Characters Versus Plot

The characters are coming faster now after writing two novels, the first of which had a carefully worked-out plot and somewhat superficial characters; at least, characters whose motivations I did not care to deeply explore. I figured that what the characters did – what actions they took – told you who they were. Most readers didn’t seem to notice my mistake, but the few who did notice told me I had sold my characters short.

I worked on improving my process for the sequel, SUNRISING, allowing my characters to bubble up from the story much earlier than in the process I used to create A FALSE DAWN. As a result, my new characters felt deeper and their motivations clearer than in the first book.

Balancing plot and character doesn’t have to be an either-or proposition. Whatever time and thought you give to the plot, say, doesn’t take anything away from character development. But I often find those two responsibilities competing for my attention, especially in the early days of developing a new story. You have to balance the two.

I am better now at understanding the importance of character in my new novel, THE BEEHIVE, the third in the series, which I’m now developing. As much time as I spend early on in developing the plot, I make sure to spend just as much time developing my characters; specifically, making sure that their qualities, as they emerge, will influence and provide deeper meaning for the actions I have them take.

In THE BEEHIVE, I’m trying to make absolutely sure that the characters will be as carefully drawn and compelling as the plot. Balancing plot and character seems like such an obvious step for a novelist to take, but it only occurred to me when I saw how NOT finding this balance made the even the most cleverly worked-out plot seem pointless and contrived. Once I learned that from A FALSE DAWN, I never wanted to make the same mistake again.