by Peter Leavell, @PeterLeavell
Charles Dickens wanted to pen something different. By 1859, he’d written character-heavy novels that were so successful, the books were named after the lead such as Nicholas Nickleby, David Copperfield, and Little Dorrit. Other books, such as Christmas Carol, were immediate classics and already idolized as character dramas extraordinaire.
Dickens tried something new. Rather than write a character-focused novel, he would serialize a plot-driven story that takes place during the French Revolution. Instead of the foibles of the rich, the pain of the destitute, and the criminal actions toward children, his next work would have spies, murder, national rebellion, intrigue, the guillotine, chases, and more. This would be popular fiction. I’ll let you know how his venture fared in a moment.
When you pick up a pen, whether you are focused on the plot or the characters, you must deliver a single element. So important is the following advice, you should frame your entire worldview around the statement. Every author has the sentence tattooed on the back of their eyelids. Every book, every chapter, and every sentence has this overriding theme.
What does the character want and why can’t they get it?
My goodness, every bit of life is about the theme. It’s almost like we live every day on the edge of our seats waiting to see how the world turns out. Why? Because we want to know if we, the characters, get what we want. And if our internal want is waning, we get discouraged. Why? Because we’re bored. Add a want to your life, your adrenal gland kicks in, and your emotions are connected to the outcome.
When Dickens stripped down the characters from his typical, well-rounded development and removed the who factor from the text, we’re left with a character just wanting a thing. He offered a simple why they can’t get the thing.
All his books, either plot-driven or character-focused, are most successful when he puts the advice to work for him. A Tale of Two Cities became one of the best-selling novels ever. Why? It’s a masterwork of the advice What does the character want and why can’t they get it?
Enjoy torturing your characters!
Philip Anderson keeps his past close to the vest. Haunted by the murder of his parents as they traveled West in their covered wagon, his many unanswered questions about that night still torment him.
His only desire is to live quietly on his homestead and raise horses. He meets Anna, a beautiful young woman with secrets of her own. Falling in love was not part of his plan. Can Philip tell her how he feels before it’s too late?
With Anna a pawn in the corrupt schemes brewing in the nearby Dakota town, Philip is forced to become a reluctant gunslinger. Will Philip’s uncannily trained horses and unsurpassed sharpshooting skills help him free Anna and find out what really happened to his family in the wilderness?
Peter Leavell, a 2007/2020 graduate of Boise State University with a degree in history and a MA in English Literature, was the 2011 winner of Christian Writers Guild’s Operation First Novel contest, and 2013 Christian Retailing’s Best award for First-Time Author, along with multiple other awards. An author, blogger, teacher, ghostwriter, jogger, biker, husband and father, Peter and his family live in Boise, Idaho. Learn more about Peter’s books, research, and family adventures at www.peterleavell.com
Comments 1
Putting characters through the wringer, yep! Great post!