McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft
Making Life Hard for your Characters
Snowleopard:
Just be careful when creating a character who's job, in your mind, is to die that
it not be obvious that that's what you have in mind for them.
I read a book once where I realized that one character was created just to be killed.
And it was painfully obvious to me - annoyed the snot out of me.
the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh:
--- Quote from: Paynesgrey on February 23, 2013, 02:10:02 AM ---But we can't just brutalize our imaginary friends forever, because people generally want to see the protagonist score some "wins." (At least in story's where it's possible. That's not always the case, John Carpenter's "The Thing" for example...)
--- End quote ---
Depends on who you count as the protagonist. Have you seen Peter Watts' riff on that from the alien POV ?
http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/watts_01_10/
Paynesgrey:
--- Quote from: the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh on February 23, 2013, 08:37:05 PM ---Depends on who you count as the protagonist. Have you seen Peter Watts' riff on that from the alien POV ?
http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/watts_01_10/
--- End quote ---
Hence the "generally." ;)
A very good short though. Thanks for sharing that link.
OZ:
First let me agree with Neurovore (and btw Neuro, thanks for the link ). It seems like any rule that is established about story writing will be successfully broken by someone. Short stories especially can take strange turns yet still end up taking you somewhere fascinating. I have been rereading Neil Gaman's book of short stories, Smoke and Mirrors and he does some things in there that don't seem like they should work yet they do.
Having said that the number one downfall (IMHO) of otherwise well written, self published novels in places like Amazon's kindle store is a lack of conflict. My discovery of such stories usually goes like this. I am desperate for a fiction fix. First I begin going through the mounds of books that cover far too much of the living space in my house looking for something that I bought but never read. Maybe my daughter bought something and I never had a chance to read it or maybe there's something that was good enough or read long enough ago that I don't mind rereading it. When I fail to find anything, I get on my computer and go to the Kindle store. I open it up and am bombarded by stories that they have decided I might like due to my past purchasing history. After examining and rejecting story after story I finally find one that looks good. The author has a number of other online stories and all of them have numerous rave reviews. I look at the sample and find a story with few if any typos and editing errors. The author has a good command of the language. The story flows, the setting seems well developed and the protagonist is interesting enough to grab my interest. The plot has promise and when the sample ends, I decide that I like it well enough to spend my $.99 to $3.99 to purchase the story.
I start reading where the sample ended and after a few more chapters I am convinced that I have indeed been lucky to discover an author that has great potential. Some day they're going to be published and well known and I will be able to say that I read them before they were well known. Then as the story progresses I realize that I am getting bored. Somehow everything always works out for the protagonist. There is no cost for their victories. They may be wounded, in their hearts or their bodies, but the wounds heal and never leave scars. They may have to make choices but they always manage to make the one choice that will allow them to have the cake and eat it too. When they discover their true love, he or she (it?) is such a perfect match that the protagonist doesn't have to adapt or change in any way to make the relationship work.
I freely admit that I read fiction for escape. I want happy endings and I want the good guys to win in the end. What I don't want is a walk in the park where the protagonist reaches this happy ending with no personal cost, without difficult decisions and painful sacrifices.
Sorry for the lengthy post but I guess the point that I am making is that I don't think your difficulties are unusual Tami. I do believe that your recognition of this means that you are a step closer to being a good writer than those that are blissfully unaware.
the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh:
--- Quote from: Paynesgrey on February 24, 2013, 01:11:52 AM ---Hence the "generally." ;)
A very good short though. Thanks for sharing that link.
--- End quote ---
Oh, I totally agree with you on the general principle; I just couldn't resist the counterexample given the specific example you quoted.
Peter Watts is something very special; if you've not read it, I strongly recommend his Hugo-nominated novel "Blindsight", which is (legitimately) available from his website here: http://www.rifters.com/real/Blindsight.htm
It's one of the most intelligent books I have ever read, and also the most downbeat.
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