tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29864506.post3513989403650808392..comments2023-11-03T05:49:10.841-04:00Comments on Storytelling Rules: My character is strong and weak and it all somehow makes senseMaureen McGowanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00494408580378817045noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29864506.post-50953480097873633892011-01-14T12:21:50.597-05:002011-01-14T12:21:50.597-05:00Oh, fascinating stuff to think about! I get tired ...Oh, fascinating stuff to think about! I get tired of characters who are always perfect (Jamie and Claire from the Outlander series, anyone?) and I get tired of characters who never overcome their flaws (Stephanie Plum, anyone else?). This is a fascinating way to twist them around a bit.<br /><br />It's definitely hard, Sinead, but so worth it!Eileenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09803986849921870941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29864506.post-92115941001568162582011-01-14T10:54:24.786-05:002011-01-14T10:54:24.786-05:00Great post.
Last weekend, I was reminded by our ...Great post. <br /><br />Last weekend, I was reminded by our own Molly of Robert McKee's take on 3 dimensional characters. (Probably not his, but as we saw that weekend, he takes credit for just about everything on the planet.)<br /><br />Anyway... it was that after you pick the dominant character traits, you have to make sure to show the opposite, too.<br /><br />Weak => Strong<br />Fearful => Brave<br />Trusting => Distrusting<br /><br />Can't tell you how much this has helped me while revising... My character is primarily brave, selfless and diisrusting at the beginning of the book... so I need to show that first. But I also need to show her fearful, selfish and trusting or she'll seem flat.<br />Then as the book progresses, the negative traits that need to change most via her character arc, will slowly morph. I hope. <br /><br />Maybe I'll pull out STORY and try to do a post on this next week, because I also remember this great stuff about using secondary characters to pull out the different sides of your character... (she's brave around everyone but X) (she distrusts everyone but Y) I thought that was brilliant when he said that, but had forgotten it... Very grateful to Molly for sparking it again just at the right time.Maureen McGowanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00494408580378817045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29864506.post-72684044071137933022011-01-14T10:42:49.575-05:002011-01-14T10:42:49.575-05:00Awesome post Sinead!
I'm a huge fan of that ...Awesome post Sinead! <br /><br />I'm a huge fan of that progression as well. One of my favorite stories that never came to light was the story of a barely recovered addict being thrust into a dangerous situation. I wanted that concept of a person barely keeping it together - who now suddenly was in this situation where she had to go even deeper inside herself to pull it out.<br /><br />It's a great challenge and maybe more so for you... because you still want that girl who was there in the beginning to still be there at the end too. <br /><br />And the truth is it's much more realistic that way.<br /><br />Remember Joan Wilder from Romancing the Stone. Total transformation from "scared shy weak woman" to "beautiful confident powerful" woman.<br /><br />Would that really happen after a week with Jack Colton? I don't know. Somethings would change sure... but not everything. <br /><br />We are who we are.Stephanie Doylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17448686465587131952noreply@blogger.com