 Drama: August 27, 2008 Issue [#2557] |
  Drama
This week: Edited by: Joy  
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"Drama is life with the dull bits cut out."
Alfred Hitchcock
Drama exists everywhere,and its existence often fills us with tension and excitement. Drama can be tragedy or comedy, and it can come in the shape of a play, movie, fiction, real life story, and poetry.
Hello, this is Joy , this week's drama editor.
In this issue, we are going to explore the subject of using the same or similar characters in different stories without losing the dramatic edge.
"Plot springs from character... I've always sort of believed that these people inside me- these characters- know who they are and what they're about and what happens, and they need me to help get it down on paper because they don't type.”
Anne Lamott
"Happiness is the longing for repetition.”
Milan Kundera--Czech Novelist, Playwright and Poet
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Welcome to the Drama Newsletter
In the planning stage of a story, most writers do not include the same character and even the same type of a character they have written about earlier, even though creating a good quirky character is a job, and an already created one can be unproblematic. This is because writers write for the challenge of creating original work, and if they cannot face that challenge properly, their writing does not make sense to them.
If so, why do we find the same character in several books or in series of books in the writings of the most noted authors? Don't they know any better?
This is because the practice of using the same protagonist, antagonist, or even a secondary character can be very successful with character driven stories. The character, if handled with a skill, can deepen inwardly. The author, after creating the character, lives with him for a long time, and that character becomes somewhat of a friend who haunts the author, telling him he has so much more to say. In addition, the author may want to show the change in a special character over a longer period of time than one or two stories can allow.
Let us take as an example a twenty-first century character, Odd Thomas, who has appeared in four successive books of the very popular novelist, Dean Koontz. When the reader is first introduced to him, Odd Thomas is a twenty-one-year-old short-order cook. What is odd about Odd Thomas is that, being psychic, he sees ghosts. Driven by his sixth sense and disturbed by the atrocity of events, Odd Thomas brings the murders and the mysteries to light and seeks peace at the end of each novel. Because Odd Thomas is a good but quirky person and has something otherworldly about him, he entertains the reader and possibly the writer as well. Then, through the span of four books, Odd Thomas matures and changes. What's more, since the other supporting characters around him are so different and so perfectly drawn, this one familiar character does not bore the reader.
Another reason to use the same character in successive stories has to do with the reader's feelings. Especially in mystery stories, when the readers are fond of a detective, they see that detective not only as the solver of the mystery, but also as the witness to their reading experience, almost as a friend with whom they have shared other exciting mysteries. A few examples for this type of detectives are Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes, Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer, Agatha Christie's Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot, Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone, Tim Dorsey's Detective Mahoney, and Leslie Charteris's Simon Templar, better known as The Saint.
On the negative side, sometimes, the writer finds out that the character he so lovingly created cannot go through major changes after a few stories in a row. Although the character may still show some deep-seated problems, he has everything worked out already in the earlier stories. So the writer downgrades the character to a steadfast one who needs other troublemaker characters to pep up the story at hand. If the other characters cannot do the job, then the writer and his stories are in trouble.
A writer must never forget that the reader's attention is the most important thing to capture and keep. Sometimes, out of sloth or greed, the writer uses the same character with the same psychological traits but with different physical ones. This is a risky method. Although the writer may give the character a different name and change a few things about him, the character and the stories can lose the readers easily, since readers are quick to catch on to the writers' shortcomings especially when the writers are not being true to their craft.
To avoid the downfall from such a practice, as a writer, you need to perfect your character drawing skills. Then, even if you decide to keep your favorite character inside several stories in a row, you can surround him with other remarkable characters that can spice up the stories and not lose the dramatic effect.
If you are using the same character in successive stories or books, keep adding to his traits and to his experience in a logical way but not with changes that clash with earlier ones. Let him change with each story for better or for worse. Stay away from using the same character with a different physical appearance and a different name, so your stories won't lose the drama and the originality.
If you really want to use the same protagonist but with a different persona, then do not make him into another protagonist or even an antagonist. Instead, use him as a secondary character, making sure his input to the story is minimal.
As a last word, never forget that the writer's main obligation is to the reader. To fulfill that duty well, a writer needs to be truthful about his characters, especially when he is creating dramatic fiction. |
The man looked at us with such intensity that it scared me.
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“What’s your name?” Uncle Teddy asked me whipping out his miniature notepad.
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He was going over the characters, when one of them spoke to him--aloud.
She watched Ann reach up with ease, and remove the keys from the hook.
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"Michael, please, don't start with me tonight," Darren sighed...
But I think he takes this identification thing a bit too far when he tries to get the cat to pal around with him...
I could not help but chuckle at his childishness.
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Remember to take a look at these wonderful activities. 
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larryp
Great newsletter Joy. The reader, as you have revealed, is looking for a believable character, someone they can relate to in some way.
Good point about giving the 'sweet' character flaws - this makes them believable and acceptable to the reader.
Larry
Thank you, Larry. Since no faultless person exists, our characters should follow suit.
I think we can't say enough on the importance of character construction. Characters make the stories with some help from other elements of storytelling.
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Joshiahis 
Another great lesson Ms. Joy. Thank you 
~Lee
Thank you, too, Lee, for your input.
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StephBee 
Joy I loved your example of Pollyanna in this week's newsletter. I liked how you highlighted her faults reminding us all that she was indeed a 3 dimensional character, and that's what writing a character is about - showing readers their faults as well as their strengths. Two thumbs up.
Thanks, Steph.
Yes, character drawing is very important, since characters carry the plot on their shoulders.
With or without Pollyanna, we can't possibly stress this enough. 
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ginnyg Your article was very informative. It helped me with the writing of a new novel. Thank you so much for yor help.
Thank you, Ginny.
So glad it helped your work. Maybe you can send us a few links when your novel is finished.
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