What do you do with an uncooperative character?
I’m having difficulty with one of my characters. He doesn’t seem to be working as well as I hoped he would. However, the story falls flat without him since he is an important character. Now comes the time either to lose him or fix him. This is not an easy decision.
What would you do if you have a character that doesn’t seem quite right? Do you rewrite him numerous times to fix him or do you continue plodding on with the story and hope that you can go back and fix him later?
I’m not certain if he needs to be meaner or if he’s mean enough but I haven’t quite caught his character. I can’t seem to get into his head enough.
How do you get into a character’s head? I haven’t had problems with this when I write other characters, so why does this one elude me?
I feel as if I’m spending time banging my head against the wall.
Posted on August 19, 2009, in My blog, My books, Writer, Writing and tagged Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Fiction, Life, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing. Bookmark the permalink. 6 Comments.
Doggonedmysteries 
I think you’ve missed one small ‘thing’ about this character. It could be any aspect of him: how he looks or acts or talks, a trait (like scratching his forhead when he thinks). If he’s a baddie, does he have at least 1 redeeming trait? Hitler liked dogs.
Try not forcing the answer to come to you. Write the character as he is in your mind right now (shortcomings and all) and move on with the story. Tuck him in a corner of your mind and let him simmer (like a stew on the back burner). At some point, you will have an ‘ah-ha!’ moment and know just what he needs to make him come to life.
Or play “What if–?” What if he’s taller, blonde, limps, helps old ladies cross the street, or won a scholarship to an elite university because of his baseball skills?
Want to chat about him some night?
Maybe I do need to find his good points and work some in. I’ve done a lot of what if…?
Yes, we do need to have another chat one of these nights.
Having been there I dragged out my tattered t-shirt and considered. I had that happen twice, and both times came to the conclusion that the role was good and useful, but the wrong character had shown up to play the part. Both times I held new auditions and each time came up with a new character that fit the role perfectly. In one case it turned out I needed a female, in another case definitely a male, but of a completely different age and background.
IMHO trying to rewrite a non-fitting character more than once is like trying to shave the sides of a square peg to fit perfectly into a round hole. It will always be a tad woppedy.
Let’s just say that he’s an oval character that needs to be fitted into a round hole–he almost fits.
Hello,
have you tried thinking about what’s at stake for him? What has he got to lose if he doesn’t do what he wants to do?
Or what are his flaws? If there’s something in him that creates difficulties then that would make him more interesting?
Or maybe he does and achieves things too easily? Make it more difficult for him (emotionally difficult, if possible).
Hope this helps.
Good luck!
Hmm, good ideas, now I need to kick myself into gear and work. Thanks! 🙂