Ask the Author: Chandler Brett
Answered Questions (8)
Chandler Brett
That question is deceptively simple, but many writers (both literary critics and ethicists) have written pages about the topic.
But I'll stay with the simple. Character is one of the four basic building blocks (Aristotle) of stories. We cannot really have a story without having someone at the center of it. But if some philosopher were to poke at us and try to get us to describe exactly what a character is then we would probably list a series of things that character does in the story, what he/she likes, and what kind of relationships he/she has with other characters in the story. Some authors like to draw up "character sheets" listing all these details before actually writing the book.
Some modern ethicists have spoken about the importance of "character" in understanding how people make decisions. These ethicists attempt to understand how our upbringing, our communities (family, ethnic, state, linguistic, etc.), and our place in history shape our understanding of what is right and what is wrong. These teachers would ask us to consider the question "Who am I?" even as we answer the question "What am I supposed to do?" Our actions add up to a whole many call our "character."
But that just scratches the surface. ;)
But I'll stay with the simple. Character is one of the four basic building blocks (Aristotle) of stories. We cannot really have a story without having someone at the center of it. But if some philosopher were to poke at us and try to get us to describe exactly what a character is then we would probably list a series of things that character does in the story, what he/she likes, and what kind of relationships he/she has with other characters in the story. Some authors like to draw up "character sheets" listing all these details before actually writing the book.
Some modern ethicists have spoken about the importance of "character" in understanding how people make decisions. These ethicists attempt to understand how our upbringing, our communities (family, ethnic, state, linguistic, etc.), and our place in history shape our understanding of what is right and what is wrong. These teachers would ask us to consider the question "Who am I?" even as we answer the question "What am I supposed to do?" Our actions add up to a whole many call our "character."
But that just scratches the surface. ;)
Chandler Brett
Stefania, I'm sorry to hear about your loss. That grief is always difficult.
I do appreciate your question and think it is a great one for World Wildlife Day.
Having read Call of the Wild as a boy, I grew up with a vision of the harshness of wolf pack life, but my own observations (of wolves in captivity) coupled with research (particularly the work of Jim and Jamie Dutcher) revealed another side--how wolves work together in hunting, in raising pups, and in caring for wounded members.
And as Wolf Code came together and I researched both Cherokee culture and wolf pack politics, I heard Cherokee storytellers drawing connections between the potential extinction of the red wolf and the threat of losing Cherokee ways. The symbolism gives you pause. We in the United States live with the legacy of a dark and troubled history.
I hope those who read Wolf Code will come away with both a renewed appreciation for the Cherokee people and a realization that wolves are not just "dangerous animals we cannot control," but they are misunderstood social animals who are devoted toward one another. Wolves are not pets, so we cannot see them through the same lens as the dogs who wait for us at home, but they are animals with whom we can live if we work at it. Respect is key.
I do appreciate your question and think it is a great one for World Wildlife Day.
Having read Call of the Wild as a boy, I grew up with a vision of the harshness of wolf pack life, but my own observations (of wolves in captivity) coupled with research (particularly the work of Jim and Jamie Dutcher) revealed another side--how wolves work together in hunting, in raising pups, and in caring for wounded members.
And as Wolf Code came together and I researched both Cherokee culture and wolf pack politics, I heard Cherokee storytellers drawing connections between the potential extinction of the red wolf and the threat of losing Cherokee ways. The symbolism gives you pause. We in the United States live with the legacy of a dark and troubled history.
I hope those who read Wolf Code will come away with both a renewed appreciation for the Cherokee people and a realization that wolves are not just "dangerous animals we cannot control," but they are misunderstood social animals who are devoted toward one another. Wolves are not pets, so we cannot see them through the same lens as the dogs who wait for us at home, but they are animals with whom we can live if we work at it. Respect is key.
