So, you have your character sketch from last week. Now what?
Now we look at the sketch and at those flaws, and ask, "What plot ideas come from these flaws?"
If someone is vain, how does vanity affect story? If someone is scared of bugs, what happens when their house is infested? How do flaws give you story and affect the story you have?
Characters don't exist in a vacuum. If you have multiple characters, where their flaws intersect is where story happens.
Writing prompt: Take your character sketch and come up with some plot ideas based on the flaws. What makes their life difficult? What can stand between them and their objectives?
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3 comments:
Hm. I'm realizing my character "flaw" may be more conditional than I'd thought. I chose obsessiveness--but half the plot ideas I'm coming up with can be boiled down to "she sticks with it when no one else thinks it's worth it and comes up with the solution to the problem". Which is actually a good thing, and given this character is the high-powered-executive-type, would fit right in.
I mean, there are plenty of situations in which obsessiveness would be a bad thing too. Character gets too focused on her obsession and neglects her relationship with her SO, for example. (Or fill in other important thing in her life that could be neglected -- job, friendship, etc.) But it could so easily be a good thing too, depending on the circumstances. Hrm.
If I'm sticking with it, the obvious thing is probably for her obsession with her career to kill her marriage. I think I'll take it a different direction, though; she gets obsessed about something else, which takes her attention away from the career she's previously been "obsessed" with.
Is that specific enough? Or do I need to come up with what the "something else" is? (Or is this more conditional than you had in mind and I should find something else? *G*)
Obsession can be both a virtue and a flaw - maybe the question is just how far obsession can go? Could it be hyper-focusing to the point that she's micromanaging people and driving them crazy? Or something like that?
Or does she stick with it and NOT find a solution?
Ooo, I like sticking with it and not finding a solution. And it takes over her life and... for nothing. But she's so obsessed she can't accept that.
Not that this hasn't been done a million times already, but hey, gotta start somewhere.
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