My Main Character Is Not Cooperating!

neergka · Jul 7, 2009

I was writing a scene today, had it all planned out. The thing is, my MC did something totally different. And then, not only did she do something totally unexpected, she finds some weird statue of some little creature, and I have no idea what that thing is. And then, the guy traveling along with my MC also refused to say and do what I wanted him to do. He is all afraid of this statue and won't talk about it until they are able to leave this place in a few hours. Oh, and he says the statue has to go with them.

See, this is why I don't bother to outline. Not only does outlining kill any passion I have for a project, it doesn't matter anyway. Those pesky characters just jump in and take over.

:tongue

Really, I love it when this happens. But it's funny too, because even as I am writing all this stuff, I'm thinking, "What in the world IS all this? How am I ever going to fit this into my story?" Apparently my story is not what I thought my story was.

The Lonely One · Jul 7, 2009

John Dufresne says to write a first draft and then outline.

Don't worry about it. Lots of writers experience discoveries late into their stories. It may ultimately have you changing things, but possibly for the better.

xXFireSpiritXx · Jul 7, 2009

Believe me I totally understand where your coming from. My MC is doing the same thing right now. Taking me all over the place. I try to reign her in but she just laughs at me.

Cyia · Jul 7, 2009

Step one: Take statue from MC.

Step two: Threaten 2nd MC with little statue man (shaking in the face works best)

Step three: Smack MC and 2nd MC on head with little statue man to remind them who's in charge.

Step four: Ask little statue for details of its origin and reasons why it's important.

Step five: Repeat step three until the MC's are either beaten into submission or so addled they have no choice but to listen to your lead.

Now ... back to writing or I employ step seven, which is basically step 3, only with the roles reversed so your MC's get to smack you around

neergka · Jul 7, 2009

Okay, I need to go to sleep now. I'm going to be dreaming of weird humpbacked six-toed statues (did I mention that's what it looked like?)

Exir · Jul 7, 2009

Er... The main character is you. You make her do things. You're the author

A more accurate way of describing your experience is that you have discovered a better story than what you originally planned.

thethinker42 · Jul 7, 2009

neergka said:
I was writing a scene today, had it all planned out. The thing is, my MC did something totally different. And then, not only did she do something totally unexpected, she finds some weird statue of some little creature, and I have no idea what that thing is. And then, the guy traveling along with my MC also refused to say and do what I wanted him to do. He is all afraid of this statue and won't talk about it until they are able to leave this place in a few hours. Oh, and he says the statue has to go with them.

See, this is why I don't bother to outline. Not only does outlining kill any passion I have for a project, it doesn't matter anyway. Those pesky characters just jump in and take over.

Really, I love it when this happens. But it's funny too, because even as I am writing all this stuff, I'm thinking, "What in the world IS all this? How am I ever going to fit this into my story?" Apparently my story is not what I thought my story was.

All of this happens to me too, even though I outline. My rule is, when the characters and outline disagree, the characters win. Every time.

(And believe me...it happens a lot.)

NicoleMD · Jul 7, 2009

Exir said:
Er... The main character is you. You make her do things. You're the author

A more accurate way of describing your experience is that you have discovered a better story than what you originally planned.

I've tried hard to make my characters do things I want them to. It doesn't turn out pretty. The best I can do is to really get into their heads and anticipate where they're going. That seems to work about 30% of the time.

As the author, I am able to define a general arc I'd like to see for the scene or chapter, then I let my characters do whatever they're going to do. Whenever I try to force something onto the page, it almost always gets scrapped.

Nicole

Elidibus · Jul 8, 2009

Just wait until a minor characters jumps and screams and pouts at your main characters until they get so frustrated that they switch roles. I'm still rewriting that dang story!

Exir said:
A more accurate way of describing your experience is that you have discovered a better story than what you originally planned.

This quote has been stolen by me. It is now part of my "best quotes on the internet" document.

neergka · Jul 8, 2009

Exir said:
Er... The main character is you. You make her do things. You're the author

A more accurate way of describing your experience is that you have discovered a better story than what you originally planned.

Which is why I'm just going along with it, to see where it goes. I'm not sure how it is going to fit together, but I like what I wrote better than what I planned to write.

5bcarnies · Jul 8, 2009

My MC argued with me once. We ended up compromising. Meaning I had to give her a reason to do what I wanted; which was to stay in a town where people wanted to kill her. I gave her a mission, a heroic moment like none she had experienced before this point. It worked. Now she is rolling with all the crazy punches I keep throwing her way.

Although, a statue is a whole different story. No pun intended. I say, roll with it and see what happens. I'm sure there is a reason your subconscious put it there.

vixey · Jul 8, 2009

I LOVE it when my characters, main or otherwise, do things without permission. It's called following your muse.

(I don't outline either. I tried it once and afterwards I felt like the story was done. I didn't need to retell it by writing it into novel form. Bummer.)

Samantha's_Song · Jul 8, 2009

I like my characters taking over sometimes, it saves me a lot of time having to think for them that way. It's when they start arguing with me that really pisses me off though, I just want a quiet life and to get them to see things my way from time to time, for the sake of the story you understand, but they always seem to win. That's not bad considering I'm a control freak anyway.

Seriously, if the characters are taking over the story from how you planned it, it proves that your characters actually have character and aren't cardboard cut-outs.

