tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post2413816404874973968..comments2024-03-27T10:02:56.747-04:00Comments on Fiction University: Grow Up Already: Creating Character Arcs Janice Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-64350974441037747042016-09-16T08:49:50.305-04:002016-09-16T08:49:50.305-04:00It'll depend on the situation as well. Part of...It'll depend on the situation as well. Part of being a protagonist is to ignore warnings. You'd have to decide if ignoring others always resulted in her "being stupid" or if it was just normal plotting. For example, if she's constantly told "don't question gang members by yourself" and she ignores that, and every time she questions a gang member she winds up nearly dying and has to be rescued, she might look pretty dumb after a while. <br /><br />Does that make sense? It's more about what she's doing. If she's acting "too stupid to live" then readers might get annoyed with her. If she's trying to do the right thing no matter the cost, they probably love her for it.Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-74861886936518758872016-09-15T10:09:19.398-04:002016-09-15T10:09:19.398-04:00Thanks so much for the input. My protag does conti...Thanks so much for the input. My protag does continually ignore the advice of others and go where they tell her not to go. Hmm. I better check her out. River Glynnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17128604193981808617noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-49489023632449741482016-09-15T08:27:15.170-04:002016-09-15T08:27:15.170-04:00Welcome! If you don't want her to, she doesn&#...Welcome! If you don't want her to, she doesn't have to. You have total control there, so do whatever feels right for you.<br /><br />However, I personally have stopped reading many a series because the protagonist makes the same dumb mistake every single book (others might not be as picky about this as I am, and it is a matter of personal taste). So even if the character doesn't change, I feel it's a good idea to let them learn a little from their experiences and make *new* mistakes to avoid it feeling repetitious. But there are popular series out there that have the character make the same mistake all the time and their readers love them, so it does depend heavily on personal preference :)Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-37201621352482870542016-09-15T08:21:58.374-04:002016-09-15T08:21:58.374-04:00That's one thing I love about writing (and hat...That's one thing I love about writing (and hate I guess, lol). Sometimes you just need to hear advice from a different perspective, or phrased a different way, and it suddenly clicks. Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-34931802923441948202016-09-15T08:20:50.285-04:002016-09-15T08:20:50.285-04:00Most welcome!Most welcome!Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-74825551873632347122016-09-14T20:19:09.751-04:002016-09-14T20:19:09.751-04:00Janice, I just found you! Where have you been? LOL...Janice, I just found you! Where have you been? LOL Seriously, I get different answers on this from writing experts, so I'm going to ask you, too. I write culinary mysteries--in a series. I'm finishing book four and planning books five and six (the last in the series, I'm pretty sure). Does my protag have to change in each book or does she just have to make steps in the change and be finally altered in the last book?River Glynnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17128604193981808617noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-57085426474689556242016-09-14T15:49:00.862-04:002016-09-14T15:49:00.862-04:00"...why a character acts is different from ho..."...why a character acts is different from how he changes because of his actions." Whoa- strange how you can run into ONE sentence (in an article full of useful advice) that blows your head off your neck. A light bulb moment? Don't know - I'm still fumbling with the switch. But, I know it's something profound, something simple, something I should probably already know....Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17302225327509532461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-54027219665228008312016-09-14T15:34:40.967-04:002016-09-14T15:34:40.967-04:00I've printed this article and it goes in my &q...I've printed this article and it goes in my "Janice Says" folder. Thanks.Brianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16620367133264855090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-19410424122477307822011-01-22T11:53:01.616-05:002011-01-22T11:53:01.616-05:00Prem: Added that to the post now! Thanks for bring...Prem: Added that to the post now! Thanks for bringing that up. It's a tricky thing so I might have to do a full post on that alone.<br /><br />E. Arroyo: Thanks!Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-13642562782258272852011-01-22T10:03:10.210-05:002011-01-22T10:03:10.210-05:00Thanks! Great post.Thanks! Great post.E. Arroyohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06634213563563094173noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-59524199136333249302011-01-22T08:36:55.400-05:002011-01-22T08:36:55.400-05:00Thanks, Janice, for a very informative article. I ...Thanks, Janice, for a very informative article. I wish you had included a brief explanation of what exactly a "character arc" means.Prem Raohttp://itcantbeyou.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-87716930837754602862011-01-22T08:21:37.923-05:002011-01-22T08:21:37.923-05:00Charlie: That surprise thing is one of the reason ...Charlie: That surprise thing is one of the reason I like to write myself into a corner. Sounds like you have a good process there, and there's no reason yo change that when you do get a deadline ;) What works, works!<br /><br />Holly: Thanks!<br /><br />Anon: That's awesome ;) I never get tired of hearing a post helped. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy.<br /><br />Sarah: The puppies are all yours :) And I'm striving for the same thing. Here's to both of us getting it right.<br /><br />Roberta: Most welcome :) I've been where you are and know how lost and frustrated I was during those times. This is my way of saying thanks to all those who helped me. Paying it forward so to speak.<br /><br />Chicory: Thanks! The other characters really do make a difference. In Shifter, Aylin is pretty instrumental is making Nya see stuff she might not want to see. Friends and sidekicks can be great devil's advocates to your protag. <br /><br />Carol: Most welcome. I find just writing them useful. They remind of what I ought to be doing and makes me think hard about what I am doing.Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-76455048888742621142011-01-21T21:50:19.720-05:002011-01-21T21:50:19.720-05:00Another amazingly helpful post. I think newbies as...Another amazingly helpful post. I think newbies as well as older hats can get use from this. Thanks!Carol Riggshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14092209912983783974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-17325507693028076652011-01-21T20:49:07.888-05:002011-01-21T20:49:07.888-05:00This is a great post. Hmmm.... how others around ...This is a great post. Hmmm.... how others around my hero influence character growth. That's definitely worth thinking about. :)Chicoryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16504144663440678542noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-56349409639173519412011-01-21T15:51:15.113-05:002011-01-21T15:51:15.113-05:00Your posts are some of the most helpful. I apprec...Your posts are some of the most helpful. I appreciate the time and effort you put into helping others! Thanks from an aspiring author!Roberta Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10806214081554970161noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-23925289561947664432011-01-21T14:34:14.748-05:002011-01-21T14:34:14.748-05:00Puppies do make everything better! Can I steal th...Puppies do make everything better! Can I steal this as the main theme of my next book? ;)<br /><br />Good post! You can see this development in the best of books. Everything adds up to get the character where he/she needs to be. It's so rewarding when an author gets it right. I shall strive to do the same.Sarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15981159884498574786noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-36619588745893135872011-01-21T14:23:12.637-05:002011-01-21T14:23:12.637-05:00I wrote five pages of notes thanks to this and FIN...I wrote five pages of notes thanks to this and FINALLY found the missing piece to my novel.I heard the click when it came together. I swear. When I (ever) get it published you'll be on the acknowledgments list Janice! Thanks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-69444929655125270532011-01-21T13:20:47.057-05:002011-01-21T13:20:47.057-05:00I agree with Charlie. This is a keeper post!I agree with Charlie. This is a keeper post!Southpawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16539290964546504171noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-5363829874441134982011-01-21T11:10:44.088-05:002011-01-21T11:10:44.088-05:00You write so many post I find useful (as a new wri...You write so many post I find useful (as a new writer). This one is also a keeper. Thank you.<br /><br />I believe I once read in a John Gardner book how sometimes, not knowing where you're story is heading can be a good thing. The theory being that if the writer isn't sure of the next step, the reader will be surprised as well. I took that approach with just a general idea and hit the wall at, you guessed it, 100 pages!<br />I still don't outline before a first draft because the fun of writing, for me, is creating the story as it comes to me. After my story is finished, I'll write an outline chapter by chapter to organize my story so it isn't complete gibberish. Then again, I don't have any deadlines to keep so working this way is fun and without pressure.Charlie Ricehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02347938747849177632noreply@blogger.com