Another Poll

I'm tired of MC's from broken families, with asthma, with claustraphobia, with "fear of the ice" (can't remember the name but it was a real phobia from a Koontz book) with evil stepmothers, fat stepbrothers, ugly, lonely, angry...

I'm serious. It's so obvious most of the time, as if the author just made up this background to give their MC more conflict.

It just annoys me.

Mdlle. Nancy said:

Um.....yeah, that's what it says.

Or it could say that if you divulge the secrets of your character you'll turn into this:

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Runs from the room screaming in horror.....

Andre_Laurent said:

Runs from the room screaming in horror.....

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So what you're saying is that you don't find her sexy?

SpookyWriter said:

So what you're saying is that you don't find her sexy?

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Are you familiar with the phrase coyote ugly???

Andre_Laurent said:

Are you familiar with the phrase coyote ugly???

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Are you familar with the term "six pack lover"?

SpookyWriter said:

Are you familar with the term "six pack lover"?

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lol I think I can figure that one out.

Chain of Memories said:

I see what you mean. You're saying that a tragic family past is overused, right?

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But that's what most people can relate to in real life. Tragedy is fact. Brothers kill siblings. Parents harm children. Mothers abandon their kids for a lover or to escape the pressures of a parent.

Each situation is different. No two tragedies are the same. I believe we can share these events with our readers because, if done right, they can sympathize with out (character's) plight.

However, don't be trite with the events or make light of the suffering people in real life experience. The sensitivity of our writing is important when we hurt our readers with un-necessary emotional turmoil.

Not to say, a good tear jerking of a story isn't what we strive to provide our readers.

I usually like giving my character's tragic pasts cuz I like writing them and I'm best at it. For some reason, I like to see suffering characters cuz then I'm more "into" it and I can relate. I've had one screwed up life.

I go more for the nature rather than nurture influence in my novels. My characters tend to be who they a r e because of innate characteristics. I don't dwell on their family backgrounds as I feel this has already been done

Chain of Memories said:

When making a character's background, do you prefer giving the "happy family" description or the "tragic past" description?

Curious as always,
Jay

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SpookyWriter said:

However, don't be trite with the events or make light of the suffering people in real life experience. The sensitivity of our writing is important when we hurt our readers with un-necessary emotional turmoil.

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Agreed.

I chose "neither," because I don't ever set out intentionally to give my characters a tragic past. Sometimes they have one, sometimes they don't. It depends on the character, and how that past relates to the present.

If the fact that Janie's step-brother murdered her entire family one night while she was eight years old, but spared her life for reasons undisclosed before he blew is own brains out in some way effects the story, I'll use it. Maybe she has a hard time trusting people, or the plot revolves around the step-brother's psycho biological father. But if I put that into a story purely to "give her tragedy in her life," then it becomes trite. And over done.

Avoid cliche's like the plague, right?

Chain of Memories said:

Well, you don't have to mope around for sure! But I agree with you. Throughout this whole thread, I still stand for one position. I like tragic pasts!

Jay

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LoL! Thanx! Tragic pasts are interesting to write and they really hook the reader.

I should let you all know that I have no idea where this post is going to end up, or whether or not it'll actually say what I think.

I guess I go for a middle ground with my characters. I mean plenty of people don't turn out to be horrible monsters just because their parents were or something, but they might have picked up some bad traits somewhere along the line (or inherited them, since behavior's 50% genetic...what a useful book that twin book was). I think this post is going nowhere by not moving at all. I'll get back to you when I know what I mean.

Scrawler said:

My MC's family is dysfunctional, just like everybody else's.

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Speak for yourself.

chaostitan said:

It depends on the character, and how that past relates to the present.

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That's the point, exactly as stated. How do people in real life know of a tragic event in another persons life? They know because of the close nature of their relationship.

Events of the past in a story are important for developing the characters state of mind, position in life (Dread House), or rationale for their current behavior.

