A subway car is a microcosm of life. Its riders are a random sampling of society, the characters in that scene from life's novel. Look at this picture. Who are these people? What would happen if a disaster struck, if the train jumped its tracks the moment after this picture was snapped? The answer depends on the personalities of the people thrown together and what they carry with them in terms of priorities and their life experiences.I'm a virgin novelist, as many of you know. I may be approaching this project backwards, but it's occurred to me that assembling my first cast of characters is a little like walking onto a subway train and picking a handful of people. As I get to know the strangers I've invited into my project, I'm reminded of a great truth in life: We're all struggling down our life paths.
Nobody has it easy in life. You can take five people, for example, and in the group have:
- A successful Marketing Rep
- A gorgeous fitness model
- A creative storyteller
- A well-known entertainer
- A Martha Stewart-style homemaker
But within that same group and in shuffled order, you also have:
- A person paralyzed by fear of failure
- A woman who kicked her cheating husband out but is afraid to divorce him and truly be on her own
- A drug addict, in and out of rehap
- A blind person
- A first-time mother transitioning to the new life of parenthood
If you were sitting on a subway train with these five people, you probably couldn't guess which description from each list went with what person (unless New Mom had Baby with her!).
As I flesh out the characters for my novel, I appreciate the importance of acknowledging all the successes and failures with which a character is dealing, within the timeframe of the novel. How a person acts and reacts in a scene is dependent on the combination of their conflicts and what they've experienced in life. I'm enjoying exploring what those things are and deciding how they will impact the plot of the novel.
What about you? When you start a project, are you more apt to know the personalities you need and build characters around them? Or are you like me and create characters who then reveal themselves in ways you didn't anticipate, so that you have to adapt the plot to accomodate them?
23 comments:
What a great post. I really enjoyed this. I find myself wondering those sorts of things when I'm on the bus or train, or simply passing people while I'm walking down the street. Great mental exercise for character development.
Concerning the open query at the end of your post; I think whatever works for the individual is a good approach, as long as the story is still well-developed in the end.
In my own work, I am extremely systematic when it comes to character development. I allow myself a very brief window of opportunity to explore different possibilities. By the time I start writing the actual story I have a definite grasp on who does what, and why.
Still, I think it's good to keep an open mind when writing, and often I'll come to a point where it's almost as if the character itself is telling me, "Hey, I wouldn't do that. I would do this."
Even so, sometimes I have to take the reigns back and say, "No, no you wouldn't. I wrote you, and I absolutely know you wouldn't."
Well, there you have it. I guess for me writing is closely related to a bout of schizophrenia; Most of the time I maintain full control, and the rest of the time I let the voices in my head do the typing. Hahha.
What motivates you to allow your characters to lead your story? Is it the thrill of being a part of the adventure as it is being written, or something else?
I would have to say I'm more like you where my characters are pre-destined for certain things and then they take over the story somewhere around chapter three so all I have to do is listen when they talk and write down what they say.
Excellent post Nicole.
Hi Michael!
Thanks for following me :)
I think my main motivation in this project, allowing me to follow the lead of my characters is to learn what happens when I do. I've not written a novel before so I'm opening myself up to whatever happens creatively. Hopefully, through trial and error, I'll find what works best for me. Though, I think you're right that every project demands something different.
Thanks for the comment!
Hi Anne~
Most of my short story characters wind up seemingly "channeled" instead of "written" by me. I think you're right and we should listen to what the characters already know about themselves. I love how you said it: ...write down what they say.
((hugs)) Nicole
I usually have to adapt. My characters like to change things up on me regularly. It's the only thing I really can plan on!
Great post! I seem to start with the characters and let them reveal themselves to me.
I really enjoyed this--Thanks!
Loving this post!!! One of my favorites, really makes you think! I tried the route of creating the personality and running with it but realized that didn't work. So I knew a few traits she would need (strength & curiousity) with those two I molded her, or I should say she molded herself into her own, she decided what she was capable of and I made sure everything fit. Creating them beforehand isn't as much fun as diving in and learning about the character yourself!
I'm like you! I create characters and then find out more about them as I go on. Great post!
Kristin~ That's what I've been finding happening to me! But, it's fun :D
Christine~ That's the magic of creative writing!
Jen~ I agree, it's much more fun seeing where those petulant characters decide to go!
Aubrie~ I just knew we had a lot it common!
TERRIFIC post, Nicole. I love that picture and how annoyed that woman on the bottom right looks. LOL
When I start a story, I have a faint idea of what I want my character to be. But little by little, as they begin living the plot, they begin to evolve with it. Sometimes I feel like my characters are driving me and I'm simply the tool through which they live their lives. I love when that happens. It's like giving birth to a completely new person and not knowing exactly what they'll be like.
Julie~ Perfectly said! That is exactly how it feels. Thanks for sharing!!
I love looking at people and making up stories. There are some real crazies on the Tube here, so there are plenty of opportunities!
I like to have a character base to build on - to know enough about them to begin - but to let them evolve over the course of the first draft.
Great post!
It's definitely a learning experience for me as well as my characters. Though I have discovered they know me a lot better than I know them, especially at the beginning. Not quite sure how I feel about that.
I just keep writing and look forward to getting to know more about those who've been living in my head for so long.
I'm like you - they always reveal stuff i didn't expect. In my WIP the male MC is much more insecure than i first thought. And my female MC is less selfish than i had planned. Who knew?
Clearly they did
Great post. I usually know my characters before I start, and it's the plot that tends to unfold as I write.
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I tend to do both. I have a few characters that have specific purposes and personalities, but then there are those that start off as filler but end up developing into something special. Those are the ones I'm really proud of.
I'm a combo. I have character sketches and a sense of my characters according to my road map and ideas, but I have to actually write my way in to establish their voices. The character sketches have to keep getting tweaked because the characters evolve.
Love this post, probably one of my favorites because 1) I love trains (weird, I know) and 2) I am ALL about characters, even more than plot or any other element.
I definitely have a clear idea of who my characters are before I write. But just because I'm a plotter and a major character planner doesn't mean that they don't jump out and surprise me sometimes. I like giving them a little bit of room and seeing what they'd do in a situation.
Good post. :)
I tend to know my 2 main characters pretty well. They usually walk around in my head for a few days or weeks before I start to write. The 2ndary characters tend to surprise me along the way!
This may be completely not PC, but my characters tell their own story. Yes, they come from my imagination, but they seem to dictate actions that are true to their character, and I have to respect them. It's a fun ride!
This sort of made me think of the improv game where people of two different personalities are together on a park bench and must interact.
With my current WIP, I described a character, and I pulled from the description her personality, which gave birth to her decent sized sub-plot. Other times, I get plot then character. It happens any which way sometimes.
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