| Stories aren't about plots, they're about the people | | | | ever begin our story. Does that make sense? It's |
| Cedar Grove is a tiny town about a mile and a hair | | | | almost as if you are doing a report on your character |
| past nowhere. They've got two stoplights total and | | | | before you even think about writing your story. |
| an old brick schoolhouse that also serves as the | | | | When you get to writing a story about her, you will |
| town hall and bingo headquarters on Thursdays. | | | | find ways to SHOW us what she is like through her |
| They're very proud of their one-half of a fast-food | | | | actions, rather than a paragraph that opens up and |
| restaurant. The other half is technically in Butner - not | | | | tells us all about her. That's boring. Yuck. Anyway, |
| the same Butner to which you may be familiar with. | | | | back to the main character. |
| Time rolls at a slow pace in Cedar Grove where the | | | | What are some other things about her? At this point |
| most exciting thing that ever happened was the time | | | | I'm just going to list some stuff as it pops into my |
| Cleetus Harley's pig made front page of the paper | | | | head. I may not use all of it. I don't want to give all |
| for having borned her a piglet with three tails. These | | | | my quirks (the things that make that character |
| stories, they aren't fancy. They're just about the | | | | interesting) to the same character. I may want to |
| people. Kelly Swanson | | | | give her a friend with some of those quirks. But we'll |
| This is how I open many of my storytelling | | | | get to secondary characters in a minute. |
| performances and I have spent years "apologizing" | | | | Let me take a minute to explain to you something |
| for the fact that my stories don't have strong plots, | | | | about characters. You want them to be realistic and |
| just strong characters. I always hoped that my | | | | make a connection to your audience. You want your |
| audiences would form a connection with my | | | | audience to have a stake in your character - to be |
| characters - a connection that would somehow make | | | | rooting for them. You also want your audience to |
| their lives better having known the characters in my | | | | have a stake in your other characters. You want |
| small southern town. | | | | your characters to grow, but also stay true to who |
| So imagine my surprise when over the course of my | | | | they are. This may sound like a lot of work, and |
| studies (I am always studying comedy, writing, | | | | sometimes it is. But it's worth it if you want to have |
| storytelling, speaking, etc.) I ran across a book | | | | a good story. And sometimes just coming up with a |
| written by one of my favorite comedy writers | | | | brief description of your character is better than |
| (Janet Evanovich) where she states that stories | | | | nothing. |
| aren't about plots, they're about the characters. This | | | | These are some possible traits for this main |
| is not to say that a story doesn't need a plot, or | | | | character, including things I need to think about in |
| that plots aren't important. It is to say that with | | | | more depth: |
| weak characters, your plot is useless. So if you | | | | She tries new fashions and never quite |
| remember anything today, remember that the story | | | | pulls them off |
| is in the people. Let me say it louder: THE STORY IS | | | | Everything relates to food |
| IN THE PEOPLE. | | | | She's very uncoordinated |
| She's not the first one to say it, and most certainly | | | | Low self-esteem |
| not the last, but for the first time I stopped and | | | | Bleeding heart |
| listened and let it soak into my brain as another | | | | Wants to save the world |
| writing truth ingrained in my heart. (Here's where my | | | | Thinks something is missing in her life |
| husband would tell me to quit being so dramatic.) And | | | | Drives a van with Miss Pinky Lee's School |
| so the topic I have chosen to ramble on about for | | | | of Dance on the side |
| this month is developing characters. I have seen time | | | | Curses when she's mad |
| and time again that when you take the time to fully | | | | Eats when she's upset |
| develop a character, the story will write itself. Did | | | | Is a magnet for guys she shouldn't be with |
| you hear that? Spend time on the character and the | | | | Wants something more than this town has |
| story will write itself. I've seen it happen over and | | | | to offer |
| over. So trust me on this. | | | | What was her childhood like? Overweight, |
| I'm a big believer in showing rather than telling, so | | | | funny, failed at most things she did which she happily |
| instead of giving you a list of ways to develop a | | | | acknowledged and kept going anyway |
| character, I'm going to show you how I developed a | | | | What has made her wish so desperately |
| character just last week, and how opening up your | | | | for something out there? |
| mind to these characters will unlock story trails | | | | She grew up in a conservative church and |
| beyond imagination. Okay, so maybe I'm being | | | | is conflicted now |
| dramatic again. Let's just get to work and see if I | | | | Okay, that's just a start. Who knows how big the list |
| can show you what I mean. | | | | will grow or what will change and remain the same. |
| I'm huffing and puffing away on my treadmill (where | | | | Think how much can happen to this character when |
| I get my best creative work done) and I'm reading | | | | you start unlocking her personality. I already have so |
| what Janet Evanovich (in her book "How I Write") | | | | many ideas for stories about her dating life, her |
| has to say about the characters in her books. And I | | | | relationship with these kids, her uncoordinated |
| was so intrigued and inspired by her insights that I | | | | attempts to teach, the recitals she has not knowing |
| immediately got out my life journal (yes, I actually | | | | anything about dance. I even made of list of the |
| meant it when I said I had a life journal) and decided | | | | messages that could be taught through the stories, |
| to create a character right there on the spot. No | | | | like beauty is on the inside, etc. But that's jumping |
| story, no plot, no deep hidden meanings - just a | | | | ahead. We're only talking about characters today. |
| character. And as every good writer knows, perfect | | | | What other characters will flavor these stories? |
| characters are boring. We want characters who have | | | | And that brings us to the antagonists or secondary |
| flaws, who make mistakes - characters who are real. | | | | characters as I like to call them. Remember that |
| So I trusted the first person to pop into my head | | | | knowing these characters is as important as knowing |
