\"Writing.Com
*Magnify*
SPONSORED LINKS
Printed from https://shop.writing.com/main/newsletters/action/archives/id/12683-Care-About-Your-Characters.html
Action/Adventure: August 14, 2024 Issue [#12683]




 This week: Care About Your Characters
  Edited by: NaNoKit Author IconMail Icon
                             More Newsletters By This Editor  Open in new Window.

Table of Contents

1. About this Newsletter
2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
4. Editor's Picks
5. A Word from Writing.Com
6. Ask & Answer
7. Removal instructions

About This Newsletter

It is a wonderful feeling to get absorbed in a real page turner. However, if all the focus is on the action and adventure, characters can become bland and unmemorable.

This week's Action/Adventure newsletter is, therefore, all about the importance of multidimensional heroes and heroines.

NaNoKit Author Icon


Word from our sponsor

ASIN: B07B63CTKX
Amazon's Price: $ 6.99


Letter from the editor

I like a novel that’s so fast-paced that I simply have to keep turning the pages, as I can’t wait to see what will happen next. The kind of story that you read in a single day, or a single night. I’ve taken a book to bed before with the intention of reading a few pages before I go to sleep, only to feel wide awake at 4 am, mesmerized by the fictional world I’m exploring.

I like such novels, but sometimes when I finish one, I feel that I don’t truly know the characters. There was so much action going on that the characters appeared to be a secondary consideration. I didn’t manage to grow attached to them along the way. And that’s not good. As much as I liked the read, I wouldn’t pick up the book again or recommend it to others.

A well-developed character is likely to be a memorable one. I will never forget Raistlin and Tasslehoff Burrfoot from the DragonLance novels. I admired the character of Auriane, the heroine of Donna Gillespie’s The Light Bearer. I’m truly fond of a variety of characters from Terry Pratchett’s Discworld novels. They may be fictional, but I have laughed and cried with them and throughout their journeys, I have grown to care about their fate.

When you care about a character, it’s as if you’re there with them, sharing their experiences. You want them to do well. You want them to have a happy ending. This is especially the case if you can identify with them, or with certain aspects of their personality or background.

That doesn’t mean that a character has to be a goody two-shoes. Whilst most of us probably like to see ourselves as good, I also think that most would agree with me when I say that we all have our flaws. Therefore, we can accept and understand when characters in novels are flawed. It tends to make them more interesting.

Going back to the DragonLance novels, Tanis never appealed to me. He was such a “good” character on the whole, that he came across as rather bland. I feel the same way about Cyclops from the X-Men comics. The strongest feeling I had about him was mild irritation.

Of course, character development throughout a story is important. Humans learn and grow with experience, and the same should be true for a fictional hero or heroine. It would be unnatural to remain completely unchanged when there is all that action and adventure going on, and you’re caught up in it. That development doesn’t have to be for the better, either. Different experiences have a different impact, and some scars can remain.

Unpredictability can be a bonus. When a character does something that I didn’t expect, it piques my interest. It’s like a twist in a story line, something that I didn’t see coming. It might even make me think and reevaluate what I thought about the character or the story as a whole. There has to be a balance, though. If a character gets too unpredictable, there is a risk that I’ll feel that the author doesn’t know them, so how could I be expected to…

I don’t claim to be an experienced novel writer, or short story writer, but when characters do come to life in my imagination there is a lot to explore about them. Personality traits, little quirks, the history that’s shaped them, their motives, hopes and dreams… I try to get these across to the reader, so that they can form their own opinion.

I do have a lot of experience as a reader, and I feel that it’s a shame when a character slips away without making an impression on me. For the duration of a novel, or series of novels, I want them to be my fictional friends.

Fast-paced action is good. Loads of adventure is good. Do keep me up all night, if you like – I will forgive you, as you will have made it worthwhile with your talent. Just please… let it not be all about the thrills, and give me some insight into your heroes and heroines. They have introduced themselves to you, so please let me know them, too.


NaNoKit Author Icon


Editor's Picks

Some contests and activities to inspire you:

FORUM
EXPRESS IT IN EIGHT  Open in new Window. (13+)
Poetry-sharing Activity for expression and entertainment!
#2232169 by Solace.Bring Author IconMail Icon


FORUM
SENIOR CENTER FORUM Open in new Window. (ASR)
The Place for Seniors!
#427318 by NaNoKit Author IconMail Icon


Daily Flash Fiction Challenge Open in new Window. (13+)
Enter your story of 300 words or less.
#896794 by Arakun the twisted raccoon Author IconMail Icon


FORUM
Long, Long, Long Open in new Window. (18+)
Prompt-free contest for stories of the lengthier variety. New round May 2024!
#1782293 by Turkey DrumStik Author IconMail Icon


FORUM
Kit's Higher Ratings Contest Open in new Window. (18+)
A contest for items with a higher content rating.
#887621 by NaNoKit Author IconMail Icon


FORUM
Merit Badge Magic Open in new Window. (E)
A magical way to inspire your Muse! New themes to write about every month. Not a contest.
#2293943 by GeminiGem🐾 Author IconMail Icon


FORUM
WDC L'il Helper Contest Open in new Window. (E)
Submit your best How-To essay or narrative that explains a specific aspect of Writing.com.
#2308999 by JACE Author IconMail Icon


And don't forget:

Writing Contests @ Writing.Com Open in new Window. (E)
Writing Contests on Writing.Com are posted here.
#171898 by Writing.Com Support Author IconMail Icon

 
Submit an item for consideration in this newsletter!
https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form

Word from Writing.Com

Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter!
         https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form

Don't forget to support our sponsor!

ASIN: B083RZJVJ8
Product Type:
Amazon's Price: Price N/A
Not currently available.


Ask & Answer

The Action/Adventure Newsletter Team welcomes any and all questions, suggestions, thoughts and feedback, so please don't hesitate to write in! *Smile*

Wishing you a week filled with inspiration,

The Action/Adventure Newsletter Team


*Bullet* *Bullet* *Bullet* Don't Be Shy! Write Into This Newsletter! *Bullet* *Bullet* *Bullet*

This form allows you to submit an item on Writing.Com and feedback, comments or questions to the Writing.Com Newsletter Editors. In some cases, due to the volume of submissions we receive, please understand that all feedback and submissions may not be responded to or listed in a newsletter. Thank you, in advance, for any feedback you can provide!
Writing.Com Item ID To Highlight (Optional):

Send a comment or question to the editor!
Limited to 2,500 characters.
Word from our sponsor
ASIN: 1945043032
Amazon's Price: $ 13.94

Removal Instructions

To stop receiving this newsletter, click here for your newsletter subscription list. Simply uncheck the box next to any newsletter(s) you wish to cancel and then click to "Submit Changes". You can edit your subscriptions at any time.


Printed from https://shop.writing.com/main/newsletters/action/archives/id/12683-Care-About-Your-Characters.html