Chandler Brett
I do remember stories I wrote in elementary and middle school, and as many who grew up in that time will confess, Tolkien's books and the game Dungeon and Dragons were major influences. But the story I remember most vividly centered on a snow leopard hunting an ibex in the Himalayan Mountains. I was in eleventh grade, and most of my classmates were writing teen coming-of-age stories, but mine stood out to my teacher, who wrote the word "exotic" across the top of my paper. I treasure that memory and hope one day soon to get back around to a new snow leopard story.
Chandler Brett
(1) Learn your craft well. Study grammar and sentence/story structure. If necessary, find an author you enjoy and "deconstruct" his/her work--this is more easily done in terms of paragraphs or short stories, but some writers learn by copying entire novels.
(2) Read widely so that you know your field, but also so that you can get ideas for your own stories.
(3) Get advice from trusted readers. This step can be challenging. You need someone who can point out weak areas. If you cannot handle criticism, then this path may not be for you. You need to understand that successful stories most likely have been revised many, many times. (For example, see Christopher Tolkien's History of Middle Earth series, which gives us the rare glimpse into the various fragments that went into the making of The Lord of the Rings.) However, there is a balance, and you should not change something in your story just because one beta reader did not like it; you should get a wider consensus. (And reading what is currently popular can help you create better instincts.)
(4) Keep writing. You can't stop at one short story or one novel. Most writers, if they achieve a wide readership, don't "succeed" until the second, third, fourth, or fifth novel.
(5) Read the biographies of other authors and make friends with other authors to pull your expectations down to a more realistic level. This field is highly competitive, and books compete with movies and video games. It's a tough path.
(2) Read widely so that you know your field, but also so that you can get ideas for your own stories.
(3) Get advice from trusted readers. This step can be challenging. You need someone who can point out weak areas. If you cannot handle criticism, then this path may not be for you. You need to understand that successful stories most likely have been revised many, many times. (For example, see Christopher Tolkien's History of Middle Earth series, which gives us the rare glimpse into the various fragments that went into the making of The Lord of the Rings.) However, there is a balance, and you should not change something in your story just because one beta reader did not like it; you should get a wider consensus. (And reading what is currently popular can help you create better instincts.)
(4) Keep writing. You can't stop at one short story or one novel. Most writers, if they achieve a wide readership, don't "succeed" until the second, third, fourth, or fifth novel.
(5) Read the biographies of other authors and make friends with other authors to pull your expectations down to a more realistic level. This field is highly competitive, and books compete with movies and video games. It's a tough path.
Chandler Brett
I agree with Tad Williams: writer's block is really your mind telling you that you are not ready to write that story. I usually write down all that I can in a brainstorming session to highlight those areas that still need to be filled in, and then I put that project down, allowing my mind time to mull over all the different possibilities to find the "missing link" that allows me to drive the story forward. There are plenty of other tasks that a writer can address while waiting for the crucial connection to spark.
Chandler Brett
As C. S. Lewis started Narnia with the vivid image of a lamppost in the middle of a snow-covered wood (leading to that important scene between Lucy and Mr. Tumnus), I began Wolf Code with a singular image, but since my imagination gave me an ending, I cannot share exactly what it was. However, I can say the originating idea did involve wolves, and as I drew up the backstory that would lead to this ending, I discovered complexities that drew the original short story into a novel and then a trilogy. I wanted to move back to a more realistic portrait of wolves, like we saw with Jack London, rather than the shapeshifter vision we see today in the popular genre of paranormal/urban fantasy.
Along the way I discovered researchers like Jim and Jamie Dutcher were arguing that we still have not seen wolves as the social and familial animals they are, so I decided Wolf Code needed to put pack politics on display. Then when I started to develop the human characters who play a key role in the story, I decided I wanted one who was an animal-rights activist, who came from a background that valued wolves. Native American cultures have been much more attuned to the natural world than any other traditions in American history, so I went researching the Cherokee, a people I've admired for many years. Then to create an opposite perspective, I naturally chose a video game designer, who has devoted his life to the digital world.
