Aspects of Character Part 5: Showing Versus Telling (as usual)

In the four previous posts, I described how to develop a character through how they look, what they fear, what they like and dislike, how they feel, what they believe, the way they treat others, and through change. But when it comes right down to it, the nitty-gritty of a short story or novel is the plot, which goes from one point to another through the things a character does and says. The doing and saying of a story essentially is the story. You can have doing and saying all over the place, and it would be a story, even if the characters were hardly developed at all. Obviously, though, this would not be a very good story, and this is why we as writers must bring to life a character on the page. The doing and saying of a story is provided by the deepest aspects of the characters participating in the story.

The old adage “show, don’t tell” has been the go-to rule for writers, as it should be. Telling is describing the character, describing the setting, narrating the plot development as if the reader needs to have their hand held as they plow through a novel. Obviously some telling is required, or else the story may be a bit difficult to follow, but here’s something all writer’s need to know: readers are smarter than you think. Telling is not doing and saying, it is describing. Showing is doing and saying. Readers do not what to be told what is happening, they want to see it before their eyes.

The way a reader reads is completely the opposite of how a writer writes, but a writer must know how a reader reads in order to write the thing that will make the most sense to them. How a reader reads is like this: the doing and saying of the plot reveals what the character is like on a deeper level. Therefore, a writer must write like this: what the character is like on a deeper level dictates the doing and saying of the plot.

Most readers don’t read for an analysis of a character, they read to be entertained by the plot, by the doing and saying; it is while they are enjoying the story that they can decipher the words and discover the intricacies of human nature  through the character. They don’t want to be told that people are selfish; they want to see what happens in a situation where people act in selfish ways and say selfish things. A writer must know that a character is selfish in order to write the doing and saying of selfishness, but to a reader, the doing and saying will reveal the selfishness of the character.

To sum up: a writer must show the actions of a character so that a reader can be both entertained by the plot and be sneakily revealed the innards of the character. If a writer knows the character down to the deepest, basest emotions, desires, and fears, then they can portray the character in such a way that the reader can see what they are like without being told that that’s what they’re like. “Show, don’t tell” is the most important guideline for writers to follow.

Peace, Aimee

Aspects of Character Part 4: Emotional Depth and Relationships

Knowing who a character is in their own right (appearance, tastes, preferences, and attitude) is not enough to constitute a personality. Creating one person is not enough to create a novel or short story.

If there is only one character present in the story, there are things happening to the character that are beyond their control, which can make for a good story, as long as the character’s reaction to the events say something profound about the character or about human nature. Their emotional depth comes into play here. The extent to which the character feels and how they express their emotions will reveal aspects of their personality such as attitude toward life or even simple things like habits. And to make the story character-driven, the character’s personality is what drives their reactions to the events with which they are presented. Character and plot must reinforce one another.

For example, if the character I created in the previous posts, the extroverted, optimistic, yet arrogant little boy, is the only character in a scene and is presented with an important decision, let’s say he’s lost in the woods and must decide to either walk toward where he thinks he came from or to stand still and call out for help, his personality will dictate his actions. As an optimist and extrovert, he may feel as though people will come to his rescue, and he is comfortable with shouting loudly for attention; therefore, he will stand in one spot and yell for help, though he will probably not break down and cry, even though he is a child. His arrogance will also lead him to believe that someone will come for him when he calls. 

In addition his reaction to being lost, the result of his reaction will also create external, plot-driven tension tension, as well as internal tension. If no one comes when he calls, his personality may either become exacerbated, or it may change when he realizes some profound truth. Dynamic characters must change for a reason, and a good one at that; stubborn characters are more effective than passive ones. They must resist change, and when they do change, the theme of the story will be revealed.

Obviously, there is usually not just a single character present in all scenes of a novel. There are other characters for the main character to interact with to create a plot. The way one character acts toward another and reacts toward what the other has said or done will reveal aspects of both characters just as much as their actions are dictated by their individual personalities. Once again, they should reinforce one another.

The extent to which a character feels comfortable revealing themselves is an important aspect of a story, as well as the extent to which they feel about another character. Because this little boy is an optimistic extrovert, he would be more comfortable expressing his deeper emotions with people than others would. If he is speaking to a highly introverted person, he may feel as though he is not getting much back, and his arrogance may cause him to get angry. If the introvert is sensitive, his anger may cause the introvert to withdraw even more and perhaps cause dislike toward or fear of the extroverted boy. These interactions will both reinforce each character’s individual identity by revealing the way they react to opposition from others, as well as developing relationships with other characters to move the plot along and to give the characters either support or addition opposition.

To sum up, character and plot must reinforce one another, and the characters’ interaction must develop each individual’s presentation to the reader. Relationships and emotional intimacy are just as important to the story, if not more, than an individual character’s identity and desires.Stubborn or resistant characters are more effective than passive ones because if their personality changes over the course of the story, they will say something profound about human nature.

