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Monica Fairview | How Not To Alienate The Characters In Your Novels
April 5, 2010
Character? Who’s calling me a character? Characters are unfortunately an essential part of writing a novel. I say
unfortunately, because they’re the most troublesome creatures alive. Did I say
alive? Well, that’s the main issue right here. It would be much easier if they
stayed flat on the page, but do they? No. No sooner have I started writing them
than they leap onto their own two feet and start running. Which leads to all
kinds of unexpected consequences. If only for self-protection, I’ve discovered
five essential rules that I have to follow if I’m ever going to get my writing
done. 1. The people that populate your novel know a lot more about themselves than
you do. So give them the chance to reveal themselves, and you might get a
few surprises. You’re right in the middle of the novel when a sudden bit of
information about them comes up, something you didn’t know until they revealed
it. Take Mr Darcy, for example. We know how he behaves with Elizabeth, we know
how he is from a romantic perspective. But take him out of the context of Pride and Prejudice and put
him with his cousin, or see him interacting with Caroline Bingley in private, or
put him in charge of Georgiana in a rebellious moment, and you’ll suddenly
discover aspects of him you didn’t know. I certainly did. 2. You need to give your people free rein to react to what you throw at
them. Even if you’re the type of author who plots ahead of time (I tend to
do that), you’ll be surprised at the spanners the people of your novel will
throw in the works if you try to lead them in certain direction. You can follow
the plot, but you have to let the people in your novel give it the unexpected
twists and turns that makes it interesting. In the Darcy Cousins, for example,
Georgiana looks up to her cousin Clarissa and relies on her for guidance in the
art of wooing a gentleman. But then Clarissa rejects that role, and decides to
do her best to woo the same gentleman! It wasn’t what I planned, but Clarissa
gave me no choice. 3. You can still play god, if you must, because you can be the hand of
fate, but you’ll quickly discover that trying to be an authoritarian god doesn’t
work. The characters will have their own opinions, whether you like it or not,
and may well have opinions you don’t agree with at all. The people you created
(ungrateful creatures) exercise their free will and even do the things you
expressly forbade them from doing. In The Other Mr Darcy,
Caroline Bingley insists on drinking several rounds of cherry, despite the fact
that it’s a terrible idea. Can you imagine Caroline Bingley drunk? But despite
trying to cut out that part, Caroline insisted on having it included. Well, what
could I do? I’m only the author. 4. There’s no point in arm-wrestling your people to prove who’s the
stronger. In fact, don’t even try. They’ll win in seconds. I made the
mistake of thinking that I could shape Robert Darcy the way I wanted. After all,
it’s my book, isn’t it? Well, theoretically, it works, if you want to produce
cardboard figures. But after I finished the novel, I had to go back and rewrite
him completely. I had to grovel and ask him what he wanted to be like. My, did
he have a lot more to say than I expected! He was a darker, more complex person
than I imagined. The same was true in The Darcy Cousins. I
thought Georgiana was a very sweet tempered person, and that’s how I wanted her
to be. But she refused to fit into my preconceived notions. I struggled and
struggled, and finally had to give up and rewrite the whole first part of the
novel. 5. Above all, if you want them to have a life, for heaven’s sake, don’t
think of them as characters. They’re people, and now that you’ve created them,
they’ll go their own way, and you can’t do a thing to stop them. You might as
well love them for who they are. Thank you Fresh Fiction for allowing me
this opportunity to vent about my characters (ahem, people). Do other writers
have similar experiences, I wonder? THE DARCY COUSINS BY MONICA FAIRVIEW
IN
STORES APRIL 2010 A young lady in disgrace should at least strive to behave with decorum... Dispatched from America to England under a cloud of scandal, Mr. Darcy’s
incorrigible American cousin, Clarissa Darcy, manages to provoke Lady Catherine
de Bourgh, Mr. Collins, and the parishioners of Hunsford all in one morning! And there are more surprises in store for that bastion of tradition, Rosings
Park, when the family gathers for their annual Easter visit. Georgiana Darcy,
generally a shy model of propriety, decides to take a few lessons from her
unconventional cousin, to the delight of a neighboring gentleman. Anne de
Bourgh, encouraged to escape her "keeper"Mrs. Jenkinson, simply...vanishes. But
the trouble really starts when Clarissa and Georgiana both set out to win the
heart of the same young man... ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Literature professor Monica Fairview loves
teaching students the joys of reading. But after years of postponing the urge,
she finally realized that what she really wanted to do was write. The author of
THE OTHER MR. DARCY and
AN IMPROPER SUITOR, the
American-born Ms.
