Ever have that character that just...

[FatBttmGrl]

Okay, so I've been locked away writing and this character who started out one way has really turned on me. She has become really vile and bitchy. I'm not sure what to do here. I mean on the whole, I like her and feel for her. But I fear that she could become very polarizing and unlikeable. To tell the truth the shit I see myself writing as coming out of her mouth even stuns me a little.

So here is my question. Has this happened to anyone else? And what do you do?

Do you go with it and hope that the reader will see that small shred of vulnerability or humanity in this character?

Or

Do you actively go back and soften the character and try to redeem her?

 

[glynndah]

Okay, so I've been locked away writing and this character who started out one way has really turned on me. She has become really vile and bitchy. I'm not sure what to do here. I mean on the whole, I like her and feel for her. But I fear that she could become very polarizing and unlikeable. To tell the truth the shit I see myself writing as coming out of her mouth even stuns me a little.

So here is my question. Has this happened to anyone else? And what do you do?

Do you go with it and hope that the reader will see that small shred of vulnerability or humanity in this character?

Or

Do you actively go back and soften the character and try to redeem her?

Write her as she is and let her finish her story. I'd be afraid if I tried to change her in mid-story I'd lose the momentum. You can always go back and sand down the rough edges once her story's been told ~ if you still feel that's necessary.

 

[Hubs_in_hose]

Write her as she is and let her finish her story. I'd be afraid if I tried to change her in mid-story I'd lose the momentum. You can always go back and sand down the rough edges once her story's been told ~ if you still feel that's necessary.

I have often said that the story an author writes is not "created" by the author but "told" by the author. The story is there and you, the author, need to breathe life into it. Don't change something because you want it to go a certain way, if the story or a character is going in a direction go with it and see what is uncovered. You may learn a lot about your character and yourself in the process.

 

[scorallover]

Okay, so I've been locked away writing and this character who started out one way has really turned on me. She has become really vile and bitchy. I'm not sure what to do here. I mean on the whole, I like her and feel for her. But I fear that she could become very polarizing and unlikeable. To tell the truth the shit I see myself writing as coming out of her mouth even stuns me a little.

So here is my question. Has this happened to anyone else? And what do you do?

Do you go with it and hope that the reader will see that small shred of vulnerability or humanity in this character?

Or

Do you actively go back and soften the character and try to redeem her?

I actually had that with a character in the series I'm writing. She wasn't the main character, but she was an important one. I just went with it. I'm not sure how it will turn out, but I couldn't make the character fit a role I had planned for her. Now This character is turning out to be completely evil. Very different from my original idea.

 

[Stella_Omega]

Whatever you do, don't stop writing her. But if you have a plot, you may have to force her back into place...

it can be a hell of a juggling act!

 

[estragon]

Agree with all who commented. The character is telling you something (or maybe you're telling yourself something). In either case, don't ignore the message, get it down on paper or electrons, and then see where you are.

Sometimes the characters know more than the author.

 

[RodenAddison]

I agree as well. I think in many ways writing is a catharsis, teaching you something about yourself. If you feel that strongly about that character, what that says to me is it's likely good writing.

Don't be afraid to give us glimpses of her thoughts. Sometimes a bitch can be likeable if you can understand how she got that way. Empathy can work for you. It may even help you figure out how to dig yourself out of the hole you feel you have made for yourself. Sometimes a hole is where you need to be.

Give your subconscious free reign, kill the filter they built into you in school about 'how you should be'. Run!

I'll bet you met her in real life and she's just dumping out onto the page for you.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I agree as well. I think in many ways writing is a catharsis, teaching you something about yourself. If you feel that strongly about that character, what that says to me is it's likely good writing.

Don't be afraid to give us glimpses of her thoughts. Sometimes a bitch can be likeable if you can understand how she got that way. Empathy can work for you. It may even help you figure out how to dig yourself out of the hole you feel you have made for yourself. Sometimes a hole is where you need to be.

Give your subconscious free reign, kill the filter they built into you in school about 'how you should be'. Run!

I'll bet you met her in real life and she's just dumping out onto the page for you.

How fucking stupid. "A," youre clueless about what SUBCONCIOUS is. "B," the correct term is FREE REIN.