Peace, Aimee

Quo Vadis

When I arrived at the letter Q during the A to Z Challenge in April, I realized I had never read a book what started with the letter Q, unless I cheat and count Don Quixote. (Note: I did cheat in this way for other book posts, but I promise I'd read books that started with those letters; I just had to pick a different one so as not to duplicate authors, which was one of my self-inflicted stipulations.) So as promised, here is my book for the letter Q! Quo Vadis by Henryk Sienkiewicz.

When Christianity first breached Roman society in roughly 50 AD, there was a lot of conflict and tension as Romans resisted transforming their gluttonous, pleasure-driven culture. In Quo Vadis, a Roman centurion falls in love with a Christian girl during the time of Cesar and Nero. This historical novel illustrates the changing society of the time. I would highly recommend this book to those interested in the history of Christianity, as well as Roman and Greek history and mythology. The characters are very well developed and passionate. Though it is quite long, as well as translated from Polish in the late 1800s, it is a surprisingly easy read, not dense as many novels from that era are, and especially for the genre.

The book that starts with the letter X is soon(ish) to come!

Peace, Aimee

Aspects of Character Part 3: Tastes, Preferences, Habits, and Other Things that Make Your Character Come to Life

In the two previous posts on the aspects of character, I discussed archetypes and stereotypes and attitude. Today, I will talk about how tastes, preferences, and habits can bring life to your characters.

A character’s personality is extremely important, but even with a distinct attitude toward life with deep-seated fears and ambitions, a character may not appear to be fully developed. They can act like a character in a novel that moves along the plot, but the goal of many writers is to make their characters feel like real people. To make a character come to life on the page, they must exhibit traits and behaviors that real people do.

The small details of a character’s favorite foods and music, style of clothing, morning and evening routines, and even their favorite color are certainly not as important to the plot of your novel as their deepest motivations and fears, but once those required aspects of character have been established, a writer can use specific tastes, preferences, and habits to exacerbate the personality of a character. How a character takes their coffee can reveal many things: Do they have a sweet tooth? Are they a caffeine addict? Do they like those little leaf designs in the froth?

A writer can layer the symbolism of a character’s preferences to reveal deeper aspects of their personality. For example, let’s take the extroverted, optimistic young boy I created in the first post and expanded upon in the second. Let’s make him a vegetarian. His reasons for this decision can vary widely, but without knowing his reasoning, the reader can already assume certain things about him. Perhaps he simply doesn’t like the taste of meat; what would that say about him as compared to being concerned about the emotions or pain of the animal? If someone asks him if he cares about animal rights and he says no, he just hates the taste or texture of chicken, then the reader can see that he is a bit self-centered or arrogant.

Tastes, preferences, and habits can do more than reveal the personality of a character. They can also be used as plot devices. Yes, this little boy is a vegetarian, but what if he were allergic to nuts? Where does he get his protein? Does this make his musculature weak? He probably is not very strong, maybe even has a protein deficiency. This would cause some health problems for sure. It also reveals that he is even more arrogant than we previously thought; he is allergic to nuts but refuses to eat meat because he hates the taste; he is motivated by external pleasures and sensations rather than internal emotions and concerns. This could add a lot to the plot, what he does or does not do in order to satisfy his motivation. And it is also an extension of his extroversion, seeking out external pleasures rather than internal.

To sum up, a character’s tastes, preferences, and habits can add depth to their personality and motivations, making them seem more like a real person rather than a character from a book, which is what many writers aim to do. These aspects of a character can also move the plot along, tying a character’s personality to the advancement of the plot and making your novel much more character driven.

Peace, Aimee

The Versatile Blogger

Hektor Karl from After Troy has given my the Versatile Blogger award. Thanks Hektor! But now I have to tell you seven things about myself, which is a bit difficult.

1. I am a serious chocoholic. Never offer me chocolate, because I will never turn it down.

2. Sometimes I think I was born in the wrong country. I am obsessed with British comedy, music, writers, tea, and practically every other aspect of England's culture. It is my dream to one day live there. I have had multiple people mistake me as an English tourist; I think that's because I've unconsciously picked up a slight accent from watching too much British television.

3. I am ridiculously French and ridiculously Irish, which is an odd combination for someone ridiculously English at heart. As a matter of fact, my grandmother traced back our family tree, and it turns out I'm related to King Louis 16. You know, the one that got beheaded. One of his cousins saw the revolution coming and escaped France to Ireland.

4. I was a ballet dancer for 10 years, from ages 8 to 18. 

5. The show Grey's Anatomy is my guilty pleasure. And I may only be revealing this because the season finale is on as I am writing this, and I'm having trouble deciding what else to say about myself that doesn't have to do with writing or books. Also America's Next Top Model.

6. I played the french horn in middle school, which was quite damaging to my social life. I now play a bit the guitar and the ukulele, which is much cooler and more fun.

7. I am a vegetarian and do yoga.

I am now supposed to award some other bloggers with this award, but I have no idea who to give it to because you are all so awesome! :)

Peace, Aimee