Susie writes:
I finished writing a book this weekend. It’s one I’ve been working on since June, in between my trips to FLA, CA, PA (lots of A’s there). In between writing and travelling, I haven’t had much time to work on my various unfinished remodeling projects. Ie, create a bookshelf in the media room. And paint the family room end wall red.
Yes, red. I saw it in a magazine, and then at a girlfriend’s house, and I thought it would be a striking way to backdrop this incredible piece of artwork I received from a friend. So, I sketched out the layout. I got paint samples. I compared them to the picture, and my other furniture. I found the right primer. I moved and covered furniture. Last night I primed…and this morning, before the kids even left for school….I painted. It’s drying right now.
But it all started with a sense that my white walls weren’t enough. Something was missing. I knew I wanted a pretty room – I just didn’t’ know how to get there.
We’re going to talk this week about writing Character Change in your novels.
As we write character change, we have to start in a place of need. Of White Walls.
The first step is what I call the Glimpse of Hope.
As you open your story, your character has to lack something. A quality. A truth. An ability. They might not even know it, but you, as the author do, and you need to communicate, subtly, to your reader.
Of course, yours starting your hero out on their journey in their home world. That’s also going to be their “default” character, beliefs and values. Something about these don’t work, and they need to change.
In this first section, you want the character to do, see, be, or value something that indicates their need. For example, in LOTR, Frodo is amazed by his adventurous uncle Bilbo. He loves hearing about his stories, and is drawn to his bravery. Frodo isn’t expressing his desire for adventure or courage – in fact, he doesn’t even realize he has it. But we, the reader, see his desire in how he worships his uncle.
Here’s some ideas for giving your reader that Glimpse of Hope:
1. Have your hero do something, in which he fails, and have him, or someone else comment that if he only had/did/believed a certain way, then he might accomplish his task. (to which, the hero says, well, that’ll never happen).
2. Have your hero, or just your reader, see something that the hero longs for – a happy family, a good job, a hero’s welcome. Something that we can measure his later success to. I call it the glimpse of the Happily Ever After.
3. Have your hero hear of a story/legend/action that he wishes he could do.
Okay – so, now dig out your movies, and books and see if you can pinpoint that Glimpse of Hope the author gives your reader/hero to begin your character’s change.
Tomorrow we’ll talk about the Invitation to Change! Of to finish painting!
Rachel writes: I love red walls.
But my walls are white with a dash of pink in the paint to give a “hue” to the room.
Our heroes are more than specific character traits, they are hues of their life experiences. They can be a super macho man who loves to sew. Or an artistic, softer man who can bench 300.
Perhaps he has a story line no one expects. In Love Starts With Elle, hero Heath McCord tells a story to Elle about an incident during his preteen years. That event shaped Heath for the rest of his life. Do I reference on every page or chapter. No. It’s part of his “hue.” It tenderized him, and that’s what we see on the page.
What hue is your hero?