# What happened to building a character?



## kchughez (Jun 29, 2011)

I often stop reading books, if by the third chapter or so, I don't have a clue about the main character. I find it hard to care about what happens to the MC when, during the beginning, it's all dialogue. Is it me or have authors stopped building charcters?


~KC


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## Ilyria Moon (May 14, 2011)

I never stop reading books; I'm too stubborn. I'll persevere, even if the book sucks from the off.


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## Julia Kavan (Feb 6, 2011)

I don't think authors have stopped building characters but I seem to pick up more action led rather than character led novels at the moment, and, although I might be thrown into the story straight away - if I don't care about the main character I find I'm less likely to carry on.

I'd have to disagree on the dialogue front, though. Dialogue can be a good way to build a character if done well.


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## gsjohnston (Jun 29, 2011)

I agree that a lot of people don't seem to put effort into building up a character. But I disagree with the dialogue being the concern. If the dialogue is working, a character unfolds. We all have different ways of speaking and this says a lot about who we are and what we really think of things. And so should characters. I think some writers forget to let their characters respond to things. In one Kindle book I am reading at the moment, there is no consequence to anything and as a result the characters are wooden.

_--- edited... no self-promotion outside the Book Bazaar forum. please read our Forum Decorum thread._


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## Lursa (aka 9MMare) (Jun 23, 2011)

Unless you build really solid, interesting characters that I can relate to or find fascinating (not necessarily like), then you'd  better have great storyline and evidence, details, landscapes (civilizations), etc.

I care more for those elements than the characters unless the characters can really carry it. Some of my favorite authors have created such characters, but then over time, the characters seem to hit dead ends....and become people I dont like or they jump the shark.

And even in the best books, it's hard to enjoy them when the lead is someone I cant respect.  Guess I can be a little judgemental   (I have a thing against heroines who are still desperate to find love or must have a man in their lives, for ex.).


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## Todd Young (May 2, 2011)

My characters seem to grown as I'm writing. I don't spend a lot of time planning, preferring to do it by the seat of my pants. Once I get to the end, I go back and put in the things I know about the characters. If I try to plan first, I lose interest in the story, and simply don't want to write it.


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## TiffanyLovering (Jul 1, 2011)

I think it's just a different way of building a character. Some people like it, some don't. I usually leave the first couple chapters as my last to write because I will really know my MC and how to really build them up in a way that will still make sense at the end of the book. I like to _pretend_ I know what my characters are going to be like while I'm doing an outline, but they rarely end up the way I originally intended, which is a lot of fun!


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## MartinLake (May 9, 2011)

I agree with gsjohnston.  You've hit the nail on the head, here.  There have to be consequences to any action and main characters have to experience these and respond to them.  

I find that my characters evolve over time and I have to go back to the beginning and 'freshen them up' to account for how and why the character has grown in this way.

I also have an annoying experience.  Minor characters keep coming onto the scene and they try to muscle in on the action by being more energetic, amusing, more powerful and exasperatingly more interesting than I had anticipated.


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## kempton.mooney (Jun 19, 2011)

I think there has always been poor character writers, bad writing is not something new, but it is the success that stand the test of time (at least this is what I hope). My test is if a character can do something that is against the grain of the character ( a good guy do something bad, or vice versa) and it does not feel forced, then you have a complex and well fleshed out character.


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## UnicornEmily (Jul 2, 2011)

I like strong characters; I tend to get bored, too, and give up reading if I still don't feel like I know who the main character is or why I should care after a few chapters. I will persevere if it's an author I trust (authors I've loved in the past sometimes have books that start out boring but eventually wind up interesting), but not if the author hasn't won me with another book already.

Mainly, I like strong voice. All dialogue is totally okay, as long as it shows me who these characters are and why they're interesting, but all-action or all-description usually puts me to sleep. I don't care if the character's in danger if I don't even know his/her personality, and I _certainly_ don't care about wherever he lives!


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## kchughez (Jun 29, 2011)

GS, I should have been more clear. I meant that I am discouraged to read any further when the dialogue doesn't work. For example if the writer has the character saying, "have a nice day" when it doesn't move the story forward, then I find it hard to keep reading. 

For sniggles and grins this is what I might do if I started in dialogue.

