That’s what we ask ourselves when we write. We put our protagonist in a “situation” or we cause something to happen to her or him, then we ask ourselves, what would we do, then we have our character do that. And, voila, the plot moves forward.
So now I’m asking you, Does it? Does the plot move forward?
You trap your protagonist in a cave with no obvious way out, then you ask, OK, how would I get out? How would I react in this situation? Or you have your protagonist find out she has cancer or diabetes and you then think, how would I react?
How you would react is not integral to your story. What matters is how that character would react. How that person would react and what that person would do. If your characters are just mini-yous, then they are not real people. Sure, they’re gonna have bits of you in them (you are their creator), but they are not you.
Stop and think of all the different possibilities. Your character has just been given really bad medical news. What will she do?
Go to bed and cry for two days.In any situation there are a myriad of possibilities. Don’t just go with the first one that comes to mind – the one you would do. Your protagonist has to be real to you or she won’t be real to the reader. So ask her or let her tell you.
Run to the gym and exercise herself into exhaustion.
Call friends and tell each of them.
Hide the prognosis and tell no one.
Tell only one trusted friend.
Get on the Internet and begin researching.
Stop on the way home to have her will changed.
Sit by the lake and try to soak in the beauty of the water and ducks.
Sell her house and begin a quest to do the things on her bucket list.
Call her siblings and tell them the prognosis so they can get tested.
Throw out her brown suit and pumps and head to the nightclub for some fun.
Make appointments with specialists and begin treatment.
Have you written a character that didn’t do what you would have done? Were you surprised? Did you learn something by listening to him or her?
I haven't consciously tried it, but my characters almost never behave the way I would or the way I would want them to. But I guess that is what makes the whole writing process so interesting.
ReplyDeleteI think the fun of writing is to let your protagonist do the things you wouldn't do, what you couldn't do or didn't dare to do ... escape from reality >:)
ReplyDeleteCold As Heaven
It is fun. I like having a character do something and I think to myself, wow, I hadn't thought of that.
ReplyDeleteIt's all a surprise to me. I'm not expecting anything that my characters do...
ReplyDeleteI just noticed you tweeted yesterdays post. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI do like to consider the possibilities, and will sometimes have my character react, or do something I would like to do, but might not have the nerve to!
ReplyDeleteI'm with Cold as Heaven on this one. I like the characters (in some instances anyway) to act/do differently than I would. While I do like to consider how *I* would deal with certain situations that character always differs in how best to handle things. Their life circumstances are also almost always so different from mine that the choices are inherently different.
ReplyDeleteI make my characters live and, in return, I get to live through them sometimes. ;)
I was writing the 2nd book and had my character second-guess herself about walking into a high-class establishment wearing, let's just say, sad, wrinkled, faded clothes. She walked away, but the scene wasn't working. Eventually I figured out it was because my character WOULDN'T walk away. Her sense of curiousity would overrule her sense of fashion. I'm not certain whether that's what I would have done or not...
ReplyDeleteGayle Carline, author of FREEZER BURN.
You're welcome, Liza. If I were "with it" enough, I'd open Twitter every morning before I started visiting blogs. Alas, I am not that organized.
ReplyDeleteKimberly, I like the idea of living through our characters.
Gayle, I love that example!
If my characters only did what I would do, they'd be pretty darned boring.
ReplyDelete~jon
My characters are much braver than I am. They're constantly doing things I would worry about and fret about for ages before chickening out :)
ReplyDeleteI really like your idea of making a list of all of the options. Then you can think about your character more clearly and the option she chooses will actually further the characterisation. Great!
ReplyDeleteMy main character is very cocky and defiant, so his reactions are way different than mine.
ReplyDeleteIt's a good thing I don't write myself in as a character. Like some of you said, that character would be pretty boring and more of a listener than a talker.
ReplyDeleteMy characters always seem to act in ways that surprise me. I don’t think any of them have the same reactions to situations that I would and for me that’s part of the joy of writing.
ReplyDeleteIsn't this interesting? Most of us seem to write characters who are quite different from us.
ReplyDeleteMy first characters were more like me, but it quickly expanded into ones who were very different!
ReplyDeleteI have struggled against myself in writing many times. It's hard to let yourself go! But when I just let my characters take over...Yes, they can be surprising--which is eye-opening for me.
ReplyDeleteMichele
SouthernCityMysteries
Characters aren't happy when they're stuffed into role they don't want. If you try to force them to do something against their character, it'll show. You, the writer, created these people. Listen to them.
ReplyDeleteHelen, there's no way my characters do what I'd do. I'm a terrified & shy wimp! You're right, we should list several options, and go with the best one for our character.
ReplyDeleteJulie, perhaps we should start a wimp club.
ReplyDeleteI think allowing your characters to do the unexpected can only improve the work--it may also allow the writer to grow individually as well.
ReplyDeleteI think that the *choices* we have as writers (how characters will react, what direction the plot will go in) is almost overwhelming...but it's fun. :)
ReplyDeleteWhat an important reminder, Helen. Early on my characters seemed too much like me, but I learned to let them be their own persons with practice. Jenny in One Small Victory is one character who really isn't me. I don't think I would have the courage to do what she did by working as a confidential informant and facing down a major drug dealer.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant post and this is fantastic method for character development. My protagonists are always like me though..it's much easier. Which is slightly strange though, because all of them are psychotic. :(
ReplyDeleteBrilliant post and this is fantastic method for character development. My protagonists are always like me though..it's much easier. Which is slightly strange though, because all of them are psychotic. :(
ReplyDeleteI will definitely search the internet but I think I will cry too.
ReplyDeleteSteamy Darcy
Maryann, what fun was that! Getting to live and do things through your character. (And also difficult to write.)
ReplyDeleteCulture Served Raw - very funny!
Excellent post. I do love wondering what I would do in various situations. It is almost like playing what if, which is my favourite game. The really interesting thing is that it may seem like there is only one or two options but then when you think about it and get really specific, there are almost limitless options in every situation and finding the right one for your character can sometimes take a bit of time and consideration.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this.