tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8674828414021418178.post884090623831701006..comments2024-01-30T02:18:46.434-06:00Comments on ACME AUTHORS LINK: Characters that Change, Characters that Don'tMorgan Mandelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10118929301591850918noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8674828414021418178.post-49856144857794344712010-08-11T19:33:45.407-05:002010-08-11T19:33:45.407-05:00I think characters need to grow and develop, it...I think characters need to grow and develop, it's part of living and creating. They cannot remain the same, otherwise there is no desire to visit them again. But I agree the change must make sense and be reasonable.<br /><br />A Hotel in Paris<br />www.mjustes.comMargot Justeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07512602803694626704noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8674828414021418178.post-46000091753086871552010-08-10T15:24:05.937-05:002010-08-10T15:24:05.937-05:00Great topic. I think realism is the most important...Great topic. I think realism is the most important part of characterisation, and I think that in real life, people rarely change dramatically. The evolution of a person's character is a slow process, sometimes agonisingly slow, like a rock eroded by the sea. Even when something dramatic happens to a person, the intergration of that experience into who they are is gradual. I like characters with strong, well-defined perspectives; so when even the most subtle change occurs in them it is visible against the constant of who we know them to be.Franklin Beaumonthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17950277803662347842noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8674828414021418178.post-53978487653367008332010-08-08T20:56:05.710-05:002010-08-08T20:56:05.710-05:00Wow, some great input and ocmments here; thanks al...Wow, some great input and ocmments here; thanks all. I will only add that I believe so much depends on the author's intention for his character(s) and his/her skill in executing those intentions. <br /><br />I think it is a fascinating topic an most great how-to's deal well with bedrock characterization which can go either way - stay bedrock or go challenged.<br /><br /><br />robrob walkernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8674828414021418178.post-85871890793260914952010-08-07T15:04:56.669-05:002010-08-07T15:04:56.669-05:00One of the reasons I'd don't move my timel...One of the reasons I'd don't move my timeline very far (book number four takes place only two years after number one) is so my protagonist, Hetta Coffey, doesn't age. Her location and circumstances change with each book, but her character stays basically the same. She has learned, however, not to date criminals:) Well, unless they are out on parole. jinx schwartzjinx schwartzhttp://www.jinxschwartz.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8674828414021418178.post-6339623871450202372010-08-07T11:21:32.498-05:002010-08-07T11:21:32.498-05:00It seems to be obvious to say that a character sho...It seems to be obvious to say that a character should change and grow and yet... Some of the best loved series characters stay more or less the same. Hercule Poriot, for instance, or Miss Marple. There are many examples, but those I know best are from British fiction. That, in a way, can be very comforting to a reader as someone they've liked in previous books take on a different challange. With a one-off story, it's different; the character more or less has to change and have learnt something by the end of the book. The best solution is, of course, when a writer can show their character changing over time. That, I think, was one of the big attractions about Harry Potter. What a fascinating topic!Dolores Gordon-Smithnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8674828414021418178.post-76265176118174923632010-08-06T14:47:27.411-05:002010-08-06T14:47:27.411-05:00The whole idea (for me) in writing a book is to ta...The whole idea (for me) in writing a book is to take a character and push him/her to the limit. They have to grow. In When Danger Calls, the book begins with the heroine facing her challenges--taking care of an aging mother, balancing a budget when there's not enough money to go around, and being a single mom. By the end of the book, she's dealing with rescuing her daughter from terrorists. She has to find stuff deep within her in order to deal with those much higher stakes.<br /><br />Will finding out she's capable of pointing a rifle at someone change her? Of course. <br /><br />Terry<br /><a href="http://terryodell.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Terry's Place</a><br /><a href="http://www.terryodell.com" rel="nofollow">Romance with a Twist--of Mystery</a>Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8674828414021418178.post-83736249499933881772010-08-06T11:40:38.778-05:002010-08-06T11:40:38.778-05:00I am neutral on this subject except to note the fo...I am neutral on this subject except to note the following: if there is fundamental or abrupt change, there'd better be logical foundation and explanation as to why and how the change occurs. I won't accept a sort of casual pass--"I got older and decided I didn't like my life so I went and became a hermit," or something similar. But sometimes you discover elements of a character you didn't expect,which can be disturbing, or startling. It's one reason I never develop a backstory for my characters. That way I stay fresh and my readers are as surprised as I am. I also think characters can change significantly due to external forces, but again, there'd better be explanation or you are likely to experience a lot of readers heading for the door.carl brookinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16400731716746662544noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8674828414021418178.post-19138241988425028112010-08-06T11:06:30.989-05:002010-08-06T11:06:30.989-05:00Everyone should take a look at Robyn Carr's ch...Everyone should take a look at Robyn Carr's chapter on Building Bedrock Character Traits in fiction in her out of print, great book, Practical Tips for Writing Popular Fiction. Bedrock character shouldn't change, esp. not drastically. If she is a scientist at heart, she remains a scientist in the end, but that is not to say she has not changed fundamentally.<br /><br />robrob walkerhttp://www.robertwalkerbooks.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8674828414021418178.post-13573659275588975042010-08-06T10:39:15.247-05:002010-08-06T10:39:15.247-05:00I find it incredibly boring to read a book where t...I find it incredibly boring to read a book where the characters are stagnant, no change. In my fantasy series my heroine grows up emotionally, she must face her darkest fears and overcome them to claim the life she didn't realize she wanted in the beginning. I also explore the villains past to let the reader understand why he does, what he does. I'm certainly not the person I was when I was sixteen and my characters are not either.<br />Nancy<br /><a href="http://nrwilliams.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">N. R. Williams, fantasy author</a>N. R. Williamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02174506528962095858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8674828414021418178.post-36510444157145533952010-08-06T10:37:41.719-05:002010-08-06T10:37:41.719-05:00I have trouble writing series books, but maybe if ...I have trouble writing series books, but maybe if I had the character change instead of stay static it would be easier for me to do one.<br /><br />Morgan Mandel<br />http://morganmandel.blogspot.com<br />http://facebook.com/morgan.mandelMorgan Mandelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10118929301591850918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8674828414021418178.post-17223486373412938852010-08-06T10:11:28.612-05:002010-08-06T10:11:28.612-05:00Hi, Rob,
Like real people, characters need to cha...Hi, Rob,<br /><br />Like real people, characters need to change through a novel and especially if they're a series character. Kim Reynolds, psychic and academic librarian, is a sleuth who changes in both THE INFERNO COLLECTION and THE DROWNING POOL. She reinvents herself once again in THE TRUTH SLEUTH which Five Star/Gale will publish under the mystery line in<br />May 2011.Jacqueline Seewaldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09177500620940251009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8674828414021418178.post-6397257018556524052010-08-06T08:45:10.941-05:002010-08-06T08:45:10.941-05:00I think a character needs to change and grow over ...I think a character needs to change and grow over time. Especially in a series. However, I think it's also important that the character maintain some of the initial qualities that attracted the reader to him/her in the first place.<br /><br />Learning, growing experiences for the characters are a must. Complete personality changes are not so good.Debra St. Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07154130275058459169noreply@blogger.com