Write Lightning is a blog from writer Deb Thompson.
Everyone is welcome here.
(Some links or topics may not be completely kid-appropriate.)
Everyone is welcome here.
(Some links or topics may not be completely kid-appropriate.)
Wed, Mar 24 2010
Wrinkles
Is your main character too perfect? Even Superman had his Kryptonite. If your protagonist can do everything, then where is the tale? The bravest, most good-looking character needs a wrinkle in that hero cape in order to keep the reader guessing. Even when storytellers speak of God or gods they are usually allowing some room for error or for things to go badly. Jesus walking the planet as a man had his Judas Escariot. We speak of the Lord as perfect, but even the Lord, because of choosing to allow free will, has had to deal with jealous Lucifer attempting to improve on His activities. And so no character we create is too omnipotent or magical to be free of difficulties in our stories. The very thing many tales hinge upon is the overcoming of a character flaw or the turning of a supposed weakness into a strength. When we decide what our main character wants we have to then decide what will be the main thing to stand in the way of that. It's fun. How often do you get to turn someone into a walking Murphy's Law and have it work in your favor?
posted at: 08:47 | category: /Writing Life | link to this entry
Is your main character too perfect? Even Superman had his Kryptonite. If your protagonist can do everything, then where is the tale? The bravest, most good-looking character needs a wrinkle in that hero cape in order to keep the reader guessing. Even when storytellers speak of God or gods they are usually allowing some room for error or for things to go badly. Jesus walking the planet as a man had his Judas Escariot. We speak of the Lord as perfect, but even the Lord, because of choosing to allow free will, has had to deal with jealous Lucifer attempting to improve on His activities. And so no character we create is too omnipotent or magical to be free of difficulties in our stories. The very thing many tales hinge upon is the overcoming of a character flaw or the turning of a supposed weakness into a strength. When we decide what our main character wants we have to then decide what will be the main thing to stand in the way of that. It's fun. How often do you get to turn someone into a walking Murphy's Law and have it work in your favor?
posted at: 08:47 | category: /Writing Life | link to this entry
