Tuesday, April 07, 2009

Plot and Character Happy Together....So Happy Together

I wish. Oh! How I wish I could just make my plot and character walk through a movie musical montage - holding hands, skipping through the surf, enjoying candlelight and other delights. Instead, I have two toddlers in the back seat of a car - strapped in, tired, bored with one toy between them.

Mine! No mine! I'm not going to be your friend! I'm not going to be YOUR friend!

Not working together, barely speaking all the way to the end.

I totally get that your characters drive your plot -- plot with characters along for a ride is bad for business -- look at Season Three of Lost, Season Two of Friday Night Lights. But sometimes, isn't that just the way things work? And work best?

I really hope that I've put enough time in up front, showing the reader that yes, these are the kinds of characters who get into these kinds of problems. And no, sometimes they don't make the best decisions. And now that I'm in the home stretch all the birds are coming home to roost and these two people have some explaining to do?

I've revealed all this character, shown all this growth but the only thing that can really put this stuff to the test is plot. Big upheaval. Wreck the ant hill and watch them run around like crazy?

That works. Right?

1 comment:

Maureen McGowan said...

Watching ants run around totally works, Molly. You'll get there. I have total faith that you'll get those toddlers to play nice.

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