When a character takes control

[Djmac1031]

So I've officially been posting stories for a month here now, and am having a lot of fun doing it, and learning a lot as I go. Usually the hard way lol.

I've noticed something fascinating as I've been continuing my series, especially one of them.

In the first chapter in my series The Jenna Arrangement, the male protagonist was fully in control of the story.

But ever since chapter 2, the female lead Jenna has taken a life of her own and seized control of events moving forward.

I've heard writers talk about characters taking on a life of their own, but never really understood it til now.

I actually had to scrap one chapter and rewrite it because I realized I'd written what I wanted her to do, but NOT what she'd actually DO in that scenario, if that makes sense.

So I rewrote it and let Jenna lead the way, and I think it was for the better.

I'm sure you writers who've been at this far longer than I have experienced this as well? Having a character grow beyond your original expectations and become something you didn't expect?

 

[KeithD]

Yes, it happened to me in a series of six mainstream international crime novels. It started with a woman archeologist as the protagonist. Toward the end of the first novel a local police detective showed by. He never fully took over the series, but he married the archeologist and they continued for twenty-five more years in the series as a pair. He wasn't even on the character list I'd made before starting to write the first novel.

Something a little different is happening in the series of espionage stories I'm putting out as standalone stories and eventually combining in anthologies--the CIA Candy Store unit stories. Each story has a separate protagonist, but the head of the unit, Sam Winterberry, appears in every story and thus is the protagonist of the series, and there's no question that he is in control.

 

[NotWise]

I'm sure you writers who've been at this far longer than I have experienced this as well? Having a character grow beyond your original expectations and become something you didn't expect?

Among my stories for Lit, I think something like that has happened just once. I try to stay in control of the characters, but while I was writing "Watch Me!" I was also searching for photos of women who could be Penny and Rae. Penny was supposed to be the secondary character, but I found an excellent picture that became her in my mind, and I made it my wallpaper.

Penny looked at me every time I was in front of the screen and said, "Write about me." She took over. She became the main sexual focus in the first third or so of the story, and the main emotional focus at the end.

I don't really regret it, but some of the readers were put off by the way that extended the story.

This was the picture (scaled down) that did me in.

 

[Djmac1031]

Among my stories for Lit, I think something like that has happened just once. I try to stay in control of the characters, but while I was writing "Watch Me!" I was also searching for photos of women who could be Penny and Rae. Penny was supposed to be the secondary character, but I found an excellent picture that became her in my mind, and I made it my wallpaper.

Penny looked at me every time I was in front of the screen and said, "Write about me." She took over. She became the main sexual focus in the first third or so of the story, and the main emotional focus at the end.

I don't really regret it, but some of the readers were put off by the way that extended the story.

Thanks for sharing that.

I realize I am actually in control of what I write. But I also realize I have to stay true to the character I created, and that means not have a shy young girl who took money to watch a stranger masturbate in front of her in chapter 1 suddenly on her knees sucking his dick by chapter 3.

Because that's not who the CHARACTER was, as much as I, through my male protagonists eyes, wanted to see that blowjob.

Does that make any sense? Lol

 

[SimonDoom]

It's an interesting concept. It has not happened to me.

When I read about this sort of thing I think about the comment by Vladimir Nobokov. He did not understand the idea of characters taking on their own leaves. He described his own literary characters as his "galley slaves." I think I'm more like that.

 

[yowser]

I've heard writers talk about characters taking on a life of their own, but never really understood it til now.

Wait til they start talking to you.

 

[Djmac1031]

Wait til they start talking to you.

Lol. Should I look forward to that...or be very afraid?

 

[JuanaSalsa]

I think it's a difference between character driven and plot driven writing. I may start my story with a really cool plot idea, but as I develop my characters sometimes I realize that's not what the people I'm writing would do. Instead, they would do something else, and I just write that instead. A plot driven writer would likely go back and rework their character to fit their plot.

If I get really attached to a plot idea, I have to start over with new characters sometimes. Then, I end up with two stories. And if you read them both, you would probably never guess that they started with the same basic concept in my head. The more I conceptualize before I start writing, the less likely I am to have characters who don't fit the plot. But, stream of consciousness writing where I just let the characters drive everything can lead to some really cool results.

