tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post482236918491127265..comments2024-03-27T10:02:56.747-04:00Comments on Fiction University: All By Myself: Why Protagonists Need FriendsJanice Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-81812833504137140562011-08-13T23:23:46.449-04:002011-08-13T23:23:46.449-04:00That's a great point! I always end up liking t...That's a great point! I always end up liking the secondary characters better than the protag, though, because they're often the logical ones who talk stupid protagonist around to a solution.Laurahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15725049899131699912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-10202460264110739132011-08-08T08:05:12.928-04:002011-08-08T08:05:12.928-04:00ooo that would be tough. You could also have him t...ooo that would be tough. You could also have him talk to them, even though they can't understand him.Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-26885950999853684062011-08-06T10:55:10.668-04:002011-08-06T10:55:10.668-04:00This is SO TRUE.
I had a chapter opening where o...This is SO TRUE. <br /><br />I had a chapter opening where one of my protagonists was captured by people who didn't speak his language, and GOOD LORD, it took forever to write. Not a single line of meaningful dialog for 3000 words.<br /><br />It was an important couple of scenes, and the isolation and frustration of the protag really helped to set up the tone for the chapter. But JEEZ, I got so sick of description and internalization. <br /><br />So I got my protags together ASAP. And they're going to learn some language offpage, 'cause I ain't doing that again.Kathie S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/06361735751092314688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-85667317561866011772011-08-05T07:54:37.759-04:002011-08-05T07:54:37.759-04:00Thanks all!
Jen, even random people can help add...Thanks all! <br /><br />Jen, even random people can help add some interaction. Folks might some something or engage your protag in a small exchange that make him internalize. <br /><br />Terry, that happened to me with the first book I ever wrote. I must have added 50K words fleshing out secondary characters subplots.<br /><br />Gene, you might try tv tropes for that. They're pretty good at nailing about every trope and cliche out there. <br /><br />http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/HomePageJanice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-24479263520102012022011-08-05T05:39:16.441-04:002011-08-05T05:39:16.441-04:00Great post, Janice.
I was wondering if you know o...Great post, Janice.<br /><br />I was wondering if you know of any resources that list all of the secondary character types that are/can be used (i.e. foil, comic relief, etc)?<br /><br />I've been trying to find a resource for this but without any success.<br /><br />Thanks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-44858132644676231512011-08-04T20:50:03.552-04:002011-08-04T20:50:03.552-04:00So true about the Cast Away comment. Before seein...So true about the Cast Away comment. Before seeing the film I can remember thinking, how can you make a film where the the main character is on his own for the majority of the film, but Wilson works brilliantly. <br />Having recently stayed with friends who have a golden retriever I can vouch for how much the family talked to Alfie (me included). Also, depending on the circumstances, a character might admit more to a canine friend than they would a human one, who might remind them in the future of what they said.Shauna Bickleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07782143753899299133noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-59263203515811768782011-08-04T15:02:48.052-04:002011-08-04T15:02:48.052-04:00Great post, and your vivid examples showed your po...Great post, and your vivid examples showed your point so clearly.<br />Thanks!<br />Donna V.Donna Volkenannthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04540727800410234483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-85643134144951055882011-08-04T14:48:45.611-04:002011-08-04T14:48:45.611-04:00In one of my novels, the hero had literally no one...In one of my novels, the hero had literally no one to talk to during a section of the novel. I solved the problem by letting him have imagined conversations with his dead best friend. I also placed these conversations at various locations which offered insight into the hero's adventurous past. <br /><br />Another possibility is a basketball with a face drawn on it like in the Tom Hank's movie, CAST AWAY.Marilynn Byerlyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16720129999636676998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-22821472472563580542011-08-04T13:51:01.075-04:002011-08-04T13:51:01.075-04:00Wow. Yesterday, one of my classmates mentioned tha...Wow. Yesterday, one of my classmates mentioned that her advisor said something similar to her about her secondary characters. Then today I read your post. This is definitely a sign that I need to beef up my main characters interactions with others.LinWashhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13041832821260168483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-79872233396601331042011-08-04T11:46:53.987-04:002011-08-04T11:46:53.987-04:00I always learn something from your blog :) Thanks...I always learn something from your blog :) Thanks for sharing this stuff!Eisenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05218083093137505788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-32606491362515472092011-08-04T11:10:17.193-04:002011-08-04T11:10:17.193-04:00Great post, as always.Great post, as always.Paul Anthony Shortthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14393249001158230985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-78953790537279326582011-08-04T10:57:00.482-04:002011-08-04T10:57:00.482-04:00I am one of those AWFUL readers that gets a little...I am one of those AWFUL readers that gets a little bored if there isn't enough external dialogue going on. So you hit the nail on the head for me. :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-8932110033208670922011-08-04T10:15:01.472-04:002011-08-04T10:15:01.472-04:00Good advice - and you have to be careful or those ...Good advice - and you have to be careful or those secondary characters will want to take over the scene--or demand their own book.<br /><br />Terry <br /><a href="http://terryodell.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Terry's Place</a><br /><a href="http://www.terryodell.com" rel="nofollow">Romance with a Twist--of Mystery</a>Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-37614807737425835412011-08-04T09:21:36.546-04:002011-08-04T09:21:36.546-04:00Great post, Janice. I am having problems with my p...Great post, Janice. I am having problems with my protagonist at the moment because he internalises everything. It's great for the subtext, but not so great for sharing information! Maybe he needs a better friend.Jenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12314617048592538691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-90485171324254773702011-08-04T08:43:37.582-04:002011-08-04T08:43:37.582-04:00I love dialog, and I rely on it often in my own wr...I love dialog, and I rely on it often in my own writing! It's far more interesting for me, the writer, to watch these two talk, so why wouldn't it be for the reader?Jessica Lemmonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16388504462239939840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-50517542610693765712011-05-29T07:14:14.048-04:002011-05-29T07:14:14.048-04:00Me too. With first person it's a little easier...Me too. With first person it's a little easier to deal with a solo protag, but with third it's really tough.Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-81314354400886081632011-05-28T08:11:38.079-04:002011-05-28T08:11:38.079-04:00This is so true! Writing characters by themselves ...This is so true! Writing characters by themselves is just exhausting. Give me dialogue any day!Kathie S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/06361735751092314688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-54270760964149638832010-02-16T07:23:09.984-05:002010-02-16T07:23:09.984-05:00Aw, thanks! You are most welcome.Aw, thanks! You are most welcome.Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-10383240748089560872010-02-15T00:42:51.679-05:002010-02-15T00:42:51.679-05:00On another note, I just nominated you for the Suga...On another note, I just nominated you for the Sugar Doll Award on my blog for posts like this. They have really helped me with my writing. Thanks for passing along what you've learned.Jaleh Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04942272578488986874noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-38274846824686058452010-02-11T10:47:09.160-05:002010-02-11T10:47:09.160-05:00I love interactions. Other people make great sound...I love interactions. Other people make great sounding boards when puzzling something out or be a backsplash for conflicting emotions. So hard when there's no one to talk to. Other people have a tendency sometimes to make somebody think about something in particular, even when they want to avoid that topic. More drama->more interesting.Jaleh Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04942272578488986874noreply@blogger.com