writing about Early Boomers, don’t stop with 1969 or with ok boomer cliches. The first half of the Baby Boom cohort is more than that.
My parents are/were members of the Silent Generation, and they have inspired me when it comes to writing fiction about the Silent Generation.
The Silent Generation (1928 – 1945)
When writing fiction about the Silent Generation, the Second World War isn’t quite as dominant as it is for their forebears in the Greatest Generation. It’s more of its aftermath, and the lead up to the Vietnam War that color their lives.
In addition, they deal with the fallout from the Great Depression, and may have a scarcity mindset, even decades later.
Yes, I Have Written Fiction About the Silent Generation!
Or, rather, about one particular person. I originally wrote Mettle with 2020 in mind as its temporal setting.
While that exact year isn’t really feasible anymore, due to the pandemic (and due to the year having come and gone already), I will still use 2020 as the second year without a summer until I decide on something else.
Because Eleanor Braverman is in her seventies for that book, she fits perfectly into the real-life Silent Generation. I give her a birthdate in 1938.
And now, let’s look at some pivotal moments, to help inform us when writing fiction about the Silent Generation.
The Silent Generation Turns 18 (1946 – 1963)
When this time frame starts, the United Nations and the UN Security Council hold their first meetings. The ENIAC computer is unveiled. And Winston Churchill gives a speech about the Iron Curtain.
The Silent Generation Turns 25 (1953 – 1970)
This time frame starts off with over 70% of all TV sets tuned into I Love Lucy, to watch Lucy give birth to Little Ricky.
Also in 1953, Stalin dies, and Jonas Salk announces the development of his polio vaccine. Julius and Ethel Rosenberg are executed. In addition, Christine Jorgensen comes back to New York after receiving successful sex reassignment surgery in Denmark.
The war in Vietnam dominates the middle of this period. However, many of the men in the Silent Generation are too old to take part (or at least be subject to the draft) once the United States enters the war in earnest.
In 1964, at the time of the Gulf of Tonkin resolution, the oldest members of this generation were in their mid-thirties.
By the time this period ends, Apollo 13 barely makes it back to earth, there are shootings at Kent State, and Jimi Hendrix dies of an overdoes. The Beatles break up.
The Silent Generation Turns 35 (1963 – 1980)
This time frame starts off with Patsy Cline being killed in a plane crash and Tito being declared president for life in Yugoslavia. Martin Luther King, jr. issues his Letter from Birmingham Jail. The Mercury space program ends.
And of course the most significant event by far is the assassination of JFK.
JFK’s death and its aftermath, the Vietnam War, and pretty much everything we think of when we think of the 60s dominate the middle of this period.
By the time this period ends, the US Olympic hockey team wins the ‘Miracle on Ice’, Reagan becomes president, and John Lennon is murdered.
The Silent Generation Turns 65 (1993 – 2010)
This time frame starts off as Czechoslovakia is dissolved, the World Trade Center in New York is bombed for the first time, and the Branch Davidian standoff in Waco, Texas results in the deaths of over seventy people, including cult leader David Koresh.
The events surrounding 9/11 dominate the middle of this time frame.
By the time this period ends, Wikileaks releases confidential government information to the general public. The Deepwater Horizon oil drilling platform explodes, and there’s the launch of Instagram.
When I’m Writing Fiction About the Silent Generation
So, here are my characters from the Silent Generation.
Apart from Eleanor Braverman, there are Graceanne Davis Mason Brown Tanner, and Susan Tanner (Aunt Suzie). Plus, there are three additional Tanner siblings who don’t reach adulthood, all from The Duck in the Seat Cushion.
Takeaways for Writing Fiction About the Silent Generation
When writing fiction about the Silent Generation, keep in mind that they have seen a lot! They’ve gone from silent films to Instagram.
I have one piece where I was writing fiction about the Greatest Generation. It’s a short story called Three Minutes Back in Time.
The Greatest Generation’s earlier years are dominated by the Great Depression and the Second World War. When writing fiction about the Greatest Generation, particularly when writing about them as younger people, you really can’t avoid WWII.
And for characters from the Midwest, you should be at least mentioning the Dust Bowl.
Fact and Fiction About The Greatest Generation or GI Generation (1901 – 1927)
Every generation consists of a range of years, and some ranges will have more going on in them than others. Of course! Therefore, this information is meant to cover some of the bigger changes and news stories from the time.
If you think I’ve missed something big, feel free to let me know in the comments.