The danger of being character driven is you may end up with plots that go nowhere or can't be resolved. The danger of being plot driven is that the characters may be underdeveloped and uninteresting or inconsistent.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I'm sure you writers who've been at this far longer than I have experienced this as well? Having a character grow beyond your original expectations and become something you didn't expect?

I'm a pantser writer, so it happens all the time in my stories. Usually, she's a walk-on character who just "arrives" in a scene then becomes central - never happens with the males, because they're all basically the fictional, fantasy me.

Most notable are Juliette from my The Madelyn Chapters story cycle, and Jillian, from The Hyacinth House; both of whom ended up equal top billing with the female lead I did know about.

 

[Djmac1031]

I think it's a difference between character driven and plot driven writing. I may start my story with a really cool plot idea, but as I develop my characters sometimes I realize that's not what the people I'm writing would do. Instead, they would do something else, and I just write that instead. A plot driven writer would likely go back and rework their character to fit their plot.

If I get really attached to a plot idea, I have to start over with new characters sometimes. Then, I end up with two stories. And if you read them both, you would probably never guess that they started with the same basic concept in my head. The more I conceptualize before I start writing, the less likely I am to have characters who don't fit the plot. But, stream of consciousness writing where I just let the characters drive everything can lead to some really cool results.

The danger of being character driven is you may end up with plots that go nowhere or can't be resolved. The danger of being plot driven is that the characters may be underdeveloped and uninteresting or inconsistent.

It's a learning curve for me. All of my stories so far I've started with only one real idea in mind, usually explored right away in the first chapter.

Then I got greedy and wanted to continue them, but on a few I didn't really have a plan.

So yeah I'm kinda just winging it, and letting the characters define their actions.

I'm trying to plan things better now for future stories and even future chapters of existing stories, so I have a better idea of the finish line.

New Author Growing Pains I call it.

 

[MillieDynamite]

I think it's a difference between character driven and plot driven writing. I may start my story with a really cool plot idea, but as I develop my characters sometimes I realize that's not what the people I'm writing would do. Instead, they would do something else, and I just write that instead. A plot driven writer would likely go back and rework their character to fit their plot.

If I get really attached to a plot idea, I have to start over with new characters sometimes. Then, I end up with two stories. And if you read them both, you would probably never guess that they started with the same basic concept in my head. The more I conceptualize before I start writing, the less likely I am to have characters who don't fit the plot. But, stream of consciousness writing where I just let the characters drive everything can lead to some really cool results.

The danger of being character driven is you may end up with plots that go nowhere or can't be resolved. The danger of being plot driven is that the characters may be underdeveloped and uninteresting or inconsistent.

In real life, things are not always resolved. Raymond Chandler didn't answer all the questions in The Big Sleep, didn't have the guilty party pay, didn't allow Philip Marlow to ruin the last days of an old man's life telling the son-in-law he loved, was a lousy wife beating pedophile, and that his daughter killed him and dumped into a pond on the property where slept the big sleep. Sometimes, that just how life is, and sometimes that just how the story should work out in the end.

 

[Rustyoznail]

My characters have never fully taken control, but occasionally they nudge me in a direction they prefer to go. It usually looks like a good move, so I go with it.

 

[Djmac1031]

My characters have never fully taken control, but occasionally they nudge me in a direction they prefer to go. It usually looks like a good move, so I go with it.

I don't know about "FULL control." But out of all of my stories so far, Jenna seems to be the only character telling ME what she wants to do, not the other way around.

The rest of my characters have been pretty well behaved and do what I ask them to do lol.

 

[JuanaSalsa]

In real life, things are not always resolved. Raymond Chandler didn't answer all the questions in The Big Sleep, didn't have the guilty party pay, didn't allow Philip Marlow to ruin the last days of an old man's life telling the son-in-law he loved, was a lousy wife beating pedophile, and that his daughter killed him and dumped into a pond on the property where slept the big sleep. Sometimes, that just how life is, and sometimes that just how the story should work out in the end.

I've never read/seen the Big Sleep, sorry.

Anyway, I'm all for ambiguous endings, I've used them here on Lit. But, there's a difference between an unresolved ending that still leaves the reader satisfied and one which is just an abrupt mid-story drop that leaves all sorts of plot unaddressed and makes the readers wonder why we had to spend so much time following a side plot that has no impact on the ending at all. Because, after all, fiction is not reality and it's not unreasonable to crave something different from it.

