Right-brained musings on my protagonist
Dec. 12th, 2004 01:21 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
raefinlayDo any of you have characters that you struggle to bring to life? Characters that you maybe, even, dislike, a little?
My challenge character is Allura. Intelligent, kind, self-sacrificing, shy... and I canNOT write her effectively. Unfortunately, she is my main protagonist. Aaargh. There's a strategic error for you.
Khatire is no problem. She is jaded yet maternal. Practical yet impulsive. I relate to Khatire.
Mara is similar. Full of teen-aged angst, saucy, mischievous... I relate to her too.
But Allura... All that kindness and selflessness. She actually prefers that someone else take center stage. Her greatest joy is to see someone she loves succeed. She is the classic bystander, and happy to be there, anonymous, on the sidelines. She's a much better woman than I. Maybe I disrespect her for it. (I'm a jerk.)
But tonight I had a breakthrough. I realized that Allura has a strength that is unique and enviable. She's been trained to observe, and this plot element has the potential to create a tight but revealing POV, if I let it. If I don't allow my own personality to defile hers, I might end up with something darn cool.
I meant for her to be the "side-kick" all along, but it's easier said than done when you're a person who likes to be the center of attention. Finally (16 chapters later), I'm getting to know her, to respect her, enough to write her effectively. Poor Allura. Sorry I've been so long about it, sweetheart.
My challenge character is Allura. Intelligent, kind, self-sacrificing, shy... and I canNOT write her effectively. Unfortunately, she is my main protagonist. Aaargh. There's a strategic error for you.
Khatire is no problem. She is jaded yet maternal. Practical yet impulsive. I relate to Khatire.
Mara is similar. Full of teen-aged angst, saucy, mischievous... I relate to her too.
But Allura... All that kindness and selflessness. She actually prefers that someone else take center stage. Her greatest joy is to see someone she loves succeed. She is the classic bystander, and happy to be there, anonymous, on the sidelines. She's a much better woman than I. Maybe I disrespect her for it. (I'm a jerk.)
But tonight I had a breakthrough. I realized that Allura has a strength that is unique and enviable. She's been trained to observe, and this plot element has the potential to create a tight but revealing POV, if I let it. If I don't allow my own personality to defile hers, I might end up with something darn cool.
I meant for her to be the "side-kick" all along, but it's easier said than done when you're a person who likes to be the center of attention. Finally (16 chapters later), I'm getting to know her, to respect her, enough to write her effectively. Poor Allura. Sorry I've been so long about it, sweetheart.
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no subject
Date: 2004-12-12 03:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-12 04:03 pm (UTC)Allura, sweetie, if you ever get tired of mean ol' Rae, come live in my head, okay? There are all sorts of... nice... characters in there.
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Date: 2004-12-12 04:40 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-12 05:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-12 07:06 pm (UTC)But one of the things I notice between the characters are not their actions/thoughts, but more the level you descend into their POV. With Khatire the author and character are very tight. The words come out at Khatire's level. We see what she sees and feel what she feels.
But with the other characters it is more of a top down approach. We look down at other characters and see what happens to them. Can you see the difference. One has an extra layer there. Get rid of that extra layer (while keeping true to the character) and I think you will find things flowing better.
Christo is obviously very easy for me to write. He thinks, strangely enough, exactly as I think :D. So he is easy to write. The problem I have is that so many of the other characters also think like Christo (and me). And I need to work on separating that out some...
no subject
Date: 2004-12-12 07:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-12 07:53 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-12 08:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-12 08:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-12 08:24 pm (UTC)Yes, I definitely need to get tighter into Allura's POV.
But not Mara's. She is an abuse victim, so she remains distant. For Mara, examining things too closely could lead to madness.
I absolutely believe that Christo thinks exactly like you. *giggles*
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Date: 2004-12-12 08:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-12-12 08:31 pm (UTC)