"Where the heck have you been, Rachel?" Brian asks, standing at the front door with his hands on his hips.
She brushes pass him, sucking on her teeth. "Why do you care?"
"Have a nice day, too," Brian says as he slams the door. 
******************************************************************************
I hope to let the reader know that Brian is mad at Rachel, but at the same time, we sense something is going on with her too.


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## gsjohnston (Jun 29, 2011)

very good dialogue - and very clear.  I often forget that a reader is a very subtle being.  My first drafts are often like a sledgehammer and when I re-draft I always try to let the reader work it out.  Good and consistant dialogue is a great way of doing this.  I just read a book where the dialogue for a teenage boy and a middle aged mother were basically the same.  It was v boring.


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## Scribejohn (Jul 2, 2011)

I think the demands of pace have more or less driven books the past decade.

Look at how authors such as Peter Blauner (one of the best thriller writers in the USA IMO) has slipped by the wayside with getting published in the UK, yet authors such as James Patterson are riding high. 

Even Lee Childs could be criticized for sketching only minimally his supportive characters outside of Jack Reacher. Also, dialogue if handled well can tell you a lot about characters.

A bit more flesh on the bone would help, I agree -- as long as it doesn't bog down either the plot or pace with too much detail. I suppose that's why Harlan Coben is such a master with his stand alone series. He manages to give you a feel for the characters while keeping the pace red hot.


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## kempton.mooney (Jun 19, 2011)

I agree with ScribeJohn, the increase in pace (in order to compete with attention spans attuned to film and tv) has meant that less coverage is devoted to developing a character. The real masters convey the character through the character's words and actions, which need not bog down the action. However this means the writer is taking care of multiple tasks at one time, and to do this well takes effort and skill, so it is no surprise that only a relative few pull it off seamlessly.


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## Nick Wastnage (Jun 16, 2011)

Great to find a thread that touches on my favourite topic. I'm a crime writer and I spend much time on building characters with depth, not cardboard characters that are just names. I create a template that asks me detailed questions about the guy or girl and how they behave. I try to delve into their mind and find out what makes them tick. When I'm done and believe I have a real larger than life character I find an image from a newspaper or magazine and cut it out and pin it on a board with the characters name underneath. Every time I write about that person I look up at the board and my template.


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## UnicornEmily (Jul 2, 2011)

Nick Wastnage said:


> Great to find a thread that touches on my favourite topic. I'm a crime writer and I spend much time on building characters with depth, not cardboard characters that are just names. I create a template that asks me detailed questions about the guy or girl and how they behave. I try to delve into their mind and find out what makes them tick. When I'm done and believe I have a real larger than life character I find an image from a newspaper or magazine and cut it out and pin it on a board with the characters name underneath. Every time I write about that person I look up at the board and my template.


What a clever idea! I've seen advice like this before, but never known anyone who does it religiously. Mainly, I've done things like that when I don't feel like I know a character sufficiently, like there's something about them that's missing. It frequently makes me realize what it is that's missing.


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## Dr. Laurence Brown (Jun 23, 2011)

For me it's strong characterization that really helps me get into a book. I put aside a book after a chapter or two if I can't get into it, although I try to give character development a little longer if I can.


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## Joseph Robert Lewis (Oct 31, 2010)

kchughez said:


> I often stop reading books, if by the third chapter or so, I don't have a clue about the main character. I find it hard to care about what happens to the MC when, during the beginning, it's all dialogue. Is it me or have authors stopped building charcters?


I would think you could get a great sense of a character through dialog alone. Are you looking for more narration or more action?


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## DianaHunter (Jun 1, 2011)

Good discussion! I like books that begin in media res, revealing information as the story moves along. I'm not a big fan of heavy exposition up front. Introduce the characters, get me involved in the action, THEN take time to give me some background on who everyone is and why they are where they are.

That said, yes, I do want that information by the third chapter. In fact, I probably want it earlier than that or I spend all my time thinking, "Why should I care about these people?"

Just don't upload it all at once. 

Diana


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## Cal_Noble (Mar 5, 2011)

Nick Wastnage said:


> Great to find a thread that touches on my favourite topic. I'm a crime writer and I spend much time on building characters with depth, not cardboard characters that are just names. I create a template that asks me detailed questions about the guy or girl and how they behave. I try to delve into their mind and find out what makes them tick. When I'm done and believe I have a real larger than life character I find an image from a newspaper or magazine and cut it out and pin it on a board with the characters name underneath. Every time I write about that person I look up at the board and my template.


