tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post6212153871342747478..comments2024-03-27T10:02:56.747-04:00Comments on Fiction University: Why Rescuing Your Protagonist Might Be a Terrible IdeaJanice Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-38590148226136872402021-03-01T14:09:32.817-05:002021-03-01T14:09:32.817-05:00Thanks! That's a good plan :) Make 'em wor...Thanks! That's a good plan :) Make 'em work for it and make 'em sweat.Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-28947166310810873112021-02-26T09:36:46.453-05:002021-02-26T09:36:46.453-05:00Lots of timely tips today - I've just worked o...Lots of timely tips today - I've just worked out how to get my heroes into big trouble with an inciting incident much more fun than I'd planned. That'll get them to the main bit of the plot which I've had in mind for (cough) years. <br />I think I'll let them stew a bit before I get them out of it. >:)Jemima Petthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17110647375899927233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-5988543251962519892021-02-18T13:08:09.819-05:002021-02-18T13:08:09.819-05:00That's a great suggestion, thanks! For this, t...That's a great suggestion, thanks! For this, the same issues apply, I think. If you constantly have one of the other protagonist coming to the rescue, then somebody is going to feel weak or reactive after a while. But you'd have more teamwork type rescue options with multi protagonists. Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-55829434991033056452021-02-18T13:05:42.614-05:002021-02-18T13:05:42.614-05:00Thanks! Indeed. Characters do drive the plot, and ...Thanks! Indeed. Characters do drive the plot, and you have so much more flexibility with them. Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-25419635402593749422021-02-15T15:13:45.117-05:002021-02-15T15:13:45.117-05:00This article is great, but it makes me think: what...This article is great, but it makes me think: what about when there is more than one protagonist? Some stories are about groups, and those stories don't necessarily have one protagonist. Lord of the Rings, for example: are not all of Frodo, Gandalf, and Aragorn protagonists, each with their own separate but inseparable stories? Perhaps Game of Thrones would be another example.<br /><br />I don't see much written on the craft of writing multi-protagonist fiction, but I think some stories would more naturally be presented that way. I'd love to see Fiction University post some articles on them.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-6060562983639977582021-02-15T09:46:55.227-05:002021-02-15T09:46:55.227-05:00Great analysis as usual.
Escape Methods 7-20: rec...Great analysis as usual.<br /><br />Escape Methods 7-20: reconsider methods 3 (friends) and 4 (enemies). Characters really are a wealth of possibilities, and it's most likely that the leverage an escape needs will come from a *person* finding a reason (or making an error) that gets things moving.Ken Hugheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02732164204232936705noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-62742824235935833212010-07-22T08:27:01.115-04:002010-07-22T08:27:01.115-04:00Welshcake and Thewritersideoflife, I'm so glad...Welshcake and Thewritersideoflife, I'm so glad I could help! It does my heart good to read comments like this. :)Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-66069940355077363832010-07-22T06:59:05.625-04:002010-07-22T06:59:05.625-04:00You have no idea how much this post has made my da...You have no idea how much this post has made my day! I have been at a complete standstill now for a few days over stressing a small issue in my own plot (well, that of my story - not of my actual life, that would be rather strange!)My issue is not so much with my hero - he is strong, vivid and clear, but on reading this post I realised what has been holding me back - my secondary character needs to be shot! Or at least vastly rewritten. On reading the above, I realised he could not function with any of the suggested criteria - it is kinda crucial that this point of the story is told from his point of view, and he just can't do it!<br /><br />Not sure how I am going to progress from this point, but I just wanted to thank you and have a mini vent at a stranger (apologies) because I now don't feel so ridiculous with my dilemma. There is an answer! Just not sure what it is yet, but you have helped me see the light. Many thanks, good luck with the writing!<br /><br />Nat xAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-20318187808129482742010-07-21T17:38:07.838-04:002010-07-21T17:38:07.838-04:00Janice, thank you SO much for this brilliant post....Janice, thank you SO much for this brilliant post. I had been stuck on a plot point for ages and could NOT figure out how to resolve it without someone else rescuing my main character. I read this post, chewed it over, and found a way! <br /><br />I'm sending you virtual chocolate.Drifterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00010910720078532858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-34887879306524072022010-07-17T14:26:31.885-04:002010-07-17T14:26:31.885-04:00Very good. It got me asking myself how many times...Very good. It got me asking myself how many times I've considered doing something similar. Usually it's disgarded, but not always. *shy grin* There are always other ways to stir things up or to get characters out of trouble... not using a rescue by another character just makes a person think of a better way to save them.Star-Dreamerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14298850366884374226noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-42455623150684050062010-07-16T09:25:21.541-04:002010-07-16T09:25:21.541-04:00Goodness, Sandra, I didn't think you were rude...Goodness, Sandra, I didn't think you were rude at all! I have no problem with folks disagreeing, and you brought up good points. I just didn't want you (or others) to think the post was saying "never do X" so I clarified. :)Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-23866958209171464402010-07-15T22:16:58.101-04:002010-07-15T22:16:58.101-04:00Hm. When I think over my two novel drafts now in ...Hm. When I think over my two novel drafts now in the revision stage, the narrative characters don't do all that much, come the climax. In one of them, what she does do is important and lets the rest of it happen, and nobody else can do what she does. And the other one, the narrator <em>can't</em> really do much, either… but she might need to do a bit more than she does. Thanks for that thought.<br /><br />And I don't like the who-the-heck-is-this-crazy-person who pops up out of nowhere to save the day, either, unless it's something that happens well <em>before</em> the climax and there's a reason the person shows up. (Like, the crazy wizard is tracking the same dragon the hero is, so the wizard's there with an anti-fire spell when the hero needs it, kind of thing.)