These events are mainly going to be America-centric or at least from a US POV. There is a lot more to the world than the United States, but I didn’t want to write a novel-length blog post!
So, let’s look at some pivotal moments, to help inform us when writing fiction about the Greatest Generation.
The GI Generation Turns 18 (1919 – 1945)
Of course, the two biggest events during this time frame are the Great Depression and the Second World War. And given when the oldest people in this generation turn 18, WWII looms extremely large for this group. Particularly because these people just missed fighting in WWI.
But there were plenty of other events during this time frame. For example, in 1919, this time period starts off with a bang as Prohibition begins in the United States. Also in 1919, Congress passes the Nineteenth Amendment, granting women the right to vote.
This time frame ends with two major events—the end of the Second World War and the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
His successor, Harry S. Truman, drops the atomic bomb on Japanese cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the only time nuclear weapons have been used in combat. So far.
The Greatest Generation Turns 25 (1926 – 1952)
As this time frame begins, Gertrude Ederle swims the English Channel. And a newfangled technology called television is first demonstrated.
Naturally, WWII and the Great Depression dominate the middle of this period.
And as this time period concludes, Queen Elizabeth II succeeds her father. In the following year she will be crowned Queen of England. Evita Peron dies.
The first hydrogen bomb is detonated, and Anne Frank’s The Diary of a Young Girlis published in an English language translation.
The GI Generation Turns 35 (1936 – 1962)
As this time period starts, so do the Berlin Olympic games. This is also the year when King Edward VIII abdicates the British throne.
As before, the dominant event of the time is the Second World War.
This time frame concludes with the Cuban Missile Crisis, JFK announces that the United States will go to the moon, and Marilyn Monroe dies.
The Greatest Generation Turns 65 (1966 – 1995)
When this time frame starts, Leonid Brezhnev becomes the leader of the Soviet Union, the Beatles play in Candlestick Park in San Francisco in their final live touring concert, and people celebrate the first Kwaanzaa.
The Vietnam War and its aftermath dominate this time period. Operation Desert Storm happens toward the end of this time frame.
By the time this period ends, Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols have bombed the Alfred P. Murrah building in Oklahoma City, and President Clinton announces the resumption of relations between the United States and Vietnam.
And former professional football player OJ Simpson is tried for the murder of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman.
When I’m Writing Fiction About the Greatest Generation
So, here are my characters from the Greatest Generation. Apart from Rosemary Parker and James Warren, a grandfather of Dr. Mei-Lin Quan from Mettle is born in 1926. Mei-Lin recalls him still referring to Taiwan as Formosa. The island’s name officially changed in 1949.
In addition, in The Duck in the Seat Cushion, main character MJ Tanner’s father, Walter Tanner, is born in 1924. Five of his nine siblings are born before him and they all perish before reaching maturity. Another two born after him also fit in the generation and die young.
Walt’s two other siblings are born too late for this generation. As one of just two of his parents’ ten children, and a survivor of the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl, Walt is a defeatist at times, but also down to earth and practical.
Takeaways for Writing Fiction About the Greatest Generation
When writing fiction about the Greatest Generation, the two world wars are like the elephants in the room. The second more than the first, but these people were teenagers during the Great War. So, don’t forget about it.
When writing them later in life, keep in mind that they need to adjust their way of thinking to the Computer Age at a rather late age, often in their forties or older.
Unlike for many later generations, computers and the internet are not second nature, and these folks may even resent those technological advances.
Consider Frances Miller Ashford, One of My Original Characters
Who is Frances Miller Ashford?
When Ceilidh is hired to work for the Edwards, the first thing readers should notice is: it’s a really big house. There are obviously going to be other people working there. Lots and lots of them!
If you have ever watched Downton Abbey or Upstairs, Downstairs, then you know exactly what I mean.
But at the same time, I knew that not everyone would know the nuances of Victorian era living. Plus, I needed to have a good way to get across the look and feel of the Edwards House.
There would have to be a character who would, at least in part, behave as a kind of expository mouthpiece.
Enter Frances.
Margaret Qualley, who I see as Frances Miller. Image is intended for reference purposes only.
Where Did Frances Miller Ashford Come From?
I wanted very much to have an immigrant much like Ceilidh but better settled in the story. Also, I needed for Ceilidh to have someone she could talk to. Frances fills the bill rather nicely in both areas.
Further, I needed Ceilidh to have someone who had an English accent she could emulate. It didn’t seem realistic to have Ceilidh remember Captain Underwood perfectly for years. But Frances was a lot more plausible.
