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Reading like a Writer: Characters In-Depth
Writers need to "read like writers," which means studying the work of others to see "how they did it."
In that spirit, I want to visit the issue of Characters. On an earlier post, I listed 4 characters that I've found especially well-drawn:
Curt in FAT KID RULES THE WORLD, K. L Going
The Colonel in LOOKING FOR ALASKA, John Green
Russel in GEOGRAPHY CLUB, Brent Hartinger
Jason in RULES, Cynthia Lord
Now for a little more analysis on what I think works about these characters.
THEY WANT SOMETHING
Writers are told that main characters must want something--so that's a given, the motivation that drives the story. But most of the characters I've listed above (Russel excepted) are not the main characters in their books. One way these writers make their supporting characters round is by acknowledging that they have their own desires and ambitions. The Colonel wants to make good in the world and do his mother proud. Jason's desire to experience the sensation of running (which he physically can't do) drives a key scene in RULES. Curt's conflicting desires for music and drugs set up a conflict for his friend Troy.
THEY HAVE PROBLEMS
Nobody wants to read about perfect people who lack for nothing and never deal with adversity. Curt is homeless, ill half the time, and seems to have a drug problem. The Colonel loses his girlfriend to a breakup and one of his best friends to death. Russel is coming to terms with his homosexuality in an intolerant environment. Jason is physically challenged and also has to deal with Catherine's ambivalence about their friendship.
If there are no problems, there's no conflict, and no engine to the book.
WE CAN JUDGE FOR OURSELVES (SHOW, DON'T TELL)
These authors don't tell us what to think about these characters. They show them acting, thinking, doing. I especially admire the way Cynthia Lord manages to show us the rich and full personality of Jason, whose movement and vocabulary are physically limited.
Russel is a first-person narrator. This can draw us in and make us feel close to the character, but it's also fun when we can step back and see more about the character than he meant to tell.
For an exaggerated example of an unreliable narrator, I could add Keir in Chris Lynch's INEXCUSABLE to this list of memorable characters.
UNIQUE NEVER HURTS
These characters aren't "types" who show up in every other book I've read. The Colonel: Short, hard-drinking, pragmatic, prank-loving. Curt: Exasperatingly unreliable, charismatic, passionate about his music, seeing something in "fat kid" Troy that nobody else has seen.
FUNNY NEVER HURTS
Even the darkest of these books, LOOKING FOR ALASKA, has humor. As many problems as these characters have, they don't mope or cry all the time. Real people experience the full range of emotions, and so should our characters. Sometimes you just gotta laugh.
In that spirit, I want to visit the issue of Characters. On an earlier post, I listed 4 characters that I've found especially well-drawn:
Curt in FAT KID RULES THE WORLD, K. L Going
The Colonel in LOOKING FOR ALASKA, John Green
Russel in GEOGRAPHY CLUB, Brent Hartinger
Jason in RULES, Cynthia Lord
Now for a little more analysis on what I think works about these characters.
THEY WANT SOMETHING
Writers are told that main characters must want something--so that's a given, the motivation that drives the story. But most of the characters I've listed above (Russel excepted) are not the main characters in their books. One way these writers make their supporting characters round is by acknowledging that they have their own desires and ambitions. The Colonel wants to make good in the world and do his mother proud. Jason's desire to experience the sensation of running (which he physically can't do) drives a key scene in RULES. Curt's conflicting desires for music and drugs set up a conflict for his friend Troy.
THEY HAVE PROBLEMS
Nobody wants to read about perfect people who lack for nothing and never deal with adversity. Curt is homeless, ill half the time, and seems to have a drug problem. The Colonel loses his girlfriend to a breakup and one of his best friends to death. Russel is coming to terms with his homosexuality in an intolerant environment. Jason is physically challenged and also has to deal with Catherine's ambivalence about their friendship.
If there are no problems, there's no conflict, and no engine to the book.
WE CAN JUDGE FOR OURSELVES (SHOW, DON'T TELL)
These authors don't tell us what to think about these characters. They show them acting, thinking, doing. I especially admire the way Cynthia Lord manages to show us the rich and full personality of Jason, whose movement and vocabulary are physically limited.
Russel is a first-person narrator. This can draw us in and make us feel close to the character, but it's also fun when we can step back and see more about the character than he meant to tell.
For an exaggerated example of an unreliable narrator, I could add Keir in Chris Lynch's INEXCUSABLE to this list of memorable characters.
UNIQUE NEVER HURTS
These characters aren't "types" who show up in every other book I've read. The Colonel: Short, hard-drinking, pragmatic, prank-loving. Curt: Exasperatingly unreliable, charismatic, passionate about his music, seeing something in "fat kid" Troy that nobody else has seen.
FUNNY NEVER HURTS
Even the darkest of these books, LOOKING FOR ALASKA, has humor. As many problems as these characters have, they don't mope or cry all the time. Real people experience the full range of emotions, and so should our characters. Sometimes you just gotta laugh.