Thus, we must work one sentence at a time within the framework of our story. The word is our basic tool, the sentence our toolbox and the finished product our entire career. So you sit down to write a best seller. You either have the idea for the story in your head or you have written an outline. Now, you must introduce your hero, heroine or whomever.
Every story has at least one of each.
Let s assume you are about to begin a murder mystery, with your heroine being a police detective, Irene Carson. Of course, you want Irene to be different than other lady cops you ve read. Just take her from one of your favorite author s stories, change her name and change the story a bit. No, this might not be plagiarism. Awfully close, though.