 

[mynameisben]

Okay, so I've been locked away writing and this character who started out one way has really turned on me. She has become really vile and bitchy. I'm not sure what to do here. I mean on the whole, I like her and feel for her. But I fear that she could become very polarizing and unlikeable. To tell the truth the shit I see myself writing as coming out of her mouth even stuns me a little.

So here is my question. Has this happened to anyone else? And what do you do?

Do you go with it and hope that the reader will see that small shred of vulnerability or humanity in this character?

Or

Do you actively go back and soften the character and try to redeem her?

Send her over to one of my stories. That will put her into a literarily induced coma until a proper cure can be found.

 

[sirhugs]

I wouldn't go back to try to fix, but would be steering to try for a redemption ending through sex. Or punishment for the bitch. works both ways. But redemption is more my thing... i love happy endings

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Allow me to add a dollop of sense to this clustre fuck of loose associations and tangential points.

Earlier Numnutz suggested that SUBCONSCIOUS is some OTHER/Alien inside your skull; not so. The OTHER is what Freud called ID, EGO, SUPEREGO. Berne called them PARENT, CHILD, ADULT states.

Think of mind as a CD or DVD. The CONSCIOUS part is what you sense, the SUBCONSCIOUS part is what youre not sensing right now but is on the playlist, and the UNCONSCIOUS is the code that makes it work but which you cant access with senses.

When you write your horrid 'stories' the ID or CHILD state does the invention which the EGO or ADULT state assembles using pencil & paper, keyboard, or big fat crayons applied to the wall. Then the SUPEREGO or PARENT state edits.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Send her over to one of my stories. That will put her into a literarily induced coma until a proper cure can be found.

Shell perish from boredom.

 

[PoppingTom]

Okay, so I've been locked away writing and this character who started out one way has really turned on me. She has become really vile and bitchy. I'm not sure what to do here. I mean on the whole, I like her and feel for her. But I fear that she could become very polarizing and unlikeable. To tell the truth the shit I see myself writing as coming out of her mouth even stuns me a little.

So here is my question. Has this happened to anyone else? And what do you do?

Do you go with it and hope that the reader will see that small shred of vulnerability or humanity in this character?

Yes.

Do you actively go back and soften the character and try to redeem her?

That's Hollywood (in other words: boring!!!)

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Watched some vids last night about Cormac McCarthys BLOOD MERIDIAN. When perfessers and prominent critics reveal that a book is so over the top they needed 2-3 efforts to get thru the book, you gotta figure the author knows how to affect readers.

 

[Vincent89]

http://www.50centloseweight.comBUMPS

 

[sr71plt]

I haven't often had that happen to me, but when it has, I've tended to let another character emerge as a more empathetic protagonist, and it's worked a charm (or so I thought). I often have what I thought were minor characters slip in and ursurp the protagonist role--usually in a series rather than a standalone, and it's turned looking like that that was a clever technique being knowingly employed.

 

[RodenAddison]

How fucking stupid. "A," youre clueless about what SUBCONCIOUS is. "B," the correct term is FREE REIN.

Looks like "youre" clueless too. Thanks for the constructive criticism, James, and the gentle tone. Hey! When does your next story come out?

Is it okay for you to butcher the language but not me?

Shell perish from boredom.

Watched some vids last night about Cormac McCarthys BLOOD MERIDIAN. When perfessers and prominent critics reveal that a book is so over the top they needed 2-3 efforts to get thru the book, you gotta figure the author knows how to affect readers.

 

[Stella_Omega]

Roden, jimmy is a troll. Trolls say shit that doesn't make sense.

Dont waste your time feeding trolls.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Roden, jimmy is a troll. Trolls say shit that doesn't make sense.

Dont waste your time feeding trolls.

And STELLA hangs on every word I post. Never misses anything.

 

[estragon]

In an earlier post I had suggested throwing a crust under the bridge, by way of attempting to mollify the troll who has decided to intrude on this thread. Although styled a "guru", the troll has yet to post a single word of a story, poem or essay on Lit. The troll's sole forum seems to be the BBs.

Throwing a crust seems to be ineffective. And while my invoking the "ignore" function will remove the troll's maunderings from my sight, the troll will continue to distress others. Or at least attempt to do so.

The best course, I suggest, is to ignore the troll. Unless, of course, the troll actually says something to the point in a civilized manner. Unlikely, but anything's possible.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

In an earlier post I had suggested throwing a crust under the bridge, by way of attempting to mollify the troll who has decided to intrude on this thread. Although styled a "guru", the troll has yet to post a single word of a story, poem or essay on Lit. The troll's sole forum seems to be the BBs.