<br /><br />Sorry if I'm not quite coherent. I'm falling asleep.Carradeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05431561739001270522noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-3560248270784889952010-07-15T19:47:00.403-04:002010-07-15T19:47:00.403-04:00I'm sorry, Janice. :-( I spoke too strongly an...I'm sorry, Janice. :-( I spoke too strongly and did not read your post thoroughly. You do mention having a secondary character help out but I had skimmed right over it.<br /><br />I hope you accept my apologies for coming off so rudely. :-(Sandrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01586904935053769954noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-53397713823811077402010-07-15T17:42:14.934-04:002010-07-15T17:42:14.934-04:00I hate when the MC of a book I'm reading gets ...I hate when the MC of a book I'm reading gets themselves into a really hairy situation, and I'm thinking, how the heck are they going to get out of this one...I don't know, but it's gonna be good. <br /><br />Then, out of the blue, another character runs in to save the day. All those big obstacles vanish and the accomplishment feels flat. It's a big let-down for me. <br /><br />I'm not saying this is always the way it happens, I just hate it when it is. <br />I prefer this approach :) "You got yourself into this mess, now get yourself out of it."Cheryl Annehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08375547152670259749noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-72753834010564592622010-07-15T17:33:05.295-04:002010-07-15T17:33:05.295-04:00Great advice here. I'm going to have to copy a...Great advice here. I'm going to have to copy and paste these questions for future reference.<br /><br />In the novel I'm currently revising, I had the issue of the protag being "conveniently" rescued. My critique group (I love them) helped me find something better for my hero, though. Yay, for them and yay for the story. :)Brandi Guthriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16655707567309926694noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-30579211214444296532010-07-15T15:35:34.877-04:002010-07-15T15:35:34.877-04:00I like it when the protag is able to get themselve...I like it when the protag is able to get themselves out of the big jam.Southpawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16539290964546504171noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-35149290536233780902010-07-15T14:12:19.071-04:002010-07-15T14:12:19.071-04:00Sandra, I'm not saying your protag should alwa...Sandra, I'm not saying your protag should always go it alone. As I mentioned, having your secondary characters contribute and even save the day is a great way to round out your cast. <br /><br />You're right, people don't do things all for themselves all the time. But it's not uncommon in first or early manuscripts to have a hero who is always being "helped out" by someone, be it someone coming to save them, or a convenient person who has just the right information and hands it over, bad guys who spill the beans on the plot so the hero doesn't have to figure anything out on their own. These are all situations where it often helps the story to think about ways in which someone doesn't help out the hero and they have to do it themselves. <br /><br />Each situation has to be evaluated on its own, and my goal is to give as many options for something to think about as I can. Because you never know what will click for someone :)Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-73783820540951400222010-07-15T12:55:23.544-04:002010-07-15T12:55:23.544-04:00Great tips. I agree that sometimes your secondary ...Great tips. I agree that sometimes your secondary characters need to help with getting out of the mess. Or occasionally being the one to solve the problem. Sometimes this helps show your main character's character struggles.Natalie Aguirrehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03756087804171246660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-76850242246110693162010-07-15T12:36:38.751-04:002010-07-15T12:36:38.751-04:00Novels with a romance story line also have the iss...Novels with a romance story line also have the issue of the power between the hero and heroine. These days, the reader wants the rescue/rescued to be equal between the hero and heroine. In other words, no damsels in distress and no all-powerful hero who always saves the day and the girl.Marilynn Byerlyhttp://marilynnbyerly.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-23020411345662588632010-07-15T12:00:45.153-04:002010-07-15T12:00:45.153-04:00I disagree. I often get tired of protagonists who ...I disagree. I often get tired of protagonists who have the "I have to do it all myself!" chip on their shoulders. I often see them making ridiculous choices just so they can do it all by themselves. I see nothing wrong with someone else helping along the way as long as the hero solves the main problem in the end.<br /><br />Few of us are totally alone in this life. We need and use the help of friends and family to make it through, even when our final decisions are up to us. Why is it so wrong for our protagonists to be the same way?<br /><br />I guess look at it this way, How often did Watson help Holmes? Many times. How often do Ron and Hermione help Harry Potter? Many times. Yes, the final choices and final battles go to the hero, but their friends often help/rescue them along the way.<br /><br />I have put some books aside because I got so sick of the main character always having to do it all his or herself.Sandrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01586904935053769954noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-77758487301045587172010-07-15T11:18:34.656-04:002010-07-15T11:18:34.656-04:00Great ideas, and certainly worth thinking about. ...Great ideas, and certainly worth thinking about. I try to only have a rescue when it feels like a natural part of the story. 'Sides, sometimes figuring out how to get someone out of a jam is one of the fun parts of writing a story.Bradhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10646548242753417196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-84054556036113119742010-07-15T09:38:59.863-04:002010-07-15T09:38:59.863-04:00Great post. Your blog always get me thinking.Great post. Your blog always get me thinking.Cat Moleskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05524784591244300197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-10637228771681437062010-07-15T07:49:51.444-04:002010-07-15T07:49:51.444-04:00I am also not a fan of the convenient-yet-previous...I am also not a fan of the convenient-yet-previously-unseen/unknown rescuer. Anyone who reads this article shouldn't have that issue ever again. Excellent thoughts here. :)Lydia Sharphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15328254761920829040noreply@blogger.com