Originally, her last name was Marshall, but then I had too many scenes with a character named Barry Marsh. The names were starting to get confusing. And I could not change Marsh’s name, as he was named after someone I know.
Hence, Frances got a slight tweak. I also like the newer name better, because it flows much better with her (spoiler alert!) married name.
The Past is Prologue — Backstory for Frances Miller Ashford
An orphan who never knew her family, I never actually wrote her extremely early life. But Frances could have been the child of people who died—perhaps of any of the many diseases flying around Britain at the time.
Or she could have been the child of an unwed mother, left at a church or even the orphanage where she grew up. Her mother could have even been a prostitute.
I don’t see her as a female Oliver Twist, the child who’s in the orphanage but should have been raised by their own wealthy family.
No. Frances was to be a real foundling, with a hard beginning. For an almost traditional look at someone who raised themselves up from their bootstraps, she is the one to look to.
Was Frances Originally Jewish?
The more I read about the Manchester Jewish Board of Guardians, the more I wonder if I could make her a Jewish child. Conversion of orphans in orphanages appears to have been pretty common at the time.
The Board of Guardians is developed in 1859, though, and I put her birth at 1858. But this can work for the story line.
So, prior to the creation of an appropriate orphanage to place a Jewish child in, the possibility is high that such a foundling would be put in a non-Jewish orphanage.
For a very young baby, which Frances would be, there really wouldn’t be anyone to object to someone just quietly baptizing her.
Coming to America
In keeping with what really happened to some people, I wanted Frances to have kind of gotten to Boston in a roundabout way. Ceilidh means to go to Boston. But Frances? Not necessarily.
As she got older, the orphanage was clearly going to toss someone like her out on her ear. The orphanage wouldn’t necessarily care if she ended up working, married, turning tricks, or dead. They would simply want her bed for some other, younger child.
And so I decided there would be someone who would come and promise the older girls husbands if they left the country. This would be an irresistible offer for not only someone like Frances, but also for girls like her and the orphanage itself.
But when they arrive in the United States, there are no waiting husbands. The promise was a false one. And so, rather, Frances and her cohorts become Lowell Girls, working for a mill.
After she bides her time, eventually, she gets a day off and ventures into the big city of Boston. Frances has main advantages: a pleasant voice and demeanor, a high class-sounding accent to someone like Mrs. Edwards, and a willingness to work hard.
As a result, Frances gets a job in the scullery. She doesn’t keep in touch with the other girls, and has no idea what happened to them.
Her rise is slow, deliberate, and patient. I want it to feel believable. Frances knows the world does not owe her a living.
Frances Miller Ashford, a Description
So, Frances has dark eyes and dark brown curls. I always hear her as having a somewhat breathy voice. Her British accent is via Manchester. It is the kind of accent Americans generally think of when we think of British accents.
She is not cockney and is not some latter-day Eliza Doolittle.
I recently decided on actress Margaret Qualley to be the face of Frances Miller. It was a bonus that Qualley was in a show called Maid!
The idea behind Frances is that she almost blends into the background in the beginning. But, of course, she ends up being a lot bigger and more important than that. Ceilidh is a big part of Frances coming into her own as, of course, Gregory Ashford is, too.
Quotes
Coming from Ballyvaughan, Ceilidh has never used indoor plumbing before. In this scene, Frances explains what to do:
Frances lifted the lid, and showed Ceilidh there was a lacquered wooden seat. “Now here’s all you do, see. You lift the lid like so and let it rest against the back here, see? And then you gather your skirts or your nightgown up and sit down, facing the back.”
“Right, yes, I see.”
“And you do your business, of course. Then you take a sheet of these papers and use it cleanse yourself.”
“What do you do with the paper afterwards?”
“You place it into the bowl, where you just did your business.”
“And then what do you do?”
“You see the lever, and the little frog pull?”
“Yes, ‘tis rather amusing.”
“You pull once and hold it for as long as it takes in your head, to say,” Frances giggled a little, “God Save the Queen.”
“Truly?”
“Truly!”
Relationships
Frances has two main relationships.
Plumber’s Assistant Gregory Ashford
Her romantic one is with her husband, Gregory Ashford. They meet when the plumber is called in, to clear away a clog in the bathroom shared by all the women servants. Gregory is the assistant. While fixing the toilet, he and Ceilidh talk a little. He asks her, “Who is the vision?”
