Walking contradictions are characters who have some kind of irreconcilable conflict, either internal or external or a combination thereof. Let's see if we can develop some irreconcilable conflict for the main characters of the one-liners we've got going: 1. Our human-rights-attorney story: When the money runs out before the case against his transgender partner is over, a human rights lawyer … Continue reading Walking Contradictions: Show us what you’ve got!
Category: Character
Walking Contradictions: How the Masters Do It
We're looking at how to make our characters more interesting by giving them lots of irreconcilable conflict. Here are some examples I've noticed in the stories I've read or watched recently. As usual, I will add more examples as I come across them in my readings. For now... Andy Weir’s The MartianThe main character is … Continue reading Walking Contradictions: How the Masters Do It
The Irreconcilable Self: Creating character paradoxes
This week we’re looking at how to infuse our characters with irreconcilable conflict and make them, as Paula Munier says, "walking contradictions." Contradiction in Character "You can build more plausible, complex characters if they want not just one thing but two that are in conflict," says Nancy Kress. Karl Iglesias calls these two things in … Continue reading The Irreconcilable Self: Creating character paradoxes
Clones: Let’s See What You’ve Got!
Clones, or mirror characters, reflection characters, variation-on-theme characters, are characters who highlight, through comparison and contrast, aspects--especially thematic aspects and stakes--of the main character. Let's see if we can develop some clones for a couple of the one-liners we've got going: 1. Our human-rights-attorney story: When the money runs out before the case against his transgender partner … Continue reading Clones: Let’s See What You’ve Got!
Clones: How the Masters Use Them
Some stories seem to lend themselves to lots of clones, others not so much. These are the clones examples I've noticed in the books I've read lately. 1. James Patterson's Hope to DieIn Hope to Die, where protagonist Alex Cross is trying to rescue his kidnapped family, Patterson uses clones for stakes purposes. Every person … Continue reading Clones: How the Masters Use Them
Clones: Variations on Theme Through Character
One way of showing theme and thematic premise is through comparing and contrasting the main character’s thematic traits with those of supporting characters. Characters who serve this function are often referred to as foils, mirror characters, reflection characters, symbols, or even clones. And they often drive a subplot (which we may look at in more … Continue reading Clones: Variations on Theme Through Character
Writes With Tools 