I take a very similar approach. I generally interview my characters before employing them: who are they? what do they want? biggest fear? Education? etc. And then add a few God Q&A's: What's in their way? what's at stake? I do this even for supporting cast. Then I pick their face (Age, sex, weight, hair/eye color have already been decided). I think I got one man's face from googling "Accountant" or something like that. LOL.

For me to continue writing, I must love my characters... even if I hate them. I have to care about their plight. They have to be people I know intimately. I think knowing them in this way helps me present them in a fair, unbiased manner--important because I often write about people on the fringe of society... what good decent folk call the dregs of humanity.


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## Ilyria Moon (May 14, 2011)

Joseph Robert Lewis said:


> I would think you could get a great sense of a character through dialog alone.


So do I.


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## JanetMcDonald (Jul 6, 2011)

I agree with the PP that said pacing has a lot to do with it.  It is sort of the style right now, maybe due to our collective short attention spans, to have books that move extremely fast.  I can enjoy these books to some degree, but it drives me nuts when an author has too many POVs and switches between them too rapidly and frequently.

Characters can absolutely develop through action and dialog.  But there are some unfortunate books that neglect the art of building a character in favor of keeping the fast paced action going.  It is an unnecessary trade off, in my opinion.  Some authors try so hard to stick to the idea of "showing" and not "telling" that they don't even "show" us anything that would "tell" us something about their character's motivations or backgrounds. 

So, yes, I've noticed this trend in the last decade as well.


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## mmcdan13 (Jul 6, 2011)

I understand where you're coming from.  There are some VERY good character building authors out there.  Not to throw stones, but if an author is releasing more than one book a year, character development probably isn't a priority.  Just something I always keep in mind.


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## Grace Elliot (Mar 14, 2011)

My favourite genre is historical romance and there's definately a forumla to these whereby hero must meet heroine pretty much in the first chapter. If I was reading a HR and the H/ h didnt appear pretty sharpish ( you mention 3 chapters) then I'd feel pretty let down. 
Character development is one of the joys of reading HR - the top notch authors weave such wonderful and believable characters, it's what makes them stand out.


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## kchughez (Jun 29, 2011)

Joseph Robert Lewis said:


> I would think you could get a great sense of a character through dialog alone. Are you looking for more narration or more action?


 Joe, yes I do agree with you, but when the dialogue fails to move the story forward. Let me give an tiny excerpt. 
He tilted his beefy head sideways and bit his lower lip. "You ever been to Vegas?" 
"Man, what the hell is this?" I asked. "The Spanish Inquisition?" 
"Answer the question. You ever been to Vegas?"
I blew out some air, annoyed by his whacked question. "You know damn well I have."


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## Jeff Tompkins (Sep 17, 2010)

I have to agree with Joseph Robert Lewis on this one. Dialogue can tell you a lot about a character, just as much as action can. I tend to think Elmore Leonard has it right when he says most readers don't want to start out with a bunch of exposition (especially stuff like the weather, or what a bus looks like). They want to meet people in the book. And, of course, it helps if those people are talking.



kchughez said:


> Joe, yes I do agree with you, but when the dialogue fails to move the story forward. Let me give an tiny excerpt.
> He tilted his beefy head sideways and bit his lower lip. "You ever been to Vegas?"
> "Man, what the hell is this?" I asked. "The Spanish Inquisition?"
> "Answer the question. You ever been to Vegas?"
> I blew out some air, annoyed by his whacked question. "You know d*mn well I have."


Side note: Is "beefy head" meant to be humorous in that excerpt?


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## kchughez (Jun 29, 2011)

Jeff Tompkins said:


> I have to agree with Joseph Robert Lewis on this one. Dialogue can tell you a lot about a character, just as much as action can. I tend to think Elmore Leonard has it right when he says most readers don't want to start out with a bunch of exposition (especially stuff like the weather, or what a bus looks like). They want to meet people in the book. And, of course, it helps if those people are talking.
> 
> Side note: Is "beefy head" meant to be humorous in that excerpt?


 Hi Jeff, yes beefy head was meant to be humous!!