Ceilidh asks for clarification, and he says the vision has brown curls. Ceilidh makes sure to tell Gregory that Frances is Miss Frances Miller.
For Frances, Gregory is utterly unexpected. She and Ceilidh are what anyone of the time would have called old maids. While Frances has always wished and hoped for a family, she is a practical person at heart. Her dreams of love would not necessarily come true.
And so Gregory is a pleasant surprise. He is also kind and gentle and truly cares for her. Frances gets a middle class life, and that is perfect for her.
Ceilidh O’Malley
The only other relationship (really) for Frances is her close friendship with Ceilidh. When Ceilidh arrives, unsure of whether she’ll get work, Frances is the one to help Ceilidh along and assure she gets a job as a scullery maid. Frances wants a friend, someone she can talk to.
No one else in the Edwards household can fill that need for her.
And so Frances kind of puts her thumb on the scale and rigs Ceilidh’s test to be hired. Without Frances and her help, Ceilidh would not have gotten such a good job. And certainly nowhere near as quickly.
The truest of friends, Ceilidh convinces Frances to give Gregory a chance, because plumbers will always have work, so she’ll never starve. Coming from grinding poverty, that’s an enormous plus, so far as Ceilidh is concerned.
The biggest bonus is when Gregory turns out not only to be all right, but to truly be an almost (this is the 1870s and 1880s we’re talking about) equal partner.
Other Servants
Just like Ceilidh and other women of the time, Frances is a victim of what today we would refer to as sexual harassment.
Donald Smith is nasty to everyone, and he leers at virtually every woman he sees. This comes to a stop when Gregory finally steps in and makes it clear that Frances is his girl. At least Donald backs off.
With the other servants, Frances is cordial but not overly friendly. There is nothing about the woman who Ceilidh ends up replacing. I never mention her by name, and neither does Frances. And so I feel we can conclude that the two women were not too terribly close.
Conflict and Turning Point
In the first book, The Real Hub of the Universe, the conflict and turning point for Frances are nearly the same as those for Ceilidh. Without getting too far into spoiler territory, the real issue is that both Ceilidh and Frances could have lost everything.
When Judge Lowell helps out, Frances realizes she’s come from nothing, but has come to have powerful friends.
Her gratitude goes beyond measure.
By the time the series ends, she has achieved a great deal of the middle class dream. In particular, in comparison to someone like the wealthy Margery Cabot Edwards, Frances has true happiness.
Continuity/Easter Eggs
Gregory’s Brighton, Massachusetts house ties in with, of all things, Mettle. It’s just down the street from the house where Craig and Mei-Lin find the solar panels—about 140 years later.
Also, as an expository character, she aligns somewhat with Ixalla from Untrustworthy. But only a little. Ixalla, after all, is well-educated. Frances, while she can ostensibly read and write, has what is likely what we would call dyslexic today.
Also, her name ties her directly to Josie James’s sixth-eldest sibling, Frances Farrah James Walsh.
But Francie is a professional ballerina, and has divorce in her past. She shares custody of her daughter, Gina, with her ex-husband, Clayton. Francie Walsh lives on Titania, a Uranian moon. Her ex has custody of Gina and they live on another Uranian moon, Umbriel.
And so Frances and Francie really just share a name, but nothing else.
Future Plans
I don’t really have future places for her, simply because the series is done. But never say never, for I did write a few short one-offs with her, Ceilidh, Gregory, and Devon. She may very well turn up again. Here’s hoping!
There are also enough hints that there could very well be a sequel series if I ever get a true plot together…
Frances as an old woman could be truly compelling. With her birth in 1858, she could conceivably live into the 1930s. Without it being too much of a stretch, that is. Her earlier, harder life could even give her an advantage during the Great Depression.
But she would still be about 71 when it starts, and that’s pretty old for that era. For a person with a difficult early life, even a survivor like Frances Miller Ashford might not live past her sixties, if that.
Frances Miller Ashford: Takeaways
Every main character needs a sidekick, a kind of bounce off person. Frances is that type of character. This survivor, against all odds, is still sweet and charming. This makes her one of the more optimistic characters I have ever written.
Frances Miller Ashford — because so many main characters need a true best friend.
Want More of Frances Miller Ashford?
If Frances resonates with you, then check out my other articles about them, Ceilidh, Johnny, Devon, Frances, and everyone else as they work to prevent a temporally jacked-up genocide.
