McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft
I have a problem--I don't have a problem
Starbeam:
Podcast is probably Writing Excuses.
meg_evonne:
YES That's the ONE! Check that out Belial
the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh:
--- Quote from: meg_evonne on July 23, 2009, 07:28:46 PM ---Remember in this process--that your main character has to make the reader CARE about them from the first pages. The character has to have an innate something that let's the reader know that s/he has the ability to obtain these powers or a strong motivating factor which will make the character change.
Eh, didn't say that right at all. Someone want to reword that last paragraph to better explain it?
--- End quote ---
Makes perfect sense to me, except you should lose the apostrophe in "lets"...
I think you have a point that the first pages have to make the reader care and keep reading; I am not at all convinced that the way to do so is necessarily to make it clear and obvious what the character's major arc during the entire book is going to be.
belial.1980:
--- Quote from: Gruud on July 23, 2009, 01:46:29 PM ---Sounds like a qualifying problem to me. ;)
Although to become a hero, there will have to be a few major problems as well.
--- End quote ---
Not only does he have big nasties and psychopaths coming after him, he's also a runaway who doesn't know the first thing about taking care of himself. Not to mention he's a virgin. Yeah, he's got problems alright.
--- Quote from: neurovore on July 23, 2009, 04:25:22 PM ---This is one of these pieces of advice that, while true, is so vague as to be of really limited use.
You have, I think, defined his problem fairly clearly here. His overall problem is growing up.
A cohesive arc, clearly learning things from the challenges along the way, and fitting them together into some form of structure where we see how he grows, would work to solve that issue. Having the smaller problems be part of some larger issue - a plot issue perhaps, but just a personal development issue would also do - will solve that.
A climactic heroic deed is one way of getting the resolution you want, but a climactic realisation - possibly even the realisation after taking care of another of the ongoing issues that hey, he's competent, he's up to this, he's not a kid any more - could also be made to work. It would take somewhat sharper writing than a big pyrotechnic climax, but I think you might get a better book for it.
--- End quote ---
I concur. You hit the nail on the head. Some of the best stories are about growing up. Hell, doesn't everybody want to write the next Cather in the Rye? Well that's not my goal, lol, but I think there's something appealing about the loss of innocence/rise to adulthood. Just being able to stand up on that hill with your arms in the air and say, "I did it. This is who I am. I've got a place in the world now."
--- Quote from: meg_evonne on July 23, 2009, 07:28:46 PM ---I agree. And even though it is character driven, I have learned the joy and delight in outlining. Primarily because I've done the head work and don't end up at impasses AND because it speeds up the actual writing time! Rather than realizing that clues were 'too conveniently' discovered and thenhaving to go back and add in a step process so the new power is logical and not one of those 'I'm the author needing to write my character out of this corner -- so kapow! You have to consciously avoid providing convenient new powers to solve the problem situations.
Remember in this process--that your main character has to make the reader CARE about them from the first pages. The character has to have an innate something that let's the reader know that s/he has the ability to obtain these powers or a strong motivating factor which will make the character change.
Eh, didn't say that right at all. Someone want to reword that last paragraph to better explain it? It came from a writer's podcast with two sci fi writers that was excellent, but I can't remember what the podcast series was named? It was posted here more than a couple times. Good stuff in those discussions about conflict, about writing sympathetic characters that readers will want to over come their adversity, and developing villains as strongly, with motivations.
Happy writing!
--- End quote ---
I think I answered my own question when I posted this morning. Afterwards I got right to working on my latest outline. Heh. I've been working on the story off and on for a year and half and I've just NOW finished a decent outline. Better late than never. I really know where the story's going. Now I just gotta put in one paper...
It all started off when started some free writing. Over time I fell in love with the story and the characters. Even when I get frustrated and toss the manusript aside, I write loads of side stories from 3rd person POV to try and flesh out the world and characters. I know it's a terrible time management strategy as far as deadlines go, but it's kept me busy writing and it's helped me develop the "palette" I'm using to paint this fictional world.
Funny you mention the villain because I've recently finished writing one of these side stories about the antogonist. It helped a great deal, I think. Before I had a vague idea about him as a human monster, but now I realize that he once felt pain, pity, and love just anybody else. I'd like to think that he's interesting and even a little sympathetic. He's not just a villain of the week--he's MC's true nemesis. (MC realizes that if the dice had fallen differently their situations could be reversed.) If i can make this into a continuing series, he'll be around for awhile.
I'll definitely check out that podcast. Thanks again ya'll for your insight! :)
EDIT: I'm exhausted right now, so please forgive any attrocious grammar or spelling errrors. <--(Except that one)
the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh:
--- Quote from: belial.1980 on July 24, 2009, 03:55:31 AM ---Not only does he have big nasties and psychopaths coming after him, he's also a runaway who doesn't know the first thing about taking care of himself.
--- End quote ---
How long has bhe been a runaway ? It seems like some of that stuff you would learn kind of fast.
--- Quote ---I concur. You hit the nail on the head. Some of the best stories are about growing up. Hell, doesn't everybody want to write the next Cather in the Rye?
--- End quote ---
Ye gods and little fishes, no.
--- Quote ---I think there's something appealing about the loss of innocence/rise to adulthood. Just being able to stand up on that hill with your arms in the air and say, "I did it. This is who I am. I've got a place in the world now."
--- End quote ---
Yep; 'tis a story pattern that appeals at a very deep level, which is why it works in so many incarnations.
--- Quote ---Afterwards I got right to working on my latest outline. Heh. I've been working on the story off and on for a year and half and I've just NOW finished a decent outline. Better late than never.
--- End quote ---
Hmph. Day before yesterday I modified the outline for the current active WiP again, because I relaised two chapters needed swapping about, and I am not sure whose viewpoint one of the two subsequent scenes is going to be from. I've been working on this one for thirteen years, off and on (which would be depressing if I had not started and finished several other more sensibly-scaled novels in the mean time), it's close on half a million words in total and maybe 20,000 from being finished; I suspect the point at which I get the outline actually right and accurate will be sometime within the twenty minutes after I finish the actual story.
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