By: Jami Gold
Within the writing community, there are just as
many articles (if not more) about developing great characters as there are
about creating interesting plots. We see blog posts debating how likable a character
needs to be to interest a reader, other posts sharing techniques for evoking
reader empathy, and still other posts instructing us on methods for showing a
character’s emotional arc, etc., etc.
We know as readers that even the best-plotted
book will suffer if the
protagonist isn’t at least compelling.
So as writers, we do everything we can to make readers invested in
our characters in some way.
An invested reader is a happy reader, right?
Well, maybe not. Let’s take a look at the other
side of character development.
The Danger of Out-of-Character Behavior
A couple of months ago, I wrote about how our
genre promises certain elements to readers. And if our genre alone creates
expectations in readers, it’s a safe bet that our characters do as well.
As we develop our characters, we establish
expectations in the minds of our readers for how that character will act and
react in the future. Readers sense their intelligence, what they value or fear,
their moral code, etc.
Those expectations are important to understand
because insults like “Too Stupid To Live” are more likely when our
characterization is broken. We don’t usually see that insult flung at
characters who do stupid things in character.
Instead, protests are more likely when a
character acts in a stupid way that’s out of character. Readers
know they’re acting that way simply because the author needed them to, and a
puppet isn’t a full-fledged character worthy of respect.
As readers, we hate to be disappointed by
characters, to have our faith in them destroyed. When we think they can and
should do better, we can feel betrayed.
That’s not to say characters can’t act in ways
that might seem out of character. However, just as in real life, we’re
more likely to understand—and maybe even forgive—if we know the reasons for
the out-of-character behavior.
Even if we disagree with a character’s choices,
we can accept their decisions if we understand their motivations. But if
motivation is lacking, the entire plot point feels forced, and readers will
rightly blame the writer.
Example: The Comic Version of Captain America
…
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~*~
If you missed my
latest writing and marketing tweets, here they are again:
- Character Development Is a Two-Edged Sword | Jami Gold, Paranormal Author http://ow.ly/iAnH301vZON
- Horror Hiding In Other Genres; Why You Shouldn’t Write ‘Horror’ – Devlin Blake http://ow.ly/5LGr301vZSs
- How to Break Up Your Novel into Definable Sections | Live Write Thrive http://ow.ly/2zbm301vZUQ
- ‘Gone Girl’ and the Rise of Crime Novels by Women - The Atlantic http://ow.ly/Vkca301vZZi
- Masterplots Theater: P is for Pursuit » WriteOnSisters.com http://ow.ly/4C6m301w022
- 7 Tips for Paranormal Writers | WordDreams... http://ow.ly/X5i6301w04M
- Plumb the EmotionaHl Depth of Your Setting http://ow.ly/2g9z301w07R
- Go Teen Writers: Your Characters Should Be Afraid, Very Afraid http://ow.ly/kQ4D301w0fT
- Let's Schmooze - Doug Eboch on Screenwriting: Using Minor Characters to Explore Theme http://ow.ly/8Tqk301w0jg
- A Pre-Writing Checklist » WriteOnSisters.com http://ow.ly/ZWNw301w0lc
- Go Teen Writers: #WeWriteBooks, Post 14: Where To Start http://ow.ly/hSAR301w0rq
- Bates Motel; Building Suspense When You Already Know The Ending – Devlin Blake http://ow.ly/EsdE301w0vB
- 37 Questions to Ask Your Character http://ow.ly/44ko301w0zI
- Do You Write for Young Adults or Millenials? Then Try Snapchat - The Book Designer http://ow.ly/fGFr301w0G2
- Learn how your own creativity is a trap, and the system for getting unstuck during free training on May 25, 2016. http://ow.ly/pfq0301w0Ni
- Writing Tips: How To Banish Writer's Block With K.M.Weiland | The Creative Penn http://ow.ly/dn2M301w0VR
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