Fairviewcurrently resides in London. For more information, please visit her
website.
Leave a comment for a chance to win your own copy of THE DARCY COUSINS.
Comments
39 comments posted.
Re: Monica Fairview | How Not To Alienate The Characters In Your Novels
That's an interesting commentary on character development.
(Marlene Breakfield 9:40am April 5, 2010)
Darcy, Thanks for the advice about characterization. I have always been a reader and enjoy reading just about anything. I have just recently developed a desire to write. I write something everyday with the goal of writing becomming a habit just like reading. I intend to begin plotting an writing a book in about 3 more weeks. Again thanks for the advice and inspriation.
(Sandra Dickey 10:00am April 5, 2010)
Please enter me in your great contest and I love winning from FreshFiction.com
Thank YOU, Cecilia
[email protected]
(Cecilia Dunbar Hernandez 11:10am April 5, 2010)
Very interesting post! Please enter me!
(Gail Hurt 11:37am April 5, 2010)
It is when the characters, I mean people, speak for themselves that their story becomes interesting. So, turn them loose :>)
(Karin Tillotson 12:09pm April 5, 2010)
I wish i win this contest.
Thank you.
(Rommel Silitonga 12:11pm April 5, 2010)
Enjoyed your post about developing characters. Thanks for sharing.
(Cherie Japp 12:11pm April 5, 2010)
Thank You for your great insight into character development. Please enter me into your contest.
(Audra Holtwick 12:21pm April 5, 2010)
great post A book I would love to read
(Peggy Quidor 12:51pm April 5, 2010)
We are all just along for the ride when we write. It is sometimes hard to get out of our own way, but when we do- magic happens.
(Rachel Turner 12:54pm April 5, 2010)
I appreciate an author whose characters know who they are. Makes for a straightforward and great read!
(Freda Mans-Labianca 12:57pm April 5, 2010)
Monica, look at what you wrote - "now
that you have created them, they will
go their own way, and you can't do a
thing to stop them." That statement is
a perfect description of a child and
they are yours. What it sounds like, is
if you would listen to them in the first
place, you would save yourself a lot of
work and rewriting. I have to smile
when authors say they were trying to
write a story a certain way but their
characters would not let them.
Maybe they are real on some other
plane of existence and writers are just
channeling them. (Don't know where
that thought came from. With what is
being written out there, that is a scary
thought.)
(Patricia Barraclough 1:04pm April 5, 2010)
I bet the Darcy Cousins are as much fun as mine are!
Blessings,
Marjorie
(Marjorie Carmony 1:15pm April 5, 2010)
That's too funny! I'll have to check into your books!!
(Kelli Jo Calvert 1:18pm April 5, 2010)
:) I enjoyed your post... your book sounds like a wonderful read!
(Colleen Conklin 1:40pm April 5, 2010)
I have always thought as a reader the character's drive the story. As an aspiring writer I agree with you. Characters have a mind of their own no matter what the writer wants. If you let the characters drive the story I feel you will have a better result.
Sharon Strickland
(Sharon Strickland 1:55pm April 5, 2010)
I'm always amazed at how much goes into a book. Glad I get to read them.
