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I've been fine-tuning my YA realistic fiction based on feedback from my agent. One of her concerns was that I was too hard on one of my characters. That got me thinking, can a writer be too hard on a character? Well, obviously we can. Really, if you follow the advice given in workshops about thinking of the worst thing that could happen to your character and making that happen, you are going to put your characters through hell. But I understood where my agent was coming from and I value her opinion, so I asked myself if in this particular case, on the one item that she pointed out, does easing up my character change the outcome of the book. It doesn't. He's still a teen who prefers not to take risks with his or his family's future that decides to want it all. So far I'm happy with the changes I've made.
Have you ever been too hard on a character? Do you believe there's such a thing?
I didn't think it was possible, but I guess there is a line that goes too far. At least you had a chance to fix it.
ReplyDeleteYes, that is a plus. And knowing exactly how I was too hard makes it easier to revise.
DeleteI was under the impression that when writing everything needed to have two purposes. We put our characters under the gun to test them and to prove they are worth cheering for. :-)
ReplyDeleteAnna from Elements of Writing
That's well stated. =) And I agree.
DeleteHmm, being too hard on your characters? I’ve never thought that you can be. How a character overcomes their dilemmas and traumas. Changing them for the better or sometimes worse, is what I read for (interesting plot too). Of course, I can’t really talk. Because I don’t think I’m hard enough on my own characters. Glad that you’re happy with the change your agent suggested. And good luck with your book.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lidy.
DeleteThat's interesting. I always think I'm too easy on them, but I think I see your agent's point. If you don't give the reader breaks between disasters, it can be hard to read. I'm sure you'll find the balance!
ReplyDeleteIn this case, I had my character taking on more than she felt a teen should. And after thinking about it, she was right. I only eased up a little. Poor guy is still facing a lot of crap.
DeleteI'm pretty sure I go too easy on my characters. I've had to go back several times to make things worse for him, and yet he's probably still getting off pretty easy.
ReplyDeleteIt can be difficult to be hard on our characters. After all, we love them. But it's a necessary evil.
DeleteI hate being hard on my characters. I try to spare them as much pain as I can. Maybe that's a mistake? Maybe I should follow your lead and make up much bigger problems for my characters to solve. Maybe then my stories find more readers.
ReplyDeleteEvery workshop I've attended and speaker I've heard that talks about this subject always says to think of the worst thing that could happen and make that happen. We writers can be mean, creating characters just to mess with them. But it's fun to see how they come out the other side.
DeleteI always feel like my problem is more a lack of conflict for my characters. What the heck did you do to this guy??
ReplyDeleteIt's great your agent was able to provide such valuable insight.
Looking back, I made him take on too much adult financial responsibility. I'm still hard on him, just in an age appropriate way. And the main conflict didn't change, just some details along his journey.
DeleteMy agent is great. I love that she gives feedback. =)
That's a really good question. I'm all about torturing characters, but I do think there needs to be some hope and happiness mixed in. I made the mistake of torturing my YA/NA hero too much in one of my stories, and readers commented that it got depressing. I was in a turbulent time of my career so I think I took it out on my hero ha ha.
ReplyDeleteI can see how a turbulent time in your career could be reflected in your writing. I've done that too (not on purpose). And I agree, hope and happiness do need to be mixed into a story.
DeleteI guess the answer to that is Yes... and No. Depends on your audience and the types of books you want to write. Some people, like myself, love characters that suffer and then have either a happy or bittersweet ending, just like in real life. If they have a sad ending, then at least it ended and they are at peace, and that's also ok. Some people hate sad, painful stories. I'm a sucker for them.
ReplyDelete-T
Tanya Miranda - Writer, Dreamer, Intergalactic Superhero
For a book to be realistic, I do think our characters have to suffer with choices or hardships. They have to have something to overcome, and sometimes that means a sad ending. A few of John Green's books come to mind when I think great books with sad endings.
DeleteYeah, the writing advice is always to up the stakes, but maybe you can up them too far!
ReplyDeleteYep. I liked the challenge to change some of the stakes, yet keep the tension. I'm hoping my agent will like the changes.
DeleteI'm always too hard on my characters and put them in miserable and dangerous situations. A book that doesn't do that has no interest for me - but I'm a horror/thriller writer so I like it dark and frightening.
ReplyDeleteI agree. I ended up deleting the issue my agent was concerned with and replaced it with something else.
DeleteI'm a big fan of out of the frying pan into the fire - over and over. Tricky note! I'll bet you're glad it's behind you.
ReplyDeleteOh, yes. I was glad to have found a way to change things up and keep the tension.
DeleteI don't know that I've been too hard on a character but I know there have been instances where I wasn't hard enough. That said, I find that some of the "rules" need to be taken with our own sense of what's right for our characters and stories.
ReplyDelete