About the Craft: Characters and plot are intertwined. I understood this intellectually, but I never really grasped the simplicity of this concept until this conference.
The opening speaker at the conference, the Rev. Rodger McDaniel, spoke about systems of care, and made a statement to the effect of “A judge lives in a world where he/she gives an order or direction and expects it to be followed. Our clients don’t live on that planet.” Light bulb moment. Conflict exists between the judge and the client, not because they are at enmity with each other, but for no other reason than they have differing world views. The planet our protagonists and antagonists live on is their worldview, their needs and desires - what makes them human and real. It’s their character. The conflict that arises because of their worldviews is plot.
The best thing about this understanding is it makes
sub-plots (finally) understandable. Who
we are spills out into a variety of areas of our lives. For example, if I had been abandoned as a
child, I may have difficulty trusting others.
This trust issue would present itself in my life in many different
environments and situations. I might
have difficulty with authority, I may have poor intimate relationships, the
list can continue in myriad directions.
Therefore, if I’m writing a romance about a woman with trust issues, the
main plot would be her relationship with the male lead character, but I can
throw in a sub-plot about her trust issues at work and the difficulty she has
with a controlling boss. Still working
on the main plot, but it is augmented and strengthened by the sub-plot.
That’s it for this week.
Please come back next Saturday, when I explain the lessons I learned
about writerly passion and myself.
Right on!
ReplyDeleteI'm writing about a private investigator character who, as a child, lost her family in a home invasion. She was nearly killed, but was saved in time by the police. So her life goal was to become a police officer, which she did. She had a driving need, while on the force, to rescue people, keep peace on the streets and follow the rules to a T. When many on her police team are wiped out, due to what she feels was an error in judgment on her part, she ultimately feels responsible. She lives with constant guilt and resigns from the police department. Her troubled background creates tension as she investigates cases it and colors all of her relationships with people. That's why it's so important to know your characters' backgrounds so you know how they will react in different situations. This adds rich layers to your story. Though it's a lot of work, that's one of the things I love about writing, finding out about my characters and learning why they do what they do.
Thanks, Cindy! It's amazing how much work writing does entail, but I agree, it is so magical the way stories unfold and characters reveal themselves through the process.
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