These events can and should be important to the development of the story. Just 'cause Jimmy had a bad childhood doesn't make the case for his anti-social behavior unless the reader is given that piece of information previously.

The flashback. That's a tool for writers to use that helps explain certain events in a story.

Use the technique carefully because a story is now, as a time of reference the reader can appreciate, but the historical events or tragedies that happened in the past are events that are introduced with great care and skill by the writer.

I think a character needs either a troubled past or a troubled present (or both!) - otherwise there's no conflict. It doesn't have to be Tragic with a capital T, but a happy character is less likely to get involved in "adventures" (for want of a better word) unless they are forced upon him.

The MC of my WiP has an unhappy past, not so much to give him something to angst about as to give him noble motives in an otherwise rather venal world. Whilst everyone around him struggles for money or power for their own sake, he just wants to get enough cash together so his sister can marry well and be happy, instead of living her entire life as a poor relation. If bad things hadn't happened in the past, there'd be no story...

Redfox said:

I think a character needs either a troubled past or a troubled present (or both!) - otherwise there's no conflict.

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Conflict? I had to stop here because conflict in a story doesn't necessarily mean a troubled past of present. The conflict in a story is about the protagonist overcoming some adversity. Does that mean a past tragedy? Could be, but the past events need some introduction to the present problem the protagonist is facing.

Man over comes fear of heights to save lover from man who would kill her.

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Hmmm...what story is this?

I don't necessarily give my characters "tragic" pasts but normally I kill off their families (not in the story but as a previous occurance)...mostly because it means less minor characters to deal with. Or I at least give them families they don't have much interaction with. Nothing like a call from a nosy sister or worried mom at bad time.

SpookyWriter said:

Conflict? I had to stop here because conflict in a story doesn't necessarily mean a troubled past of present.

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Sorry - I meant that the present has to be less-than-comfortable in some way, not that the protagonist's life has to be filled with dysfunctional relationships! As I see it there are two main drivers of plot:

1. Something bad happened in the past and the character decides to fix it, or at least get over it.

2. Something bad is happening right now and the character has to fix it (or run away).

Often, you have both!

I guess a character could have a totally happy family life in the past and present, but how many people does that really apply to? Doesn't everyone have a loss/disappointment/failed relationship/guilty secret that influences their present personality? It doesn't have to be Big Tragedy of the "I failed to save my brother from drowning" variety, but few of us lead a totally charmed life...

Redfox said:

I guess a character could have a totally happy family life in the past and present, but how many people does that really apply to? Doesn't everyone have a loss/disappointment/failed relationship/guilty secret that influences their present personality? It doesn't have to be Big Tragedy of the "I failed to save my brother from drowning" variety, but few of us lead a totally charmed life...

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This is true (and I'm quoting Redfox, but the entire post isn't directed at him).

But how many times do you sit back and ponder the fact that you hate green peas because your abusive foster mother force fed you pea soup every day for six years? Unless the story has something to do with vegetable theft, it probably doesn't matter much.

There is a difference between "personal conflict" and "tragic past." I find the former to be as necessary in fiction as it is prevelant in real life. The latter, though, can become cliche and trite in the hands of an unskilled writer. And I think that's the point. Inserting "tragic past" to create some sort of artificial conflict will be quickly seen and laughed at by readers. Inserting "personal conflict" to propel the MC and the story is a useful tool in our Writer's Toolbox.

I don't give my character a past, they tell me what has gone on before the story. Whether it ends up relevent or not will depend on which way the story unfolds.

kristie911 said:

I don't necessarily give my characters "tragic" pasts but normally I kill off their families (not in the story but as a previous occurance)...mostly because it means less minor characters to deal with. Or I at least give them families they don't have much interaction with. Nothing like a call from a nosy sister or worried mom at bad time.

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Ah, but sometimes a sister or mom calling at a bad time can add development to the character and the story.