Writing realistic military characters in fiction requires a blend of accurate representation, character development, and narrative integration. As a developmental editor, a Book Coach, and a retired U.S. Army Green Beret, I’m often asked by authors with little or no military background to look at their manuscripts. Below are the areas that a Military Technical Expert can help an author with:
- Military Training, Skills, Uniforms, Weapons, and Equipment: Giving realistic training and skills to military characters, including basic training, specialized skills, and ongoing education. Also, ensuring that the uniforms, weapons, and equipment used by characters are appropriate for the time period of the story and the mission of the characters.
- Chain of Command and Military Hierarchy: Ensuring that military hierarchy, ranks, and the chain of command in different branches are used accurately within the author’s world.
- Military Culture and Jargon: Ensuring the dialogue used by military personnel in the story is accurate and realistic. The military has a unique culture that includes traditions and language (jargon and acronyms) which are not always accurately represented in books or on television.
- Psychological Impact of Military Service: Ensuring that the mental and emotional challenges faced by military personnel, including PTSD, camaraderie, and coping mechanisms, aren’t misrepresented in the author’s story. The last thing you want is to receive negative feedback from your readers about how you have not captured the reality of such things.
- Physical Demands and Lifestyle: Ensuring that the physical demands of military life, including fitness requirements, injuries, and daily routines, are accurately represented in the author’s story.
- Deployment and Combat Experience: Accurately showing the impact of deployment, combat zones, and warfare on soldiers.
- Relationships and Family Dynamics: Making an author’s story deeper by delving into how military service affects personal relationships, family life, and friendships.
- Ethical Dilemmas and Decision Making: Accurately representing the ethical challenges soldiers may face, including rules of engagement and moral dilemmas.
- Historical and Contemporary Military Contexts: Creating realistic scenarios from the GWOT, Desert Storm, Operation Just Cause, and other operations. Being able to draw on military contacts outside of the expert’s experience in order to help authors create realistic historical backdrops for their stories.
- Transition to Civilian Life: Accurately building a character’s history who has served in the military but then moved on to another career. A military technical expert can help bring depth to your characters by addressing the challenges and experiences veterans have as they transition back into civilian life.
Each of these topics can contribute significantly to the depth and realism of your military characters, making your story more engaging and credible to readers familiar with military life.
If you are interested in discussing your work in progress with a Military Technical Expert, contact us here.
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