That is why the characters that writers create matter.
In 1998, I was sitting at my desk at work. And I was bored.
At the time, I was the sales manager for an itty-bitty audiophile record label. Though I was good at my job, it came with long periods where I had nothing to do.
A vision popped into my head. There he was – a man in a robe, with a staff – the stereotypical sorcerer. And a company of armed men was hell-bent on riding him down.
He raised his staff, cast his spell, released his power – and rolled the ground like ocean waves under his pursuers – throwing them like dandelion spores into the wind. But it was too much power – and the sorcerer collapses and passes out.
Thus began the first draft of Seeker – book one of the Source Chronicles. From there, I had a powerful character who had lost his power choosing to live rather than die – and seeking to restore what he was.
Oh, and in the process fulfill the prophecy that is his destiny.
This scene now only appears in part and as a flashback in the finished novel. But it began with a character that, to my mind, is just as alive as you and I.
One thing I have learned over the years is that the best fictional characters seem utterly real. This, for some writers, is a challenge. For others – it’s first and foremost.
Plot-driven versus character-driven
In my experience, there are two approaches most writers take. They have a plot – and it drives their characters. Or they have characters – and the plot drives them.
I have mixed this up over the years. My first book – written at age-9 – was plot-driven. Robots are created, allowed to take over all life activities, the kids of the world rebel and fight to stop the robots. Seeker – the first novel I wrote as an adult – is character-driven. Sorcerer has a prophecy to fulfill – and loses his power. How does he get it back and succeed to save the world?
I recognize that there is a plot there – but it’s secondary to the characters of the story. The initial scenes I wrote were all focused on my three main characters – the sorcerer and his motivations, the king and his, and the princess and her motivations. Character-driven.
I have managed to write 2 novels in one series without having worked out the over-arching plot. Clouds of Authority, the first novel in my Vapor Rogues Steampunk series, was done (and published). I was 2/3 of the way through completing Clouds of Destiny when I figured out the overall plot.
Neither of the Vapor Rogues novels are less than 400 pages.
But The Vapor Rogues was unique in another way. Because I started with a short story in this world – and the world was a Steampunk/Cyberpunk/Dieselpunk amalgam – I began worldbuilding first. This was a new approach for me. Characters drove the story. But the world they lived in was so unique that I had to assemble it in detail first.
Until recently, I still gave most of my attention to character – with the overall plot the afterthought. That’s how the Void Incursion series began. But Forgotten Fodder is plot-driven.
What’s the difference and how does it impact the characters?
The difference, for me, between writing from a character-driven perspective versus one that is plot-driven is a matter of approach.
The characters of the stories I write are real in my head. I can hear their voices when I write their dialogue. And they have relatable (or unrelatable) motivations for all that they do.
But if all my focus is on the characters – my writing can meander a bit. Without a focal plot driving them and their actions – lots of things happen that might interest ME the writer – but don’t truly drive the story forward. And that can drag out the story in a way that might not draw a reader’s interest.
I have encountered books, movies, and TV shows where the plot was everything. But because driving the plot was so important – the characters were lacking. They were undeveloped, or mere archetypes and stereotypes, and not terribly relatable.
Some have been commercially successful. But the best stories are the ones that merge plot and character.
They invest you in the person, their motivations, and how they handle given situations. The characters feel like people you know or could know. They are relatable and utterly real.
I can name multiple characters from multiple authors that I think are easy to picture as real. Harry Dresden, Ender Wiggin, the Alchemist, Hermione Granger, Lessa, Jon Snow, and more. All get caught up in various plots – but they seem real and relatable.
Plot without characters is not as interesting. But likewise, I’m finding characters without a plot need the direction for the story to take shape.
How fictional characters are made real
I don’t know how other authors do it. But this is my approach.
I see into the mind of my characters. Their desires, motivations, habits, beliefs, values. They are almost as clear to me as my own. However, they retain some things that I can’t get at right away. Just like encountering real people.
Jeck Murtsharn – one of the main characters of my Void Incursion series – is driven by duty, a personal moral code, and a sense of honor to do right by himself and those he works with or serves. But he’s not above taking matters into his own hands – even against regulations. He’s clearly a good guy
Varlock-Sharron Anduin, the king in Seeker, is similar to Jeck Murtsharn. But he also believes that his position and traditions sometimes must overrule his personal desires. What’s more, he does some less-than-kind things. He’s a much more ambiguous character. Good guy? Bad guy?
Onima Gwok – the interplanetary marshal in my Void Incursion series – is all about justice and making sure criminals are not allowed to get away. While she’s often by-the-book, she will skirt legalities sometimes to do what’s right. She’s tough but fair – and recognizes her prejudice towards clones. And accepts when that gets challenged. Clearly a good guy.
Three different settings, three different characters. All of them are real to me. My goal is to convey that to the reader – so that they feel as invested in their stories as I am.
That, to me, is what makes fictional characters amazing and real. Relatability, flaws, ambiguity, imperfections, and other utterly human traits.
What are some of your favorite fictional characters – and why?
This is the one-hundred and fortieth article exploring the ongoing creative process. Please take a moment to check out the collection of my published works, which can be found here.
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