February 10, 2005
Questions About Characters
For those who've read my book, I'd love to get some insight into what you think about my characters. Are they working? Are they believable? Are they too stock? Let's get at it.
Sedgewick
- Is he believable?
- Does his stutter drive you nuts, or does it work?
- One reader commented that they wanted to know the origin of his name--does that matter to anyone else?
- The same reader wanted to know more about his past. I like the mystery of his past where bits and pieces of it are revealed. What say you: more or less history?
- Sedgewick is one of my favorite characters, so I'm hesitant to change anything about him. But lay it on me--is he up to the task of carrying the novel (since that's really what he has to do)?
Allison
- Is she believable?
- In my mind she is the least original, defined character. Does she come across as undefined? Does she need to be drawn with firmer, more intentional strokes?
- Is her handling of her mother's death believable?
Gertrude (Sedgewick's grandmother)
- Is she believable?
- Does she come across as the every-grandma, or is her character unique?
- Did you find yourself wanting more of the grandmother?
- Anybody else hate the name Gertrude?
Charles
- Is he believable?
- Does his sing-songy rhyming habit work for you or grate on you?
- Is he too much of the wise guru? Or does he give Sedgewick enough room to figure things out for himself?
Feel free to dive in and say what you think in the comments. These are characters, not me, so feel free to expose their flaws and mock them if need be.
Thanks.
Posted by kevin at February 10, 2005 5:00 PM
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Comments
Kevin, although I recognize the importance of good characterization in writing a novel, it strikes me that this isn't the primary strength of your novel. Your characters are driven by the issues they are dealing with. It's what I call an "issue-based" story.
Your characters are facing various crises or problems or awkward circumstances, and trying to puzzle their way through. They try to think their way through how to act in the given situation (Sedgwick with Allison; Allison with her mother's death; Gertrude with Sedgwick's new friend). So most of the dialogue and thought-insight, and thus most of the characterization, is focused on working through issues.
So while you do a good job of rounding out your characters by showing out they act in everyday situations (e.g., riding the bus, stocking shelves), the real strength (which I think you should keep playing to) is to give your characters problems (emotional, spiritual, intellectual, social) to solve.
Are your characters believable? Certainly. But what interests me in your story (and, I think, in your other fiction and nonfiction writing), is that you genuinely see the world as a serious of difficult puzzles, and we are all left in the position of finding our way through the riddles of each day. When you write, your characters are the puzzle-solvers, the ones who wake up each morning and renew their task of living life. What kept me coming back to your story was the pleasure of seeing a person encounter new joys and obstacles of puzzle-solving.
Again, I recognize the importance of making interesting puzzle-solvers who are real-to-life and who we care about. What's most interesting, though, is that these people who we care about are in situations of understandable confusion.
Posted by: tpy at February 11, 2005 6:06 PM
Straight to the point: I hate the name Gertrude.
Posted by: abby at February 11, 2005 8:23 PM
Wow, Tim, that's huge. Thanks for the insight. I've always thought of my stuff as more character-driven, but I think you're right. I don't just toy with characters, I put them through stuff. Very helpful.
Do all of the situations and solutions seem plausible then? Are any of them too cheesy or lame or easy or predictable?
Posted by: kevin at February 11, 2005 9:13 PM
Hi Kevin,
First off, I felt that most of the characters were generally quite believable. There were a few places (I can't remember specifically where right now) where I thought someone responded differently than I expected, but that's probably actually a good thing. We don't always respond the way other people expect ... or the way we expect.
Regardless, for your characters to be so three dimensional in a novel written in 20 days is pretty amazing. Props to dandelions! ;)
Posted by: Jaime at February 12, 2005 9:04 PM
Hey I just bought your book today with a bulk that I bought of my own.
Once it gets here I'll read it and tell you what I think.
Good Luck,
Jeff Davidson
Posted by: Jeff Davidson at February 18, 2005 3:56 PM