| and decided on a girl (because I am one, and know | | | | your main character. |
| nothing about being a boy and don't want to do the | | | | So I started thinking about what other characters |
| research to figure it out.) How about a girl who | | | | would show up in these stories in addition to the |
| teaches dance in small town. Is it the best character | | | | main character? (Notice that I'm already seeing this |
| in the world? Who knows, this is just practice so I'll | | | | as a group of stories - all from the creation of one |
| go with it. Okay, now what? | | | | character!) |
| Writers should write what they know. So if you | | | | I'm figuring this to be somewhat of a small town - |
| haven't been in the military, you probably shouldn't | | | | and southern. Because that's what I know. This could |
| have your main character be a soldier unless you are | | | | be anywhere though and still be a good trail for |
| willing to do the necessary homework to understand | | | | stories. I decided to have my dance studio be an old |
| it from a soldier's perspective. I'm too lazy. So I | | | | fast-food chicken place with a faint outline of a |
| know my character will be somebody I can relate to | | | | chicken still on the wall, and on rainy days you can still |
| on some level. Except that I know nothing about | | | | smell grease. |
| dancing? So why did I choose a dance teacher? | | | | The first characters that come to mind are the kids |
| Beats me. Problem is, I never danced or had family | | | | who come to the class (lots of ways to go with |
| who danced so I don't know anything about that. | | | | that) and the mothers who bring them. Oh my, can |
| That's not good. | | | | you imagine all the types of mothers you can have? |
| How about this: She's never had a dance lesson in | | | | And don't forget all the conflicts that each kid |
| her life. She has no idea what she's doing. Now that I | | | | mother brings with them. When I write these stories |
| can relate to. And other people can relate as well to | | | | I will not work super hard to come up with |
| the concept of being somewhere where we're in a | | | | descriptions on every character - at least not as |
| little bit over our head. She and I are sounding more | | | | much as I developed the main character unless it's a |
| alike already. And what a great situation to place a | | | | story where the secondary character has a big role. |
| character, for nothing opens the door for comedy | | | | Then I started thinking about other characters who |
| better than placing a characters in situations where | | | | could come in contact with the dance class. Wouldn't |
| they don't naturally belong. I'm not sure that made | | | | old people be fun? What flavor they would add. But |
| sense. Remember the show Bosom Buddies from | | | | how would they end up in the stories? How about if |
| years ago? The one about the two men who had to | | | | the dance studio is next door to the old folks home. |
| dress as women to live in their building? That's what I | | | | Perfect. You'd get a lot of old people shuffling by |
| mean. | | | | wanting to see what's going on. And I think old |
| Wow, now that opens the door for humor and | | | | people make wonderful characters. Think of the |
| conflict. But how can she be a dance teacher having | | | | many traits you could give your character. If you're |
| never taught dance? It's got to make sense. | | | | familiar with the current sitcom, King of Queens, think |
| Easy....she filled in one day for the regular dance | | | | of the father played by Jerry Stiller. Is he not |
| teacher who never came back. It's a small town. | | | | perfect? I think he is one of the greatest characters |
| Nobody else wanted the job, the kids kept showing | | | | ever invented on TV. But that's just my opinion. |
| up, and one thing led to another...and here she is. | | | | And what about my character, Booker Diggs, who in |
| Stuck. She doesn't want to quit and let the kids | | | | an earlier story of mine was a beer drinking fishing |
| down. She's staying out of obligation. But secretly | | | | junkie who lost a bet and had to take dance lessons. |
| liking it. | | | | Turns out he loves it. What a great character to |
| Already I can see the potential for stories here - the | | | | have in the dance studio on a regular basis! I just got |
| experiences with the kids. But I'm jumping ahead. | | | | chills. |
| See? The story is already wanting to write itself. But | | | | I could go on and on, but enough already. You get |
| back to the character. | | | | the point. You probably don't find this as exciting as I |
| Every character wants something - sometimes more | | | | do, but isn't it neat to see what has blossomed after |
| than one thing. They may want physical things or | | | | just creating an imaginary character? You can do this |
| emotional things or both. So I need to make this | | | | too! Just please don't take mine. |
| character want something. How about this: She | | | | Even if you are a storyteller who doesn't write his |
| wants to be bigger than the small town where she | | | | own stories, you can still take the time to develop |
| lives. She's got something missing in her life. Problem | | | | the character in the story you are retelling. Even the |
| is, she doesn't have any idea what, and she keeps | | | | good old Jack tale could benefit from a little |
| chasing after different things each week (each | | | | character development. Just take some time to sit |
| story.) She's indecisive. At this point my main | | | | down and think about that character. This is what will |
| character has some qualities like me, and some not. | | | | make your story relevant to your audience. Then let |
| That's okay. | | | | those qualities shine through in what he says and |
| Not only does every story's main character want | | | | does. I promise your story will be better for it and |
| something, there has to be something standing in | | | | your audience will appreciate that you have a |
| their way of getting it. This is often referred to as | | | | character that they can believe in. |
| the conflict. Notice that we aren't really worried | | | | I wish you all the best and hope that something in |
| about what our story is going to be about. We aren't | | | | this rambling of mine made sense. Remember that |
| getting into the story's plot where you travel down | | | | stories aren't about the plot, they're about the |
| the road of conflict and resolution. We are talking | | | | people. And if you're having trouble making up some |
| about the main character's conflict. What makes her | | | | people, good grief, go sit in the airport for an hour |
| tick. The parts about her that may never show up | | | | and take your journal. |
| on paper - but that we need to know before we | | | | Happy creating! |