Consider Devon Grace, One of My Original Characters
Who is Devon Grace?
Dr. Devon Grace arose from, among other things, Peter Capaldi being tapped to play Dr. Who.
Where Did Devon Grace Come From?
Once Ceilidh is ensconced in Massachusetts, she needed something to do that wasn’t going to be just endless cookery and housework. And then the idea for Devon sprang up, and I realized it could drive the plot rather well.
The Past is Prologue — Backstory for Devon Grace
Rich and privileged, all Devon wants to do is heal people. But it’s the Victorian era, and he’s got a major secret.
He’s gay.
And so, his very existence is essentially illegal.
Female patients seem to sense something about him, so Devon becomes essentially an OB-GYN. He delivers babies and, eventually, women start to trust him to perform abortions. His track record is decent (after all, he’s no quack), but women still die.
It all goes wrong when a relative of a member of Parliament dies on the table.
Arrested, but then charged with buggery, Devon ends up in prison for a year. But he’s lucky. Since Dr. Grace is wealthy, at least he’s not executed.
Post-Disgrace
Banished from practicing medicine in the UK, he comes to America. But he feels horribly guilty and wants to atone. He does so by becoming what we would now call a Public Health Officer. In particular, he helps a morphine addict turn her life around.
Description
Peter Capaldi, who is the only person I see as Dr. Devon Grace
I see Peter Capaldi, hands down. There is no one else.
Purpose/Theme/Motivation
Like the other characters in the Universe of The Real Hub of the Universe, his motivation is to protect the Earth. Much like Ceilidh, he has a redemption arc. Finding love, and finding purpose, are key.
And, along the way, he even finds a more traditional-ish family, marrying Ellen Remy and adopting her son, Richard, who was born out of wedlock.
For Devon, Ellen, and Richard, it’s truly the best of all possible outcomes. She gets security and a degree of respectability, with her son’s future assured. Richard gets a father and a more stable life. And Devon gets a way to return to Scotland legally.
Quotes (to help out Ceilidh in the Charles Street Jail, Devon poses as her husband)
When the church bells rang for one, the jailhouse’s bell rang and Gregory Ashford arrived, looking concerned. Less than half an hour later, the bell rang again, and Ceilidh heard Devon’s voice. “I will visit this prisoner when I please,” he complained.
“Oh, really? And who might you be?” asked the captain.
Devon came close to the bars and Ceilidh could see he was wearing an unfamiliar cloak. Either he had purchased something new, or it was Shannon. He nodded to her and she approached. Unexpectedly, Devon took both her hands in his and kissed them and then said to Marsh, “I am her husband.”
Relationships
For someone who wanted to be left alone in his misery, he ends up making friends and more.
Ceilidh O’Malley
As originally his employee, Ceilidh is a combination serving girl, maid, valet, and confidante. They become closer when they reveal their secrets to each other.
At her annulment hearing, he cosplays as a priest, the third necessary for a hearing. No one needs to be the wiser.
Ellen Remy
Devon loves children and sees an injustice in how Ellen and Richard are treated by most people. He proposes marriage to fix that, but also for his own purposes.
If he can convince the authorities that he’s a changed man (which we would just see as him being forced even further into the closet), he can go back to Scotland to live.
At first, Ellen is afraid he’s in love with her but she doesn’t feel the same way about her. But they come to an understanding.
Carlos
Devon’s old friend is an important member of SPHERE in Europe. They can joke and laugh and end up in love.
Shannon Duffy
The entity known as Shannon Duffy has odd relationships with most human beings. With Devon, the relationship is cordial. They play draughts a lot, and team up to help Ceilidh and Jake and the rest of SPHERE.
Conflict and Turning Point
When the Yarinduin and the Xolana attack, Devon is right in the thick of it.
Continuity/Easter Eggs
Since I also see Capaldi as David Shepherd, I’ve had an intriguing idea. Perhaps Shepherd’s real name should be Devon Grace? I confess I rather like the idea.
Peter Capaldi, who I see as Dr. Devon Grace. Image is for reference purposes only.
If I write another prequel, he would be a fascinating character to cover.
Devon Grace: Takeaways
Complex, sardonic, rueful, but ultimately kind, Devon Grace was a great character to create.
Devon Grace — a doctor character ahead of his time.
Want More of Devon Grace?
If Devon resonates with you, then check out my other articles about Ceilidh, Johnny, Devon, Frances, Shannon and everyone else as they work to prevent a temporally jacked-up genocide.
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