Gay Ingram's Blog - Posts Tagged "characters"
A Few Notes on Story
A story, like an Oriental carpet, is a pattern and everything in it is supposed to contribute to the design. Ultimately, something should happen in your story; some difference should be made.
But real life is not perfectly ordered–real life is messily patterned, if patterned at all. Fiction that is too neatly patterned will not feel real.
A plot is nothing more than a recap of what your characters do. Plot arises out of opposing forces–forces that come out of the characters. The actions of the characters must have significance; what gives significance to actions is to take the characters toward some kind of resolution from whatever predicament they may be facing. Events happen to,and because of people/characters.
The people you are writing about cause things to happen. The action must follow from some knowledge imparted about the characters. Your character must do that specific “something” because it is the only thing they can do in a given situation, because of who they are rather than because that is what you, the author, wants them to do.
When plot problems occur and our characters refuse to do what we ask of them, it usually means the author is thinking about how the author would handle the problem, not how the character would. If you create characters that are strikingly different from each other will greatly eliminate plotting problems.
But real life is not perfectly ordered–real life is messily patterned, if patterned at all. Fiction that is too neatly patterned will not feel real.
A plot is nothing more than a recap of what your characters do. Plot arises out of opposing forces–forces that come out of the characters. The actions of the characters must have significance; what gives significance to actions is to take the characters toward some kind of resolution from whatever predicament they may be facing. Events happen to,and because of people/characters.
The people you are writing about cause things to happen. The action must follow from some knowledge imparted about the characters. Your character must do that specific “something” because it is the only thing they can do in a given situation, because of who they are rather than because that is what you, the author, wants them to do.
When plot problems occur and our characters refuse to do what we ask of them, it usually means the author is thinking about how the author would handle the problem, not how the character would. If you create characters that are strikingly different from each other will greatly eliminate plotting problems.
Banish The Writer
When you've revised and tweaked your story until it's as good as you can make it, that's the time to banish the writer - yourself - and become the reader - that's you.
Let the story rest for a day or so, maybe even longer. Then find a time when you can begin and finish reading your story in one sitting. It's important to absorb the experience of your story with this read-through.
Only after a complete read-through will you then take up a pen and make notes as you ask yourself a few questions.
Does the title suit the story's tone and subject? Did it engage you, tease you into reading the story? It may be as the story evolved during the reading that you realized it needed a different title. There could be a key phrase or passage tucked inside the story just waiting to be discovered.
Did the story's opening lines compel you to continue? Or is your opening too cluttered, or delays the start of the story? Search for an opening that will launch the reader directly into the story. Then keep the action in forward motion. Take the reader somewhere interesting.
Stories, like life, are about human problems. Characters need to struggle toward those solutions -- and be changed in some why by their struggles. A satisfying story leaves the reader reminded of their own life's struggles and encouraged by the characters' victories.
Let the story rest for a day or so, maybe even longer. Then find a time when you can begin and finish reading your story in one sitting. It's important to absorb the experience of your story with this read-through.
Only after a complete read-through will you then take up a pen and make notes as you ask yourself a few questions.
Does the title suit the story's tone and subject? Did it engage you, tease you into reading the story? It may be as the story evolved during the reading that you realized it needed a different title. There could be a key phrase or passage tucked inside the story just waiting to be discovered.
Did the story's opening lines compel you to continue? Or is your opening too cluttered, or delays the start of the story? Search for an opening that will launch the reader directly into the story. Then keep the action in forward motion. Take the reader somewhere interesting.
Stories, like life, are about human problems. Characters need to struggle toward those solutions -- and be changed in some why by their struggles. A satisfying story leaves the reader reminded of their own life's struggles and encouraged by the characters' victories.