~KC


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## dltanner99 (Sep 9, 2010)

It's like comparing action flicks to character-driven films. You have to care about a character, in order to want to see them succeed in their conflict. By the same token, very seldom if ever does a character become as interesting as what happens to him or her. I think that is where we often lose it, in today's books and movies. It's all in what the audience wants. If characters outshone their adventures, we would gravitate toward it and make it difficult for anyone to use them as pedestrians and excuses for what happens next. It's the basic difference between plot and story line. In the first case, the character remains the same while the situation changes. In the second, the character grows and develops, to overcome the unchanged situation. I try to do both in my novels, but it is fine line.


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## kchughez (Jun 29, 2011)

dltanner99 said:


> In the first case, the character remains the same while the situation changes. In the second, the character grows and develops, to overcome the unchanged situation. I try to do both in my novels, but it is fine line.


 Hi DL, you sound somewhat like me. I have to make my characters change. For example, in one of mine, I made the MC so dislikable so that readers could see him grow.

~KC


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## Geemont (Nov 18, 2008)

Scribejohn said:


> I think the demands of pace have more or less driven books the past decade.


I'm almost certainly in the minority among readers, but a fast pace can make me close a book and forget about it. The red hot pace often reads like the author is writing the novelization to the action movie in his head, and that's not what I want to read in a book. Show me a good character in a movie and I'll show you (9 times out of 10) a film with subtitles. The same holds true for novels when they'd written to fit the movie mold.

I do think dialog is often over used in novels. But a good author like a good play writer can use dialog to show character. Yet how many novelists study the great plays for effective dialog?


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## Tamara Rose Blodgett (Apr 1, 2011)

For me...I give most books the 30-page test. If by 30 pages in, I find my attention wandering and indifference setting in...I stop. The author has to make me care for the MC...make me feel they are "real." It's not *just* character development as a lack-of-action in the story will crush my interest just as effectively.

(Btw, KC...I know this is OT, but I love your book covers!)


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## kchughez (Jun 29, 2011)

Geemont said:


> I do think dialog is often over used in novels. But a good author like a good play writer can use dialog to show character. Yet how many novelists study the great plays for effective dialog?


 Hi Gee, I am in agreement with you about dialogue (where do i get this spelling from). But anyway, I really get turned away by long diatribes in dialogue format. It feels like preaching. I like to write it the way I hear it and the way I talk it. Maybe I'm wrong since I'm not (as of this writing) a NY Times bestseller. hah!

~KC


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## kchughez (Jun 29, 2011)

Tamara Rose Blodgett said:


> (Btw, KC...I know this is OT, but I love your book covers!)


 Thank you kindly, Madame Tamara. Is it pronounced like camera?

~KC


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## Larry Marshall (Jan 2, 2011)

I'm drawn to books with well-developed characters. Give me a really good character and I'm willing to read while he/she recites the dictionary.

I think at least part of the problem, and I hope this doesn't start a war, is the dreamy way some writers view "discovery writing." It's somehow more 'pure' than actually making plans before you write a novel. We see the results of this in some of the comments here. Many imply (or admit outright) that they don't know their characters when they start to write a story. Frankly, I don't think you can 'fix' this after the fact.

Discovery writers are fond of quoting Stephen King, who says to take your character and put him in a location and just start writing. Well, that's fine and dandy IF you know that character, know what motivates him, know how he'll react to everything, know what scares him, knows what drives him. But if you don't, neither will your reader as your story will never tell them.

Before i wrote _Her Book of Shadows_, the first of a mystery series about Scott Riker, I'd written dozens of 'situations' where I'd plunk Riker into the middle and watch him respond. I wrote an entire backstory for the guy. I did "interviews" with him. He and i were buddies by the time I started writing anything others would see. If you're writing complex plot-based novels this might not be necessary but if you want to write a novel where the protagonist leaps off the page, you should do these things, or something similar.


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## Nick Wastnage (Jun 16, 2011)

My money's on good well built characters, realistic and earthy dialogue, well described scenes and a fast moving plot.


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## youngadultfiction (Jul 28, 2011)

I think someone who does a really great job of character and dialogue is James Frey. 'A Million Little Pieces' is a great example of combining characters and spare sharp dialogue that really works well. Sure, not all of it may be true   in his books, but his writing really tries to bring out the characters through a focused use of dialogue.


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## PatrickWalts (Jul 22, 2011)

Dialogue tells me a lot about a character.


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## Chris Turner (Jul 23, 2011)

I think that any serious fiction writer's #1 concern is with developing interesting character(s).  What is it about the character(s) that makes them interesting?  How does the author go about achieving the goal: through narrative, dialogue, both?

