Don't let the characters push you around
I've been writing for a long time. One of the most frustrating experiences is when a character refuses to behave as you wish them to.
What do you do when your character pushes you around?
You go into your chapter with a clear path all marked out, an outline of what needs to happen, the emotions that have to be expressed, when suddenly, out of nowhere, your characters start doing things that you didn't expect and didn't want. You realize that they'll soon have you cowering in a corner begging them for a breadcrumb pathway out of the dead-end scene.
I have found that there are 2 ways to handle this.
1) DELETE, DELETE, DELETE, DELETE :-)
2) Let the characters play through
Our subconscious is thinking about things in a way our conscious minds cannot track. I believe that this is where our characters get their will to try to control their destiny. Just remember that though these little id battles can create beautiful rich sub-plots, that you, as the author, need to steer the story with a hand at 10 and 2 at all times.
Everything that you write must have a purpose within the story, otherwise, it needs to be cut. DELETE, DELETE, DELETE, DELETE :-)
What do you do when your character pushes you around?
You go into your chapter with a clear path all marked out, an outline of what needs to happen, the emotions that have to be expressed, when suddenly, out of nowhere, your characters start doing things that you didn't expect and didn't want. You realize that they'll soon have you cowering in a corner begging them for a breadcrumb pathway out of the dead-end scene.
I have found that there are 2 ways to handle this.
1) DELETE, DELETE, DELETE, DELETE :-)
2) Let the characters play through
Our subconscious is thinking about things in a way our conscious minds cannot track. I believe that this is where our characters get their will to try to control their destiny. Just remember that though these little id battles can create beautiful rich sub-plots, that you, as the author, need to steer the story with a hand at 10 and 2 at all times.
Everything that you write must have a purpose within the story, otherwise, it needs to be cut. DELETE, DELETE, DELETE, DELETE :-)
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Ha, ha! I guess all authors are vicious character mass murderers. I keep the bodies in a drawer in case I can resurrect them in a different chapter or tale.
Okay, now you sound like you must write for JJ Abrams' tv series. When his characters croak in one episode, they end up alive or in a flashback in future episodes.And it works! Just make sure you lock the drawer, just in case some of them want to climb out on their own. lol
Sounds like an interesting concept for a story.....
LOL! I love this. This is so true. I think all us writers have this happen every now and again!
Or I kill off the character in the story.
Guess, I'm just as vicious. :)