Finally I began asking a series of questions. What would happen if these two radically different characters came together? And how would their stories affect the lives of the wolves? How could I get adults who didn't usually read "animal fantasy" to give this story a try? How would this story differ from Call of the Wild or Watership Down? Is there such a genre as "animal science fiction"?
That is the process that birthed Wolf Code. Be sure to hang in there for books 2 and 3. The ride only gets more exciting and intricate!
Along the way I discovered researchers like Jim and Jamie Dutcher were arguing that we still have not seen wolves as the social and familial animals they are, so I decided Wolf Code needed to put pack politics on display. Then when I started to develop the human characters who play a key role in the story, I decided I wanted one who was an animal-rights activist, who came from a background that valued wolves. Native American cultures have been much more attuned to the natural world than any other traditions in American history, so I went researching the Cherokee, a people I've admired for many years. Then to create an opposite perspective, I naturally chose a video game designer, who has devoted his life to the digital world.
Finally I began asking a series of questions. What would happen if these two radically different characters came together? And how would their stories affect the lives of the wolves? How could I get adults who didn't usually read "animal fantasy" to give this story a try? How would this story differ from Call of the Wild or Watership Down? Is there such a genre as "animal science fiction"?
That is the process that birthed Wolf Code. Be sure to hang in there for books 2 and 3. The ride only gets more exciting and intricate!
Chandler Brett
Wolf Code is a trilogy. A Sheltering Wilderness is the first book. Two others follow: Wilderness War and Wilderness End. I am currently working on these two books as well as a short story featuring Brie Washington (a background character in Wolf Code).
Chandler Brett
There are many joys along the path to help temper the wide array of setbacks, anxieties, and frustrations. I particularly enjoy three things: brainstorming, writing dialogue, and reading my stories to an audience.
As I've mentioned, brainstorming is enjoyable because it is the time when a writer can entertain all sorts of possibilities and paths for the story to take. I know when a story idea grabs me; sometimes it hits me while I have pen in hand (my preferred method for brainstorming), but more often than not, the idea can galvanize when I'm driving down the road or when I'm lying in bed, awake before the alarm goes off, or when I'm washing dishes. I need this excitement often to carry me through the resistance that often comes when "it is time to write."
I also enjoy writing dialogue. I have background in drama--in acting and directing--and enjoy the process of "inhabiting" a character, bringing a character to life on the stage through mental images that affect they way a character walks, talks, and interacts with others in the play. Although description does involve point-of-view decisions, dialogue really gives me a chance to explore what my characters want and how those desires compete with each other. Dialogue also gives writers a chance to hint at backstory and characterization. And finally, I enjoy having characters make verbal digs at each other--sarcasm and wit are key.
Finally, perhaps again drawing on my experiences with drama, but also connecting back to my first experiences with stories as a child, I love the process of reading a story and sharing it with others. All those introverted hours spent shaping stories now have some sort of payoff. You also learn quickly whether your story is connecting with your audience!
As I've mentioned, brainstorming is enjoyable because it is the time when a writer can entertain all sorts of possibilities and paths for the story to take. I know when a story idea grabs me; sometimes it hits me while I have pen in hand (my preferred method for brainstorming), but more often than not, the idea can galvanize when I'm driving down the road or when I'm lying in bed, awake before the alarm goes off, or when I'm washing dishes. I need this excitement often to carry me through the resistance that often comes when "it is time to write."
I also enjoy writing dialogue. I have background in drama--in acting and directing--and enjoy the process of "inhabiting" a character, bringing a character to life on the stage through mental images that affect they way a character walks, talks, and interacts with others in the play. Although description does involve point-of-view decisions, dialogue really gives me a chance to explore what my characters want and how those desires compete with each other. Dialogue also gives writers a chance to hint at backstory and characterization. And finally, I enjoy having characters make verbal digs at each other--sarcasm and wit are key.
Finally, perhaps again drawing on my experiences with drama, but also connecting back to my first experiences with stories as a child, I love the process of reading a story and sharing it with others. All those introverted hours spent shaping stories now have some sort of payoff. You also learn quickly whether your story is connecting with your audience!
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