Bad writing I think is characterized by the reader disengaging when they can't connect to the story, either it is too convoluted, or there is not enough there to care about the characters involved.  In general, writing is such a difficult art, that it makes sense there's going to be a lot of problems with stories, particularly that niggling part of a book's 'beginning'.  The author starts with nothing and has to create 'worlds' out of thin air!—something so vivid/entertaining/gripping/interesting (insert any # of adjectives here) that will keep the demanding reader engaged.

I download a lot of samples of books and usually in the first two pages I can decide whether or not the story has the grist that I am looking for.  The intros are usually the toughest part for any author to write, possibly taking days/weeks/months of going back and looking at the prose in different perspective, getting other readers’ perspectives.  Which prompts another question: is there such thing as a 'perfect book'?


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## Angerona Love (Aug 5, 2011)

As a fan of character-driven books moreso than action, I am most thankful for well-developed characters. I want to know a lot about them -- their thoughts, dreams, moments of sadness, why they do what they do... I will muddle through a book with less-developed characters, and promptly forget it.

Even though my current Kindle book is nonfiction, in the novel I'm editing, I've spent a lot of time with the main character. I know her very well, and although the book has some other weaknesses, I'm fairly confident the main character shines.

I think, in part, the ease of publishing now allows more authors to publish before a book may be really ready. Often one last edit can produce a more solid work than trying to get something up quickly. I haven't read much fiction in a while though, so my thoughts may be outdated. It's lovely to get back into the world of make-believe!


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## joanhallhovey (Nov 7, 2010)

I know what you mean.  It doesn't matter a darn how great your storyline is,  how fast paced the story is. how exotic the setting, if I have no emotional investment in character (whether writing or reading) I lose interest  Think of Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre.  This is character building at its best.    

Best, Joan.


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## markarayner (Mar 14, 2011)

I think the issue of well-developed characters makes the difference between good storytelling and great storytelling. You can have two-dimensional characters, and still tell a good story, but what makes it great is having characters you really care about when you're reading. And like Larry, I think it does help to know who the characters are before you start writing. And they should experience the story too.

A trick I use in my own work is from the acting world. I imagine what the motivations are of each and every character -- even the bit players -- in every scene. It helps make everything more real.  (At least, I HOPE it does.)


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## mattposner (Oct 28, 2010)

Characterization is 100% necessary for a satisfying read in any genre fiction, because some kind of identification is necessary. Not to say that the reader needs to identify fully with the viewpoint character, but there needs to be some feeling of shared humanity, at least that the reader can connect to what drives the protagonist and feel interested to stay with that person. The character hook doesn't need to be substantial at the beginning, but there needs to be one. Once you have the character, you introduce conflict for that character. The conflict can start off small (deciding what to eat for dinner) but should end up being deeply fascinating (who should marry whom, how can we get rid of the Ring of Power, is there really a ghost or is it the kids messing around, will the killer be captured?). When I read fiction with fairly bland characters but based on the situation -- which I label as a critic with the film term "high-concept," I am less likely to feel engaged.


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## balaspa (Dec 27, 2009)

I think a good character can be built based on the actions he does during the course of the story and the things he or she says.  It doesn't have to be endlessly thick paragraphs of description.


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## Bellagirl (Jul 23, 2011)

I treasure the books I own where character and plot integrate seamlessly. Back in university I used to go through loads of pretentious, character-driven novels with little in the way of plot, because I figured that's what you had to immerse yourself in if you wanted to be a literary writer. I've grown up since. And I really hate the fact that over the last couple of decades there has been such a huge and great divide between plot-driven genre and literary books. It's like you have to pick a side when you "define" your book, so to speak, and it doesn't have to be that way. 
These days, if it doesn't have both, I'm not likely to finish it.


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## Tara Maya (Nov 4, 2010)

Bellagirl said:


> I treasure the books I own where character and plot integrate seamlessly. Back in university I used to go through loads of pretentious, character-driven novels with little in the way of plot, because I figured that's what you had to immerse yourself in if you wanted to be a literary writer. I've grown up since. And I really hate the fact that over the last couple of decades there has been such a huge and great divide between plot-driven genre and literary books. It's like you have to pick a side when you "define" your book, so to speak, and it doesn't have to be that way.
> These days, if it doesn't have both, I'm not likely to finish it.