Throwing a crust seems to be ineffective. And while my invoking the "ignore" function will remove the troll's maunderings from my sight, the troll will continue to distress others. Or at least attempt to do so.

The best course, I suggest, is to ignore the troll. Unless, of course, the troll actually says something to the point in a civilized manner. Unlikely, but anything's possible.

What ultimately defeats you is: The writing is still awful. Kissing the writers ass wont improve the tale one iota. Consider this: How exactly would my writing be better if you read it? You doubt my opinion cuz you havent read my scribbles? My scribbles cant help or harm others. And if you cant recognize bad writing what good is your counsel?

 

[sr71plt]

How exactly would my writing be better if you read it?

I think the salient point is that it probably would be better if you actually wrote it--and that you then probably wouldn't be as pissy about what others wrote when you actually saw the effort it took to write in reality rather than just in your dreams and claims.

 

[FatBttmGrl]

Allow me to add a dollop of sense to this clustre fuck of loose associations and tangential points.

Earlier Numnutz suggested that SUBCONSCIOUS is some OTHER/Alien inside your skull; not so. The OTHER is what Freud called ID, EGO, SUPEREGO. Berne called them PARENT, CHILD, ADULT states.

Think of mind as a CD or DVD. The CONSCIOUS part is what you sense, the SUBCONSCIOUS part is what youre not sensing right now but is on the playlist, and the UNCONSCIOUS is the code that makes it work but which you cant access with senses.

When you write your horrid 'stories' the ID or CHILD state does the invention which the EGO or ADULT state assembles using pencil & paper, keyboard, or big fat crayons applied to the wall. Then the SUPEREGO or PARENT state edits.

While not familiar with Numnutz or Berne, I am very familiar with Freud. And I fear that you have misapplied the id, the ego and the superego in the context of my question.

The ID is responsible for the “pleasure principles” of life, meaning that it concerns itself with the pure expression and exploration of whatever strikes its fancy ~ so back to my question—the id would say to let my character go and develop without concern to morality or possible redemption or to the possible alienation of the reader. I should let the character have free reign/rein (and actually either would work as either word would imply being able to act with impunity).

The ego is responsible for trying to maintain a balance between the id and the superego (which I will discuss in a moment). It seeks to satisfy both the need and push of the id while working under the pressure of the superego to bow to societal pressure. The ego would try to find a way to make both the character happy as well as the reader. The ego would try to find a way to allow the character to develop and yet not risk the alienation of the reader by allowing the character to become wild or unlikeable. So again coming to my question—I guess this makes me the ego, trying desperately to find the balance between the wild outlandish behavior of my character and the perceived reaction of the reader.

Now the superego is responsible for trying to achieve perfection, so in that I can see your reference to the idea of the superego being an editor. But the superego is also responsible for subjugating the id and the ego to societal norms. It seeks to make both the id and the ego bow down the expectations and the moralities of society. It is here where you really lose me. Is the superego the reader who is going to be angry at the id (the character) for behaving badly? Or should I look at it from a societal pint of view in which I realize that society would probably frown upon me writing erotica and so therefore I shouldn’t even be worrying about the development of the character. Instead I (as the ego) should bow down to the superego and put away my writing in order to conform to society’s expectations and moral demands

Either way, you have failed to answer the question that I put forth; moreover you simply restated my dilemma with the assistance of Sigmund Freud—although I would argue that you did not do a very good job. So I now ask you to kindly cease posting on my thread and go bother someone else.

 

[FatBttmGrl]

To everyone else who has responded with helpful comments. Thank you so much for taking your time to help me. i think I will let her develop, as frightening as that course of action seems. She is shocking and definitely growing out of control but I think you guys are right in that she is what she is and I just need to see where she leads me.

Pray for me!

 

[lance gt]

On topic, I've had characters that took on a life of their own and wrote their own story and I just typed it. I find it's sort of like getting to know someone new. You have a good idea who they are at the start, but the more you get to know them, their characteristics become more their own and not what you want them to be. I usually have another character that will keep things going more the way I want the story to go, so I let the character develop naturally, rather than force a change in personality to suit me.
I try to think, if it was a biography I was writing, I have to write what the person was like, not what I think the person should be like.