Characters . . . we’ve all met some. As writers of fiction we never know who will materialize from the swirl of ever-present voices. Some distract us with empty promises of a wonderful tale before skedaddling out of town like a snake-oil salesmen with their miracle tonic, leaving us with nothing but another false start. Others don’t play well together, and overwhelm the meek voice that actually has all the power, but doesn’t know it yet. So, how do writers gain the upper hand in these relationships that step out of the mist? Negotiation.
“Look here, if you’re going to write novels, it’s all about characters, characters, and characters —you need characters!”
The above advice dispensed by Aunt Melanie, in The House of Long Shadows, while 100 percent accurate, is only half of the equation. Those etherical manifestations need some fingers and an interpretive voice to tell their story. So how do we nurture these burgeoning relationships into maturity?
During a write, my wife Jennifer, a fine author herself, often talks about the characters that take up precious space in our small downtown Franklin cottage. I’ve found that insisting they remain confined to a room and readily available when summoned is futile; and as the cast grows this becomes increasingly problematic.
When writing Town Lawe, I listened to whomever was the most urgent voice in a particular session. As my first foray into novel writing, I had zero experience in managing the process. To write a story with no outline, no idea of the beginning, middle or end, was more terrifying than it was thrilling. My role was that of a rookie stenographer trying to keep up with the story being dictated to me from all positions in the arc, often times during the same writing session!
Challenging as that was, I’m glad to have had that experience as a new writer. The big payoff is that I learned to trust the characters, and in the process, disciplined my ear to manage their complexities. In Town Lawe, there’s a wonderful dialog between Audrey and Carla depicting that an artist is; at their core, an interpreter. So, as it pertains to the characters in our scribblings, it comes down to a negotiation. I now strike a deal during the interview process, and it’s a fairly simple contract that goes something like this:
“If I’m to tell your story effectively, I need your honesty, vulnerability, and for you to show up when it’s your turn. I also insist that you zip it when others are talking, no matter how much you disagree with your fellow characters. I promise we’ll do our best to get it sorted; but in the end, I have the final say.”
Are there rebellions? Will lives be lost? Indeed! Struggle is the essence of writing fiction. I can’t cite a study to prove it, but my gut tells me that’s a huge factor in why so many who begin the journey never have the satisfaction of that final keystroke. Because, as Aunt Melanie tells Meredith: “Characters, characters, and characters, (we) need (those) characters! – The great news is that they also need us!
I was recently in conversation with a fellow writer at Landmark Booksellers, and while laughing about the unique relationship authors have with our characters, I asked her if she had watched The Man Who Invented Christmas. She smiled. She knows . . .
There’s much more to unpack here, but that has to wait for a future posting. You see, Boots, from Clary Sage & Yarrow has been beyond patient with my inattentiveness while writing content for this site. So, back into hills of Tennessee I go, pen and paper in hand, a willing recipient of his tale. I can’t wait to introduce y’all!
If you enjoyed this post please share it! Sign up for the mailing list here.
Scroll down and leave a comment, I’d love to hear from you!
Also- Remember December! That’s when I reveal my personal time machine, and hopefully inspire you to build one too! Just imagine the adventures you’ll have!
Until then—
Happy words!
Bruno
One Comment