Characters,
Part 12: Character Consistency and Driving Forces
Do you ever read a book or watch a movie and
completely lose your shit when the brilliant, tough heroine suddenly forgets
how to take care of herself when a big strong man is around? Or when your
favourite cold as ice villain does something so stupid it’s not just
inconsistent, it’s like she had a full frontal lobotomy between scenes? Characters
need to be consistent, or readers are left feeling annoyed and betrayed.
In most cases, the cause of character
inconsistency comes down to three major causes:
1. The
writer disrespects the character.
Disrespect for a character often betrays
blind spots in our own prejudices. EG: You are more likely to disrespect a
character's agency and personality if you are more likely to disrespect a real
person from the same group. If you have a low opinion of lawyers, you may be
more likely to forget your lawyer characters has an MBA from Harvard and have
her do something stupid. If you think bikers are all criminals, you might not
think anything of the having the Harley loving, leather jacket wearing father
flirt with a teenage waitress.
Because our own views and values are very
difficult to change and we are often blind to them, we can be very resistant to
feedback when we are told we are treating these types of characters unfairly.
Admitting we are being prejudice to the character means admitting we are being
prejudice to those people in real life.
This is usually the problem in all cases
where a female character is being used to motivate a male character. EG: The
love interest is kidnapped.
2. The
writer is struggling to resolve a plot point or conflict and sacrifices
character to fix it.
This is probably the most common reason for
main characters inconsistencies. It's those points in the synopsis where you
write 'major twist happens here' or 'somehow they escape'. Those plot elements
you are struggling with when you plan, which, surprise surprise, you are still
struggling with when you try and write. Because you never got around to
planning them in the first place. Or, if you are a pantser, it will just be the
scenes you find yourself a bit stuck on. You're looking for a solution. Any
solution. And if after hours, days or even weeks of block you come up with some
idea you're going to run with it. Even if it means one of the characters does
something contradictory.
Don't let yourself end up in this situation.
Figure out difficult plot points before you write. It will save you a lot of
re-writes if you realise you have written yourself into a need to scrap a lot
of the material. Also, when you are really struggling, having a writer's group
or a close knit circle of writer friends can really help. Let them see your
outline. Ask for their feedback and advice. Sometimes all you need is another
perspective.
3. The
writer is oblivious to the inconsistency, because they are so wrapped up in the
character's perspective.
I've seen this problem in my writing group. We love our characters. We know their deepest darkest
hopes and fears. We empathise with them so deeply, sometimes we are oblivious
to their faults. As in, sometimes they can be raging, bullying assholes and we
are oblivious because we are so deep in their POV that we don't notice what
they are doing to other characters.
This is where you need to be objective. And
listen to your critique partners without getting defensive. If they think your
main character is an asshole or a bully and you are deeply wounded because you
think she is PERFECT, you may be empathising too deeply. You have to reverse
the situations. Imagine if your villain (or someone you hate) was doing the
same thing, saying the same thing, to your best friend. If suddenly it's not so
cute/cool/understandable, sorry, your main character is a jerk.
How To Avoid
Character Inconsistencies:
Remember your character may change throughout
the book. It helps if you know what their arc is going to be. Where they start
and where they end up. What statements they believe at the beginning, that they
will disagree with at the end. Know their turning points. Let them experience
those turning points fully. However to fix author error:
Question yourself. Listen to your feedback
crew. Go back to your character profiles and go through the book several times,
asking yourself if your characters' actions clearly reflect the intentions you
had for them. Sometimes characters take on a life of their own and that is
okay, as long as they're consistent and it's not clear you were fighting them
the whole way.
Be aware of your own prejudices, both the
positive and the negative. Read your own work with an impartial eye.
Driving
Forces: The Tail Wagging The Dog?
I talked about this in earlier chapters, but
often people bring up the concept of 'character driven' VS 'plot driven'. Are
your characters driving the plot or reacting to the events around them? I think
you need both elements, but some writers will swear black and blue one method
is superior to the other. The truth is everyone is right. Different genres tend
to have different focuses.
Romance is often very heavily character
driven. Most of the conflict is interpersonal. Thrillers and action are very
plot driven, it is the events, rather than the characters, that are driving the
story forward. In any story you are going to have a strike a balance between
the two, but where that balance is will depend on your target audience.
Knowing what your target audience wants and
expects is half the battle. Which is why it is wise to read broadly in your
chosen genre, particularly looking at contemporary best sellers. Contemporary
failures are fantastic learning tools too. Learning what not to do is arguably
more important than learning what to do. If you didn't already have a sense of
what was good, you probably wouldn't be a writer. It's more likely you are
lacking experience in what's truly bad.
Conclusion
of the Character Series!
And that concludes the character series.
Finally. After over a year. Look, I got there in the end, people. If you have
any suggestions for new series or blog posts, please let me know in the
comments. I'm always happy to oblige.
You can read the characters series from the
start, here:
5.
Characters: Gender and Gender Roles
6. Characters: Conflict, Conflict & More Conflict
7. Characters: Motivation & Stakes
6. Characters: Conflict, Conflict & More Conflict
7. Characters: Motivation & Stakes
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