What came first? The chicken? The egg? The character? The plot? All are age-old debates. The beauty, the joy, of writing is there are no wrong answers. It’s one reason I loved essay questions on exams. I neglected to study for a biology exam when I was a mediocre student at Aiken High school. Seriously, I blew off the entire chapter. There were a few multiple choice (I guessed), a few fill-in-the-blank (I prayed, a lot), and several short answer/essay questions which most of the grade was based on. Since I had studied the previous chapter and done really well on it, I managed to use my mad writing skills to link back to what I knew.
Honestly, I figured I’d get a bad grade. How could our wonderful football coaching teacher not see a bull malarky answer like the fodder I fed him? A few days later, he’s handing out the test and calls me up.
“Susan, you had the best answers to the essay questions. Good job!”
I made a 96 on that exam. So, whether you are a plot driven or character driven writer, enjoy it.
Characters
I’m a very character driven writer. I love creating a new persona, figuring out their quirks (Preston’s musical genius, Cassidy twisting her lips to one side when thinking) and their whys. Why is Andre mistrustful but so hungry for acceptance? Why does Rax see himself as the only person in the history of personhood that God does not love? Why do I feel the need to write about young, broken men?
Their stories are the story. Andre wants the reader to know he was neglected by his addicted and alcoholic mother, that he was forced into a horrible gang that sold him for profit. Rax yearns for a good, good father, but is denied that growing up. The result is he doesn’t see how God can love him.
How did Cassidy, in Higher Honor, come back to Christ? What about Ryan, her best friend, who lives a very hedonistic life style, fueled by overindulging in alcohol and women? How does Michael fall from grace?
The conversations
I speak often of hearing their conversations and I have to figure out the story. The plot comes from the conversations and without characters conversing, there is no point in the story. I’ve tried plotting first, and well, it didn’t work.
So, I get an Alani, or a Miami Vice from Gordon County Nutrition (HEY, Esli!!!), lean back (technically, I lean forward so I can type) and I listen. I ask questions: why is Chris yelling at Cassidy? Where are they? What’s going on?
And they answer. Maybe not immediately, but they do answer. She’s ruining everything! She’s stripping away the best parts of tradition and honor! We’ve all been hazed.
Sometimes, though, the conversation is simply the starting point, like Andre demanding to know where Simone is and why they haven’t heard from her since her marriage to Dean. That’s not in the Redeeming series (maybe book four?), but I had to ask Andre why Dean doesn’t like him. And the answer unfolds in The Disposable.
Not psychotic
I check with my neurologist. I’m good. I know the voices are not real. It’s my hyper imagination. But they are important.
But what if you’re a plotter?
That’s great! It’s not my thing, but that’s the beauty of this craft. Write your story the way you write and find the joy in it. I recently read a blog on being a plotter and the author love creating the setting and the plot, but felt she struggled with building the characters. I can’t imagine a plot without the characters. I’d love to write a mystery, which is plot driven, but I can’t focus on a crime long enough to figure out whodunit or rather what was done. I need the character to give me guidance (I’m looking at you, Toddy Beckley).
That will have to be another blog.
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