In real life, I may choose to spend months or years of my life learning a skill I never use or developing a relationship with someone who has zero effect on my future, but in fiction there is a not unreasonable expectation that authors describe something because it matters to the story being told. Some readers may not particularly care, not if the writing and the characters are compelling enough, but some readers want plots that make cohesive sense.

I don't think any particular way is better than another. I think writers should write the way that speaks to them and makes them happy. And likewise, readers will read what speaks to them and makes them happy. Some readers like characters and some like resolved plot lines and some won't be happy unless they get both. It's all fine.

 

[Djmac1031]

I've never read/seen the Big Sleep, sorry.

Anyway, I'm all for ambiguous endings, I've used them here on Lit. But, there's a difference between an unresolved ending that still leaves the reader satisfied and one which is just an abrupt mid-story drop that leaves all sorts of plot unaddressed and makes the readers wonder why we had to spend so much time following a side plot that has no impact on the ending at all. Because, after all, fiction is not reality and it's not unreasonable to crave something different from it.

In real life, I may choose to spend months or years of my life learning a skill I never use or developing a relationship with someone who has zero effect on my future, but in fiction there is a not unreasonable expectation that authors describe something because it matters to the story being told. Some readers may not particularly care, not if the writing and the characters are compelling enough, but some readers want plots that make cohesive sense.

I don't think any particular way is better than another. I think writers should write the way that speaks to them and makes them happy. And likewise, readers will read what speaks to them and makes them happy. Some readers like characters and some like resolved plot lines and some won't be happy unless they get both. It's all fine.

I'm still VERY much a rookie. But my goals have always been a combo of both good story and relatable solid characters.

I'm sure I have a long way to go with both.

 

[JuanaSalsa]

I'm still VERY much a rookie. But my goals have always been a combo of both good story and relatable solid characters.

I'm sure I have a long way to go with both.

Me too =]

 

[gordo12]

So I've officially been posting stories for a month here now, and am having a lot of fun doing it, and learning a lot as I go. Usually the hard way lol.

I've noticed something fascinating as I've been continuing my series, especially one of them.

In the first chapter in my series The Jenna Arrangement, the male protagonist was fully in control of the story.

But ever since chapter 2, the female lead Jenna has taken a life of her own and seized control of events moving forward.

I've heard writers talk about characters taking on a life of their own, but never really understood it til now.

I actually had to scrap one chapter and rewrite it because I realized I'd written what I wanted her to do, but NOT what she'd actually DO in that scenario, if that makes sense.

So I rewrote it and let Jenna lead the way, and I think it was for the better.

I'm sure you writers who've been at this far longer than I have experienced this as well? Having a character grow beyond your original expectations and become something you didn't expect?

Jenna needs to boink him. That's all I have to say on the matter!

This is a post I made a while back:
https://forum.literotica.com/showthread.php?t=1539483

In it, I talked about a character taking my head over. I needed them to have sex. It didn't fit into the story. The story was finished, edited and ready to post.

It sat for a few months before I finally figured out a way, and then I ripped it apart to add that. It's no longer in the ready, edited post category. It's now in a character taking the WHOLE story in a new direction, and I'm not sure what that is.

Obsessive

 

[Djmac1031]

Jenna needs to boink him. That's all I have to say on the matter!

This is a post I made a while back:
https://forum.literotica.com/showthread.php?t=1539483

In it, I talked about a character taking my head over. I needed them to have sex. It didn't fit into the story. The story was finished, edited and ready to post.

It sat for a few months before I finally figured out a way, and then I ripped it apart to add that. It's no longer in the ready, edited post category. It's now in a character taking the WHOLE story in a new direction, and I'm not sure what that is.

Obsessive

Left a reply on that post for what it's worth lol.

And I'm sure Jenna is gonna want to do more than watch very soon...she's been hinting at it to me already.

 

[BiscuitHammer]

Ohhh, lawdy, I'm familiar with this...

And it happened early in my Lit gig, too. My very first story I submitted, in fact. I planned on Alex & Alexa being six, maybe seven chapters, and very simple.

Nope. The characters decided otherwise.

