I joked the other day that I was going to implant GPS trackers in my characters, because I had no idea which direction they were heading.It can be nervewracking when they set off down a different path than the one I'd initially planned. They give me a jaunty wave and say, "Let us show you what we have in mind", and I try to be brave enough to let them do just that. I remind myself that characters are meant to have a life of their own, and if they didn't, they wouldn't interest writers, or readers.
A TV show I used to enjoy, called Endgame, was about a Russian chess master, Arkady Balagan, who is unable to leave the hotel where he lives because he saw his fiancé get killed right outside the hotel. The last time he was outdoors was when he ran to her exploding car, but it was too late to save her. He is attempting to solve the mystery of his fiancé's death, and each week he also solves a variety of other situations involving hotel guests.
I wasn't sure there would be anything beyond this premise, so I didn't anticipate the show would hold my interest. For example, Arkady walks around the hotel in his bare feet, often wearing lounging clothes of some kind, treating the place as if it is his home, because it is. At first it seems a bit contrived--because it is.
However, the actor brings his own special interpretation to that collection of quirks and personality traits. He manages to inhabit the character so that what was a gimmick at the beginning actually becomes an indelible part of Arkady's persona.
It didn't take long before I was convinced he was acting this way because it's the way he is.
One scene shows him getting off the elevator, walking into the hotel lobby with his bare toes held apart by cotton balls since he just got a pedicure. It fits his personality perfectly. He's arrogant, and abrasive, insistent on getting his way, even when he's in the wrong. Yet we know he's in emotional pain from his fiancé's violent death, and we sympathize because he is doing his best to handle it, even if it is imperfectly.
These are some of the reasons he's endeared himself to me, so I continued watching the show, just to see more of his character and what he would do. (Unfortunately the show was cancelled after one season, so after getting attached to all of the characters, I was forced to let them go.)
With my books, I know just a small portion of my characters when I sit down to start their story, and I never know exactly what they'll do after I set them down in that first scene.
They reveal bits and pieces to me as I go along, showing me what they're feeling, and telling me what motivates them. Soon I can see them as fully-developed vibrant characters. I may have to revise that initial scene, but it's worth it, because it gives me a chance to watch them grow into their personalities.
They become people worth caring about, and it's my job to develop their story to fit who they really are. So while I may grumble about not knowing where they're headed, I'm actually having lots of fun chasing them around, following them while we both discover who they are.
Just don't let them know that.
I'm the exact same way with my characters, Donna. I might know a bit about what makes them tic, but I don't know the toc, LOL. They develop as I go, often surprising me with how they turn out.
I remember one WIP where I had a secondary character slated for a bad guy role but, part way through, he made me realize he wasn't so bad. I grew attached to him and, if I continue with the series, he'll definitely be getting his own novel. I love when characters surprise me (although I do a lot of grumbling too because that usually involves a bit of rewriting).
BTW, Endgame sounds like it was a good show. I hate when you get attached to something and it gets cancelled after one season!
Posted by: Mae Clair | January 24, 2013 at 01:47 PM
I like to hear authors talking about their characters. It is clearly an evolutionary process, much speeded up compared to biological evolution. The characters evolve under their own steam, adapting to or avoiding the helpful interjections from the author. The latter is the creator (or Goddess) for the whole mini-universe.
I'm sure some characters fall by the wayside and only the fittest survive. Though I suspect that the Goddess sometimes has a sneaking liking for certain flawed characters, who might not survive in the wild. The flaws can make a hero more interesting and loveable and a heroine worth her salt can exploit the flaws, using them as a channel for love to blossom.
Donna, as the Goddess in this scheme, do you have a sense of power, always influencing events when possible, or like the creator of the physical universe, do you see yourself as sparking the process into life, setting the rules for your creation, and then allowing it to evolve freely.
I would love to know! *smile*
Posted by: Quantum | January 24, 2013 at 02:07 PM
Mae, yes -- I love the tic and the toc description. I think it's pretty much like getting to know "real" people -- you see something in them you find intriguing enough to continue discovering more, and then things go from there. You're right about it requiring rewriting though. LOL
Endgame was an intriguing show. I think it's still listed on Hulu. I enjoyed several of the secondary characters too. It seems like I always pick the shows that don't get to last. *sob*
Posted by: Donna Cummings | January 28, 2013 at 08:29 AM
Q, it's fun to think I'm the Goddess of these characters' mini-universe. Although I'm not sure they worship me the way they should. LOL I definitely believe they have a VERY strong free will, which is why I end up chasing them, yelling, "But I'm your creator!" LOL That's what makes the writing fun though, so I can't complain. Too much. :)
Posted by: Donna Cummings | January 28, 2013 at 08:32 AM