Protagonists, Take The Wheel! Allowing Characters To Be Themselves

I haven’t done any scientific research on it, but I’m guessing that lots of times (and yes, LOTS OF TIMES is an official statistical value) writers experience a block in creativity because they’re trying to force their product to be something it’s not. (See my example from February 23, 2011 here.) We approach the blank sheet of paper with a pre-determined end-goal and nothing will make us deviate from that plan. We’re the writers, dammit! The creators, akin to god in our ability to make something amazing out of nothing! How dare this story not play out the way we’ve already established it needs to?!

It is at this point in your creative process, my fellow megalomaniacs, where I ask you to put down the pen and walk away from the paper. You aren’t going to accomplish anything by brow-beating the fictional characters. I’m going to tell you something right now that will save you many a frustrating night: You will always lose this battle; the characters have all the power and you are nothing more than the conduit they have chosen to tell their story. Once you accept that, the rest of the piece will write itself.

And I know, this looks easy on paper but is hard to pull off in real life. I do acknowledge that. We are proud, vain and stubborn and have been since birth. It will be hard to submit to characters you think you’ve created. Just become one with the fact that you did not create them; they’ve always existed and you just happen to be the lucky artist that gets to take the credit for their unveiling.

When I get to feeling like Goddy McGoderton with my stories, I utilize some of the following techniques to knock myself down a few pegs and just let the characters do their thing:

1- I forget that I am Raquel Penzo from Brooklyn, New York, born of Dominican parents and raised in the Catholic faith. I can’t be that woman and understand what my character is feeling/thinking/doing unless I let go of me for a second. Mr. or Ms. Protagonist: Who are you? Where are you from? What do you do?

2- I play music – any random mix – and ask myself: does this fit the story? Would my character listen to this song? Ms. or Mr. Protagonist: Do you like A Letter to Elise by The Cure? Why or why not?

3- I watch movies. Not so much the huge box office smashes but mostly small indie features that concentrate on dialogue and character studies and development above all else. Would my character talk/behave/think like the people on the screen? If my character were in this movie, how would he/she fit into the plot? Mr. or Ms. Protagonist: What gift would you have brought Sally and Joe had you been invited to The Anniversary Party?

4- I people watch. This is an easy task if you live in a big city but can work in small towns, too. Find a place with lots of people passing through. For me it’s usually Prospect Park, the subway or Union Square. Watch everyone around you and see if someone stands out. Is this a character from your story? Ms. or Mr. Protagonist: Are you here in this place? Are you the woman tasting the cheese at the farmers market or the guy on the curb playing the windpipes?

5- I read a book. It always helps to escape into a different reality. I can’t tell you how many stories have begun because of a great line in someone else’s novel. Last year I read Dracula and in it the character Van Helsing asked, “How do I find its where?” Let me tell you- that line stayed with me forever until it spawned a promising short story and helped move another one along. Ms. or Mr. Protagonist: Come; join me into this magical place Junot Díaz has created for us. It will be great!

This process is never simple and can take months or years depending on your level of stubbornness and vanity. However, if the end result is a tale you’re proud to sign your name to, then the journey is all the more worth it.

Happy Writing!

xoxo,
Raquel Ivelisse