Once upon a time in a small northern Ohio village there lived a writer who had a blog, which was rarely updated because the writer did not log in to her Dashboard with an regularity or frequency.
My apologies.
When I logged onto the site today, I was horrified to see that it had been FOUR MONTHS since I've posted. So much for self-promoting through the written word.
But enough of that. I came on to address a subject that I think may be of interest to other writers out there. This post is probably geared more toward the fledgling writer rather than the seasoned one, but you never know. Even I, who have been writing since I could pick up a pencil, have fallen victim to this.
Every writer knows how important characters are to a story. They must be named properly, developed well, and become as real as a living, breathing human being. When they open their mouths to speak, a reader must believe what they say. Forced dialogue is SUCH a no-no.
So, here you are, the writer, sitting before your keyboard. From the deepest recesses of your mind, you have pulled this person. At first, it is nothing more than a blob of brain matter, but as your mind spins and your fingers move along your keyboard, "it" begins to take shape..."it" becomes gender-specific, and suddenly, he is a person, with a name, character traits, hair and eye color, and a distinct personality. He has purpose, problems, and is embarking on some sort of journey/adventure/mission.
And now that you've created this person and even given him the process of thought, what would make you think he wouldn't have free will?
It's strange, but characters--even those in fiction--really do have minds of their own. No matter how tightly you may pull the reins on them, they will buck you and sort of gallop off in the direction in which they are meant to go. And, trust me, it is always the right direction.
Normally, I am very open-minded when it comes to my character's desire to turn left when I have initially planned to make a hard right. I have learned over the years that it is better to sit back and enjoy the ride rather than attempt to climb behind the wheel. My character leads and I follow, helping him out here and there along the way. Kind of like a GPS, I suppose. And when the trip is over, I am always quite happy with where we have gone.
However, about six months ago, I threw my own advice right out the window as I was writing my short story, "Safety Boy".
I had the concept: a dark comedy-vampire tale-horror spoof featuring a pair of very unlikely vampire slayers. Names came easily. Personalities? No problem. My conflict began when Brian "Safety Boy" McCoy showed me that he had a mind of his own.
As I was writing (and laughing at my own cleverness), Safety Boy's tale, as amusing as it was, simply wasn't going the way I'd thought it would. I would type. Pause. Read what I had written. Frown. Hit backspace. I was confused. Why wasn't this going well? The words were in my brain. There shouldn't have been a problem.
I stepped away from my laptop, left the room, and suddenly, it dawned on me. I had been very frustrated with Safety Boy because HE was trying to tell ME, his creator, where to go. I had devised Plan A, but he had a few plans of his own.
Back to the computer I went. My first draft went to Document Heaven, and I pulled up a blank document. Settling back more comfortably in my chair, fingers poised over my keyboard, I gave Safety Boy permission to drive, and we were off.
The result? A truly fabulous story, which has become my new pet project. As soon as Safety Boy's tale had been told, I submitted it to an editor, and within 48 hours, it had been accepted for publication. "Safety Boy" will be published in about two weeks, and the prospect of seeing his tale in print is extremely exciting--and just more than slightly gratifying.
What would have happened if I had not allowed my character to go where he wanted? Who can say? Would "Safety Boy" have been published? I'm confident enough to say probably, but would it have been as good? I can answer that with a blunt and unabashed NO.
I know, too, that if I had remained stubborn and had not given Safety Boy the freedom to wander, then I would never have been able to embark on an exciting new project--a series of books, entitled THE ADVENTURES OF SAFETY BOY, based on my original short story characters and their exploits into the world of the undead. In retrospect, I am shocked at where I had originally planned to take Brian and his best friend and brother in slaying, Thomas Horr. And I am really, REALLY glad that I had the sense to "listen" to Safety Boy's insistent nagging voice, even though, while writing his tale, I was privately thinking, "Shut up, dude. I know what I'm doing," and "Who does this kid think he is? I'm the writer here."
In conclusion, fellow writers, I encourage you to give your characters wings with which to spread and fly. And always, no matter what, allow them to go where they will.