I think there is a difference between character-driven novels and plot driven novels, although the former still need tension-filled plots and the latter still need well-drawn characters. That said, I think the key to enjoy a book is to enjoy on based on what the book is trying to do. If the book is clearly trying to be about characters then it shouldn't be judged like an action movie, and likewise a book that is really an adventure or an idea-book shouldn't be criticized because the characters don't spend all day navel-gazing.

However, I just read a book that was supposed to be character-drvien, and but the characters just came across as very stereotypical and dreary to me (it was about a man who cheats, his wife and his mistress...yawn). The problem I so often have with "literary" characters is that they are not people I really care to know, so why should I waste my time reading to know them better?


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## sandynight (Sep 26, 2010)

If you were to meet a stranger, the best way to get to know him would be to learn about his past. There is a fine line info dumping a characters past. You can write too much of things that are not important and bore the reader or write just enough of the right stuff and hit the nail on the head. New writers are told not to info dump. It is an art to blend it in the story.


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## hakimast (Jul 23, 2011)

Honestly, I dislike character backgrounds.


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## Anne Maven (Apr 18, 2011)

joanhallhovey said:


> I know what you mean. It doesn't matter a darn how great your storyline is, how fast paced the story is. how exotic the setting, if I have no emotional investment in character (whether writing or reading) I lose interest Think of Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre. This is character building at its best.
> 
> Best, Joan.


I have to agree with you. It's exactly the way I feel.


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## Gregory Lynn (Aug 9, 2011)

Perhaps I shouldn't be bumping a thread from a few days ago with my first post but hey, I'm new.  I don't know how active this place is, how bumping older things is frowned upon or what, so if I step on toes, please forgive.

Character, to me, is the dealbreaker.  If I don't care about a character then there's only so far I can go.  If I care about a character there is no length to which I will not go.

A few cases in point.

Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series:  I'm maybe a third of the way through the third book and I realize I don't like these people.  I barely recognize them as people.  I've seen cartoons that feel more real.  Despite the fact that I was starved for audio content I just stopped listening and I have never regretted it.

Patrick Rothfuss' Kingkiller Chronicles: I read the little blurb on his website about what he had been named and how he had bought and paid for those names and I had to have the book.  I needed to know more about this guy.  

Now you can't have a complete lack of story.  I don't care how cool Kvothe is, I don't really care to read about him in retirement sitting in a rocker watching soaps all day but give me a well fleshed out, realistic feeling character and I'll give you an enormous amount of leeway in getting to the point of the story.


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## Ben Reeder (Jun 28, 2011)

I think the problem with building characters is that, once you have all the parts you need, and you have a brain for your creation, you find that your hunchbacked assistant provided you with a deficient one, and the next thing you know, the peasants are partying in the courtyard with pitchforks and torches. What a drag....oh, wait, wrong kind of character building....Thank you, Igor. Go on back to the lab-OR-a TORy. I'll be along later. 

All joking aside, I think dialogue is a HUGE tool for building character not only for what is said, but how, and what the character reveals in what they talk about. Actions and words, subtext, all of these make for a character that can  intrigue a reader. We do have to face what I call socially inflicted ADD, the tendency of the world to demand that we do everything nownownow. Fasterfasterfaster! So writers now have less time to engage a reader with a character. We run the risk, I think, of people making characters that are all quirk and no substance.

Maybe that is why I like first person narratives so much. We see the world through the character's eyes, and learn about it from their voice. But plot can tell us so much, because for it to make a difference to us, it has to make a difference to the character. And the why of things tells us a lot right there.

Now, I AM one who likes to let the character surprise me. That means that they have developed to the point that they will have reactions that I would not. I can't remember who said it, but I like the quote: "Did the plot surprise you? Did you laugh or cry while you were writing the story? If you didn't, why would you expect your reader to?" If a writer knows a character so well that they can't be surprised, then I think that character is going to suffer for it because all of the reactions are the writer's. That can be limiting.


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## dalya (Jul 26, 2011)

There's writing for your future reader, and then there's writing for a publisher/literary agent.  The publishing people want action, conflict!  True readers like a little narration to settle them in.  Really, you can't win.  Or maybe you can have it all ... and that's the magic formula we're all trying to crack.


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

**** friendly reminder:  authors, we're in the Book Corner so please refrain from mentioning your own books but, rather, address the question from the point of view of yourself as 'reader'.  You can, of course, address your own approach in the Writer's Cafe.  ****


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