(Leni Kaye 2:00pm April 5, 2010)
I Have Always Been A Fan Of Pride And Prejudice As Well As A Fan Of Elizabeth And Mr. Darcy. The Darcy Cousins Sounds Like Such An Amazing Story. I Always Wonder What Makes Every Person In A Story Tick Not Just The Main Ones So This Story Sounds Like I May Get Some Answers To That Very Question.
(Raquel Vega-Grieder 2:05pm April 5, 2010)
If the characters DON'T speak
to the author, how can they
expect to speak to me? The
ability of the author to
breathe life into the
characters is what keeps me
coming back for more.
(Lisa Richards 2:27pm April 5, 2010)
can't wait to read
(Sherry Russell 2:39pm April 5, 2010)
Sounds like my kind of book!!!
(Lori Roche 3:23pm April 5, 2010)
I really want to read this! Anything P&P related deserves a read!
(Marianna Gizzarelli 3:47pm April 5, 2010)
I love your post. It must be fun for you to learning all about the people you write about in your books. I'm glad they are willing to talk to you and reveal themselves...it makes for an interesting read.
(Robin McKay 4:52pm April 5, 2010)
Very interesting insight thank you. The book looks like a must read. Fingers crossed.
(Mary Preston 6:13pm April 5, 2010)
It's kindof creepy to think that someone you create as character takes on a life that unrolls and unravels as time and settings go by. You have a chance to direct traffic and change direction, but I'll bet you'd rather see where the plots heading before cutting them off mid-sentence.
(Alyson Widen 6:36pm April 5, 2010)
The problem I have had regarding characters in the book I just finished and the book I am reading now is that the author keeps introducing so many new characters that I find myself checking back to see if that character has been mentioned in the book prior to that time. It makes the story hard to follow.
(Gladys Paradowski 8:48pm April 5, 2010)
Very interesting post...Thanks for sharing
(Jeanine Lesperance 9:02pm April 5, 2010)
Almost the only thing I've ever written had to do with facts. So no, I've never had this experience, but I've heard from other writers whose characters went rogue and got completely out of hand.
However, especially since you speak of an "authoritarian god," I'm reminded of the Biblical God who wants the best for his children. Yet he too has given us free will to decide whether to follow his precepts, follow those of others or just follow our own inclinations.
I hope my adding this does not offend anyone, but to me this analogy just seemed to "cry out"--especially at this Easter season.
(Sigrun Schulz 9:14pm April 5, 2010)
I also wanted to mention that your books sound intriguing and I'd like to read more about the Darcy family. This is the first I've heard of your books.
(Sigrun Schulz 9:18pm April 5, 2010)
Sounds like a fun book.My heart always belongs to Mr. Darcy.
(Catherine Myers 9:25pm April 5, 2010)
Mr. Darcy is the idealistic man. Still in love with Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. It's too bad he a fictional character.
(Kai Wong 9:27pm April 5, 2010)
wow did not no that a Character could get so out of hand.but i guess that is what makes a story good.
(Stacey Smith 9:43pm April 5, 2010)
The book sounds fun, please enter me!
(Brenda Rupp 11:32pm April 5, 2010)
Characters who truly are "characters" are what draw me into a story. I love a story with people who really jump out at me and leave me with memorable impressions of them long after I've finished the book. That makes me want to come back the next book in the series or to that author's next book.
(Donna Holmberg 11:40pm April 5, 2010)
I could really use some Clarissa in my life!
(Danelle Drake 12:13pm April 6, 2010)
I find character development to be an important element of a novel. Your comments are most interesting.
(Bridget Lopreiato 2:36pm April 6, 2010)
This sounds most interesting... and fun!
(Cindy Rader 2:57pm April 6, 2010)
Great post- please enter my name.
(Christine Schultz 4:55pm April 6, 2010)
Hello Monica, Please enter me in your fantastic contest. I love entering and winning contests on FreshFiction.com
Thank YOU, Cecilia
[email protected]
(Cecilia Dunbar Hernandez 8:37pm April 6, 2010)
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