Have any of you lacked the motivation to continue writing because one of your characters decided to take off and you didn't want him to leave? If so, how did you get over it?
Can't Say Good-Bye?
- Thread starter Jewel101
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Actually, my characters are all stuck in my plots and settings. If anyone ever takes off, it's me, much to the disappointment of my characters, who depend on me to write forward.
Characters
My characters tend to hang around until I'm sick of them and wish they'd all go away.
But, no, it's my story and no one goes anywhere unless I say so.
My characters tend to hang around until I'm sick of them and wish they'd all go away.
But, no, it's my story and no one goes anywhere unless I say so.
Jewel101 said:
Well, I have this thing called a plot....
Seriously, if you're lacking the motivation, how would your readers feel?
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No one leaves my stories unless I tell them to leave my stories. If they try they are terminated with extreme prejudice.
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Jewel101 said:
I know what you are saying.
Re-write the character. Make him someone who will stick around.
It's tempting to keep my tongue firmly planted in my cheek and imply that my characters hold up maps and inform me that they're taking a vacation, but I know what you're talking about. Stream of consciousness writing can end up allowing your characters to do and say all sorts of strange things that run contrary to your intended plot.
I prescribe to it to a degree because I feel I'm digging into a deeper passion than my consious mind can comprehend, and my stories are much better for it. However, there's a limit as to how far I'm willing to let myself go. If a situation or character runs contraray to where I know I need my plot to go, I pull my head out of whatever crevice it's disappeared into and rewrite the chapter.
I prescribe to it to a degree because I feel I'm digging into a deeper passion than my consious mind can comprehend, and my stories are much better for it. However, there's a limit as to how far I'm willing to let myself go. If a situation or character runs contraray to where I know I need my plot to go, I pull my head out of whatever crevice it's disappeared into and rewrite the chapter.
Hi, Jewel
Sorry, but this reminds me of a parent complaining that his child won't behave. I tell him, "You're the parent. It's easy to tell. You're the big one."
In this case, it's easy to tell who the writer is...it's the person with his/her hands on the keyboard.
No offense, but this sounds like an excuse.
Sorry, but this reminds me of a parent complaining that his child won't behave. I tell him, "You're the parent. It's easy to tell. You're the big one."
In this case, it's easy to tell who the writer is...it's the person with his/her hands on the keyboard.
No offense, but this sounds like an excuse.
I'm with NeuroFizz. Even Stephen King - God Emperor of the Anti-Outliners - sets up his situations and characters so that story happens.
Well, I can't have him stay, it would mean the eventual destruction of his race. He has to go, I know this, I'm just having trouble saying good-bye.He's not particularly important to the plot, him leaving won't have the rest doomed. It's just that he's an enjoyable character. As to rewriting him, it would take a lot of rewriting to make him stay and he just wouldn't be Tolebran anymore. I plan on him coming back later on..sometime..from now...or something. I just need to get past the tears and keep going as it were.
I killed off a character that I was particularly fond of and so were my beta readers. So there is a prequel in the works to give us more of him.
He's confused in the first book, chronologically. But he's positively villianous in the second book. He has to go.
No motivation problems, however.
He's confused in the first book, chronologically. But he's positively villianous in the second book. He has to go.
No motivation problems, however.
Sometimes saying good-bye really stinks, but if it is good for the work, then you have to do it! Bite the bullet.
Here's the thing, you're the writer, you're in control. he exists on the pages you produce out of your own head. you could write another book with this character as the lead if you wanted to. Maybe what you are hung up about is that you want to describe him more fully, explore this character more deeply so you feel that the good-bye is premature because there is SO much more to know. Maybe you think that he won't get to grow and develop in your head anymore if you are not continually writing about him...no more little romps creating this guy...so if that's true, here's my advice (take it for the .02 it is worth), its your keyboard, just becuase he has to leave this book doesn't mean he has to leave all books forever, right?
Might just be the way your head is telling you that there is something else to explore with this character and maybe he is "too big" for this one book. He has more of a story to tell and he wants you to tell it (I know, I sound schizo when I say things about the characters in my head, that I made up wanting to you to tell "his" story - hopefully you know what I mean.)
Keep moving with it...his time will come!
Say "farewell, until next time, go save your race, and don't forget to pack clean underwear and a sandwich and see ya in the next book big boy!"
Trish
Here's the thing, you're the writer, you're in control. he exists on the pages you produce out of your own head. you could write another book with this character as the lead if you wanted to. Maybe what you are hung up about is that you want to describe him more fully, explore this character more deeply so you feel that the good-bye is premature because there is SO much more to know. Maybe you think that he won't get to grow and develop in your head anymore if you are not continually writing about him...no more little romps creating this guy...so if that's true, here's my advice (take it for the .02 it is worth), its your keyboard, just becuase he has to leave this book doesn't mean he has to leave all books forever, right?
Might just be the way your head is telling you that there is something else to explore with this character and maybe he is "too big" for this one book. He has more of a story to tell and he wants you to tell it (I know, I sound schizo when I say things about the characters in my head, that I made up wanting to you to tell "his" story - hopefully you know what I mean.)
Keep moving with it...his time will come!
Say "farewell, until next time, go save your race, and don't forget to pack clean underwear and a sandwich and see ya in the next book big boy!"
Trish
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create a new character to either love him or kill him, then see what the character has to say about that.
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