(FYI: more on writers' groups tomorrow.)
Have your characters surprised you recently? I'm messing about with a new novel, and a little while ago, I realized that a major character was black. That was a good moment, because it was one of those times where some part of the character's personality and/or background had been elluding me and all of a sudden, duh, it fell into place.
Cool.
I keep writing and messing about. And then suddenly, I realize... the character that I was planning to have as that guy's sister... is not black. In fact, she's from a ridiculously white bread household. She's WASP-tacular. So now she can't be his sister anymore, because neither of these characters is adopted or has stepparents or any of the other circumstances that would lead to a mixed-race household.
Crap.
She's a wonderfully annoying character, and I think my main characters really need this irritation in their lives, but now I'm not sure where she fits. She can't be a coworker for a bunch of reasons I won't get into here. Maybe a neighbor...
This is putting a serious crimp in my plot planning. Anyone else ever have something like this happen while writing?
Hey, Carrie! I know exactly where you are. I had one of those "blood problems", where people are supposed to be related and it's not even possible anymore. Once I figured my problem out, everything really worked! I truly hope the same happens for you!
ReplyDeleteWhat if they were childhood friends, the kind that were so close that they considered each other to be brother/sister without realizing the reality of their differences in appearance? Your characters could have fun with "this is my sister/brother" and shocking people. Just an idea. :0)
For another set of characters that might work, but this woman is simply AWFUL. This guy would NEVER be friends with her, but for some reason (other than family obligations, it turns out), he has to keep dealing with her and, on the surface, being nice to her.
ReplyDeleteHmmm, maybe she's married to a good childhood friend of his...
Ah, that makes sense. The marriage to a childhood friend could work then. Hope it works out for you!
ReplyDeleteI suppose there are ways to untangle this knot. Perhaps someone can to the family by another means?
ReplyDeleteI once had an entire novel change course entirely when I realized something like this. It changed the novel into a completely different book, and a much, much better book.
ReplyDeleteI once had a character change sexual orientation on me. It is funny how things like race and gender can reviel themselves long after we think we know our characters.
ReplyDeleteSince I am writing an autobiography, I know my MC quite well, too well at times. Sometimes I want to lie about her! I do have some other characters that I wish I could eliminate but since most of them are related to me, and are indedd real people, I don't have that option! Do I?
ReplyDeleteShe could be adopted...but I've known some VERY wasp-ish black women. Maybe they BOTH were raised in that environment, only he managed to stay grounded and down-to-earth? Or MAYBE...they're step-siblings. His black mom married her white dad...and her white dad had previously been married to a hoity-toity white WASP-ish woman who raised her to be all stuffy?
ReplyDeleteAm I overthinking this?
Happens to me all the time. I hate it when I have to delete characters or scenes that I absolutely love, but they simply don't work anymore. On the other hand, I love it when my characters surprise me. That is an awesome thing.
ReplyDeleteI plot my stories out, so I guess I haven't had that happen, but it's interesting to read about. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteLynnette Labelle
http://lynnettelabelle.blogspot.com
Yes, what is it with characters that think they know who they are and then expect us to re-write accordingly!
ReplyDeleteLOL! That's hilarious! Good luck figuring it out. :-)
ReplyDeleteI had a character outlined for a "bit part" around the middle of my first book. He should have come in, done what I needed him to do for a chapter, and left... but I fell in love with him and he stuck around for the rest of the story! I had to re-plot and change the ending. Truly, he ended up being the best part of it and my cold readers love him, too.
ReplyDeleteThat is a crimp. Hmmm... wish I had an idea for ya.
ReplyDeleteI've had things like this happen. Prewriting is filled with this for me...problem, fix, problem, fix, problem, fix...and around and around we go until I have enough problems fixed to actually start writing-writing. :)
Cousins. I'm pretty different (I hope) from my cousins and I both hate and love them in that special way you only get with family.
ReplyDeleteOr landlord. Her mom and dad own the apartment and they make her collect rent etc because they are trying to teach her responsibility. She hangs around because she lives in the apartment next door and she thinks he's cool.
Landlord or wife-of-landlord was also a consideration. I just have to decide if she's someone he has to deal with in person every day, or if she's someone who annoys him from afar (yet, like a car wreck, he can't look away).
ReplyDeletelol
ReplyDeleteCharacter lift-off. Can't live with it, can't live without it.