“Remember: Plot is no more than footprints left in the snow after your characters have run by on their way to incredible destinations.” ~ Ray Bradbury
The second-oldest question (after the whole chicken/egg issue) is probably “Which comes first, plot or characters?” Some writers argue their point with the same passion displayed by the twin actresses arguing whether “it’s a candy mint or a breath mint” in the old Certs commercial. And, just as the Certs announcer informed us, the answer is BOTH. It’s not really “plot or characters” but rather, plot AND characters.
Plot stems from characters, which further develop the plot.
Although Mr. Bradbury’s quote brings about an interesting point. And that is, which of the two (character or plot) attracts the reader’s attention more quickly? I agree with his alluding to the character. Without compelling characters, what’s the point of plot? If we don’t care about who is in love, in danger, in charge, then what difference does the outcome of the story make? Yes, we need plot. I think most of us have suffered through a plot-less film or tossed a plot-free book before finishing it. Plot is a vital component of story. But we care about the characters.
Ah, characters …
Think about some of your favorite books. What do you remember most about them? Where the story took place? Specific plot points? Or the characters? For the majority of readers, characters produce the most vivid memories of books. So, as writers of fiction, we must create characters that are unique, memorable, compelling, and, possibly most important, relatable.
Last June, I taught a class at a writers’ conference titled, Creating Compelling Characters. It was a fun session, and that link will take you to a PDF of the PowerPoint presentation. (Note: It’s a large file and can take several minutes to download, depending upon your Internet speed and computer’s resources.)
As you dip your toe into the NaNoWriMo waters, consider the importance of creating compelling characters. Did you realize people are actually influenced by fictional characters? That they stir up real emotions? And, as already mentioned, are often remembered long after a reader snaps a book’s back cover shut.
If you take a few minutes to browse through that PDF, you’ll see examples of compelling characters as well as what attributes actually make a character compelling. Finally, you’ll learn some tips on how to make characters compelling. You’re probably well into the character development part of your NaNoWriMo project, but hopefully, some of these tips will help you keep your characters compelling enough to spur you onward during the next 27 days.
And don’t worry – we haven’t forgotten about plot. I’m sure that topic will come around again soon during this month.
So, which element do you focus on first when starting a novel? Plot or Characters?
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