AngelaA · Jul 8, 2009

That's the great thing about human nature...we do unpredictable things all the time. I always start my projects with a rough, very rough, outline but if I actually stuck to it I would only have a 30K novel on my hands...things always pop up that I wasn't expecting, sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. I clean it up in revisions.

NeuroFizz · Jul 8, 2009

Exir said:
Er... The main character is you. You make her do things. You're the author

A more accurate way of describing your experience is that you have discovered a better story than what you originally planned.

Seconded (or thirded). Take credit for your creative jumps like this, otherwise, if you get into a mid-book slump you may well blame it on the fictional character instead of realizing you, the author, have to work through the tough spot.

thethinker42 said:
All of this happens to me too, even though I outline. My rule is, when the characters and outline disagree, the characters win. Every time. (And believe me...it happens a lot.)

Agree. This kind of freedom of character development is not compromised in any way by an outline unless the author lets it. And it is no more inherent or bountiful in those who do not outline. It's a general property of good, creative writers, expressed to varying degrees in each individual regardless of his/her approach to writing fiction.

Let's hope this thread stays on the joys of seeing a character develop in unexpected ways and doesn't get bogged down in yet another snarky outlining versus non-outlining tar pit.

Fuchsia Flower · Jul 8, 2009

All the best twists in my story have come from nowhere and when I least expected. It's resulted in a fair bit of editing for the story to make sense, but it's also become a better book overall.

Aggy B. · Jul 8, 2009

I have a supporting character who was supposed to show up, rescue the MC and then leave mysteriously. (Which as I write it now sounds stupid but was not really quite that ridiculous because there are Reasons why he would act that way.) But it doesn't matter anyway. After he rescued my MC, he then took her to stay with his friends, which added new characters, a handful of new chapters and clarified a sticky plot point that I had been ignoring in the hopes it would become brilliant if I let it age long enough. And it strengthened two kind of shaky subplots.

Hooray for the subconscious mind. :hooray:

I find that with writing (much like drawing) I have to actually put something down in a physical format (either written long-hand or typed or whatever) before I really start seeing all the details that make it not-so-run-of-the-mill. I always have ideas about what could happen but once I see it in black and white then the "better" path starts to emerge. And it usually seems like the characters are forging their own way so that's how I phrase it, but yeah. It's all me. (For better or worse.)

Ruth2 · Jul 8, 2009

Ain't it great when this happens?

Just yesterday I was writing a scene with my MC and the nasty villain, and I knew exactly what was supposed to happen. So of course Nasty jumps up and does something completely different, dragging my MC along with him.

I don't outline; I use a map. I know I need to hit certain points in my story but a lot of the time I let the characters determine how to get there. Generally we're agreed on how to do it but sometimes they go off on a tangent-- one that fits the story but a tangent nevertheless. That's okay. What they come up with is a lot more entertaining than what I'd thought up.

Wark · Jul 8, 2009

My characters get stuck in dialog [which will get cut] and I'm thinking, "Just tell her already!"

Repartee · Jul 8, 2009

I've stopped outlining, and I've given my characters free rein. It's taking me to some interesting places, lol. I'm currently dealing with a kidnapping and two very odd people.

Hastings Boy · Jul 8, 2009

If Tolkien can swap leads from Frodo to Strider, and Melville can ditch Bulkington in favour of Ahab, who are we to argue about 'characters' taking over a story!

errantruth · Jul 8, 2009

Hastings Boy, do say more about Frodo and Strider???

And back to the topic, I *LOVE* that part of writing

I had two characters who could. not. meet. early. for the sake of the story. But one of them HAD to check on the other. He seriously would NOT let me move on with the story until I let him check on the other guy. Finally, I let him have his way, deciding that I'd do that for him, as the author, and then I would delete the scene that had to be written, apparently, also author's prerogative.

What I hadn't counted on was that the other character was just as desperate not to be seen. And he took care of things just perfectly, and in a way that amped up the tension and fear for the MC's life in the crosshairs. And I never would have thought to write it that way.

Um, except I did. Clearly. Heh.

I love it. The only thing is that I've lost the voice and feel for one MC now, and must re-find her in me. Re-see her. Stop ignoring her. She's not herself yet. I don't feel her right now....

*off to feel my MC*

Diana W. · Jul 8, 2009

I can relate. I created a character a few weeks back. She was only meant to be a plot device of sorts. Just a way to bring my MC and his antagonist across each others paths. First she wanted a bigger role. Then she wanted a part to play in the finale. Next thing I know is she called my MC while he was at a bar with a friend of his and came over, met them both. Now she wants to move in on the friend! Doesn't want much does she? :ROFL:

Rain Likely · Jul 8, 2009

I love it when stuff like that happens. I had a minor character turn out to be so much fun when he finally got the chance to talk that I promoted him to major character.

ccarver30 · Jul 8, 2009

I agree- this is why I don't outline either. Waste of time. LOL

My Main Character Is Not Cooperating!

Why is a raven like a writing desk?

Killing my darlings...

Rewriting My Destiny

Out of the cradle endlessly rocking

Abnormal Romance Author

Onomatopotamus

Over 9000!!!!!!!

C'est la vie!

At least I don't need backing-up

Are we there yet?

The grad students did it

Not as sweet as you think

Tam, na Koncu Drevoreda

Mark Brockman

Queen of Hearts

I'm evolving

Nicole Castro