Now, five years and change in, A&A was seventeen chapters and the followup saga, Mike & Karen, is currently 23, and probably isn't even half-finished. There are several spinoffs happening, one of which already has four chapters. There are... *counts on fingers* ... at least five other spinoffs in the works. Fortunately, all the spinoffs are small, limited series works, but they deal with the lives of some of the other characters who aren't my Main Four.

The other place where they took control was their personalities. Nobody seemed to be satisfied with my depiction of them, especially Karen. So they've all evolved so damn much that my earliest chapters of Alex & Alexa are woefully out of canon. And I've been instructed by them to correct this at the earliest possible time. You DON'T say no to Karen. Nobody says no to Karen.

What did I learn from all this?

Plan ahead. Think things through. Have everyone fully fleshed out before committing bits and bytes to docs. Never paint myself into a corner. All my other stories that are not part of the Alexaverse have benefited from this hard-learned lesson. I'm now meticulous about planning my stories out so that Karen doesn't go bang-bang on my head.

So yes, I am not in control. Nominally, maybe, but my power is brevet at best. The characters have spoken.

 

[Djmac1031]

And it happened early in my Lit gig, too. My very first story I submitted, in fact. I planned on Alex & Alexa being six, maybe seven chapters, and very simple.

Nope. The characters decided otherwise.

Now, five years and change in, A&A was seventeen chapters and the followup saga, Mike & Karen, is currently 23, and probably isn't even half-finished. There are several spinoffs happening, one of which already has four chapters. There are... *counts on fingers* ... at least five other spinoffs in the works. Fortunately, all the spinoffs are small, limited series works, but they deal with the lives of some of the other characters who aren't my Main Four.

The other place where they took control was their personalities. Nobody seemed to be satisfied with my depiction of them, especially Karen. So they've all evolved so damn much that my earliest chapters of Alex & Alexa are woefully out of canon. And I've been instructed by them to correct this at the earliest possible time. You DON'T say no to Karen. Nobody says no to Karen.

What did I learn from all this?

Plan ahead. Think things through. Have everyone fully fleshed out before committing bits and bytes to docs. Never paint myself into a corner. All my other stories that are not part of the Alexaverse have benefited from this hard-learned lesson. I'm now meticulous about planning my stories out so that Karen doesn't go bang-bang on my head.

So yes, I am not in control. Nominally, maybe, but my power is brevet at best. The characters have spoken.

Gonna have to check your stories out asap.

Yeah, I'm learning to TRY to plan ahead more now, or at the very least plan out several chapters ahead before publishing so I don't, as you said, write myself into a corner.

The mistake I made with one story, The Doctor Is In Me, is it was really supposed to be a one shot. But I got greedy and wrote a second chapter and now not sure where to take it yet.

My Jenna series is slightly different in that again, chapter 1 was the only story actually planned, but the sequel chapters have been much easier to write, thanks to Jenna.

Every time I think I know what she has planned, she surprises me lol.

Still, I'm at least working with her in advance now so I can keep up with her and make sure the story stays on track.

I've received a lot of positive feedback on that series, so I guess I'm doing OK lol.

 

[Djmac1031]

Or arguing.

Mine argue, they don't talk.

Shit. If Jenna starts arguing with me, I'm in trouble.

 

[MetaBob]

I've heard writers talk about characters taking on a life of their own, but never really understood it til now.

I actually had to scrap one chapter and rewrite it because I realized I'd written what I wanted her to do, but NOT what she'd actually DO in that scenario, if that makes sense.

So I rewrote it and let Jenna lead the way, and I think it was for the better.

I'm sure you writers who've been at this far longer than I have experienced this as well? Having a character grow beyond your original expectations and become something you didn't expect?

If my characters don't take over the story, I figure I'm doing something wrong. They usually write a better story than I could. I just have to nudge them when they get too far off track.

Fully realized characters are a joy and a responsibility. I don't write the story past the first 10K words or so; they do. What do they want? What would they do? Let them tell you, I say.

 

[stickygirl]

If my characters don't take over the story, I figure I'm doing something wrong. They usually write a better story than I could. I just have to nudge them when they get too far off track.

Fully realized characters are a joy and a responsibility. I don't write the story past the first 10K words or so; they do. What do they want? What would they do? Let them tell you, I say.

I'm with you on this. My character do and say things I would never have thought of outside of the moment - it's what I love about writing. We somehow access a play area of our brains that is hidden from us most of the time.