I know at least one other person has already done this word for the day, but when I think about my writing journey, it’s not like the letter ‘B’. I don’t have fifty different words that pop into my head at once.
There’s only the one. Character. Because I write character driven stories. I’ve heard many, many discussions about whether or not all stories are. And it’s a topic for a different thread (like this one). When I sit down to tell a tale, regardless of what kind of intricate plot I’ve woven in my head or in an outline, in the end it always comes down to me wanting to see what happens to the characters.
Not so concerned about whether or not the government conspiracy was real, or the big-bad corporation was or wasn’t in the right. I want to know how my characters fared when it was all over.
This is something I’ve known about my own writing for a long time, but it hit me really hard on Saturday when I was discussing revision ideas with my muse (yes, my spouse is my living, breathing muse). She’s very much about the story. Whatever changes need to be made to make the overall story work, that’s what gets done. Which doesn’t always coincide with character progression.
There’s a relationship in this story that I adore. I’m very much attached to how the two characters feel about each other. And each time we talk revisions, she suggests I remove it and don’t even hint at it beginning until the end of the book. But I keep managing to sneak it back in and she called me on it again yesterday. “Why are they already together?”
And I didn’t have a good response except that in my head, that’s how these two characters are. It generates a lot of my conflict, it motivates them, and it gives me warm fuzzies.
It makes me wonder how others feel about a character’s place in the story. Are you one of those who believes characters drive a tale, or one who feels they should be molded and bent to suit the story? Will you overlook a 2-D character in favor of a fantastic plot, or will someone you can relate to steal your heart regardless of how weak their plight is?
Characters should always lead. I’ve abandoned weeks worth of careful plotting work to let my characters play out what they want to happen. You can’t force characters into a life they don’t want to live; it’s just never going to work that way. Great post!
Character and plot works together. For me, they influence each other. I let the story unfold, as well as the characters’ personalities. I usually solidify these things in the revision.
Even plot driven stories lack dimension if the characters aren’t well developed.
Things happening is history. People doing things is story. It always has to be about the people first, in my opinion.
By the way, my spouse is my muse too. 🙂
Always characters. You have to let them breathe and live their own lives. If what they want to do doesn’t fit with your preconceived plot, change the plot. The characters are more important and you have to be true to them.
Can you guess what my answer is? I bet you can. 😀
I did a Character post as well but it’s okay cause mine was about the Character Cafe and Noah got to do a little speaking on the post. It was fun. Though I love your approach, of course.
And for the non-maybe-alpha-readers, i.e. other commenters who don’t know me. My answer is Characters, all the way, because I am telling the character’s story. They always come to me, even in the dream ones, with part plot but definite MC and I develop things from there. One of my friends does it the other way: he builds the world and story then finds the character to tell it through. Whatever works.