I am a character centered reader and writer. The most elaborate and ornate plot can not pull me in, unless there are characters at the heart of it that I can identify with, or I can watch train wreck.
In writing, I want to ride my characters like Granny Weatherwax rides a bird.
And right now, I find myself working on these incredibly elaborate machinations for the Troll Story. The plotting is sound. It’s a little fuzzy in regard to the real bad guys coming in, but that will come.
What I’m not doing yet is sinking into my characters, and letting the fall out of their emotions drive this puppy. It’s the difference between playing Dungeons and Dragons with lead figures and a grid, versus role playing a story.
How do you guys work? Is it the character, the plot, or both that excites you? How do you manage a marriage?
Tonight’s writing goal is to look everything over, and really SINK into my characters motivations. I like the characters in this story, but I don’t seem to know their insides yet.
Except Nick and the Widow. For some reason, they’re pretty easy. Well, that’s two less I have to crack open.
Off to work. It’ll be finals, how-to papers, and a meeting. MAYBE Wonder Woman paper?
Catherine
