So, yesterday I posted some of the questions the kids at Newbury Park High School asked me.
I didn't think I'd actually be expected to answer them.
But I'll try -- and I'll try to put the answers here that closely match the ones I gave the kids (with fewer ums and uhs).
I realize I say "Um" and "Uh" a lot when I talk.
It kind of bothers me.
Anyway, the first question was about how to make characters seem deeper, more genuine. The boy who asked said something about how he struggled with making the characters in his writing multidimensional and believable.
Um...
Well, first off, I think the boy asking the question was stating a conditional reality of youth and developing oneself as a writer. Since characters are going to ultimately reflect the depth of experience of the writer behind them -- and given that kids don't often have a wide range of experience interacting with a lot of different kinds of people (a condition made worse in light of the technological isolation most middle class families and their kids impose on themselves) -- character development is bound to be a difficult and bumpy process.
Not always, though.
I really like my characters.
Even the bad ones.
Even the horrible ones.
I try to make the "bad guys" do something, or have a fleeting display of some submerged personal quality, that I find admirable or attractive. At the very least, I try to create situations where I feel sorry for the bad guys. I definitely feel sorry for what happens to Freddie in Conner's truck in The Marbury Lens, and I have similar "moments" with my bad guys in my other novels, too.
At the same time, I always try to make my "good guys" do bad things, or even make choices that piss me off and would sometimes threaten my attachment to them.
The boy went on to ask if I entirely made up my characters, or if they were based on people that I know, or on me.
And, in all cases, I said, my characters are ALL parts of people that I've actually known -- shallow, complex, good, bad, selfish, and selfless -- and every one of them has something to do with me, too.
I know there are plenty of writers out there who just entirely make things up when it comes to character development, but... um... I'm not one of them.
5 comments:
I'm slightly offended that you thought we'd be able to read those prolific question and NOT want to hear your responses. Come on, Andrew.
This particular question about character development is on my mind a lot. So far in my writing career, creating characters has been the hardest, most exhausting process. But readers tell me my characters are incredibly strong and believably vulnerable. Like you, I am not sure why that is. I take bits and pieces of myself and those closest to me.
For example, I suck at writing teenage girls because I have known too many who fit the common stereotypes. Thankfully, I have three sisters and they each have their own personality, good qualities, and foibles. I have managed to create at least ten teenage/young women characters per each sister (which I have never told them).
And so, it seems character development is like playing The Sims and giving them total freewill. I ask questions like, "Who will they run to in a time of crisis?", "Where is their hiding place?", and "What food makes them gag?" (I never ask what their favorite color is...)
Character development and world-building are often compared, but I see them as two totally different monsters.
And I say "um" a lot too
I liked what happen to Freddie in the truck.
I liked Mitch's character - hope that doesn't make me werid.
I completely disliked Chase's dad more than Chase.
Conner and Troy are my favorites (sorry Jack).
Not that you asked but you were talking about your characters.
Connie
I love to hear what readers think about characters. Thanks, Connie... and I hope you entered the contest to win an ARC of Stick.
Yes I did enter but I'm wondering how many times I can enter before looking like a douche.
Connie
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