 Drama: April 21, 2010 Issue [#3689] |
  Drama
This week: Edited by: Adriana Noir  
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Ahh spring is upon us, and with it comes a sense of invigoration and rebirth. It’s my deepest hope that the same exuberance overflows into your writing, bringing with it a renewed sense of passion. Writing may be a craft, but it’s also a labor of love.  |
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How often do we, as writers, fall into a slump? After NaNoWriMo, I found myself wanting to take a much needed break. I thought there would be plenty of time after taking a breather to fall back into the groove and resume my “normal” writing routine. However, illness and upheaval among some of my closest family members pushed those plans to the backburner. It’s been almost six months now, and I finally feel as if things have settled down enough for me to resume both living and writing again. In short, drama happens to the best and worst of us, even when we least expect it. As the saying goes: the best laid plans . . .
The unexpected can play a huge role in having a dramatic impact on your characters and their lives. Today’s economy provides plenty of fodder for that from job loss to uprooting the family home and replanting somewhere else. I recently read a fairly decent horror story with an excellent dramatic twist. One of the main characters falls in love with an author who returns to his small town roots in order to find inspiration. Over the course of the story, the past is slowly revealed, and her daughter turns up missing, disappearing into the same house that haunts her new lover. When she finds out the ties he has to the house, wrought with grief over her daughter’s disappearance, she lashes out at him, blaming him for ever coming back and dragging her into his “mess.” It was sad watching this happy couple fall apart. As a reader, I hoped she would forgive him for something that was obviously not his fault. However, by the time her emotions have cooled, he has disappeared into the house to find her daughter. All hope for the lover’s reconciliation falls apart, as he never makes it out of the house alive.
It was unexpected. It was dramatic, and despite overwhelming pressure in today’s society for a happy ending, it just didn’t end that way. To me, it felt realistic. Though sad, it was like breathing a breath of fresh air. Life isn’t always sunshine and roses. Storms don’t always end with the appearance of a rainbow. Drama doesn’t always have to be pretty, but it does have to feel real. It’s okay for your characters to be as fallible as us “real” humans are.
So, the next time you feel yourself nearing a slump, take a look around and seek out the unexpected. Sometimes, it will make you laugh. Others it might make you cry, but always, it will bring about opportunities for inspiration.
~Best wishes and happy writing!~
Adriana Noir
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StephBee  says: Adriana, it's so true and simple - create characters people care about. Believe it or not creating characters can be a challenge for some. A good character driven drama will resonate with readers for a while. A lot of what is on TV is plot driven and doesn't resonate. Here's an example - Star Trek, Kirk, Spock and McCoy were all characters we could care about, the plot came second. And Star Trek still resonates today.
*smile*
Steph
Thank you, Steph!  You’re right . . . creating good characters is a challenge. Writing a good piece of fiction is a lot like walking a tightrope. You have to have a good balance between characters and plot. Leaning too much either way might lead to the story falling flat.
faithjourney says: Thanks for featuring "Wasted Years" in the drama newsletter. Boy, Elizabeth Bane was a perfect one for this one! She developed so much in my head that she pestered me until I told her story!
You’re most welcome! I enjoy your work a lot. I’ve often found those characters that “haunt” the author are the best ones to read about!
Coolhand says: Your newsletter on the importance of the story's characters quickly gets to the essence of a good tale. The key for me is finding a way to let the audiance know why my characters acts the way they do.
Thank you! I think you do a wonderful job. It’s hard to walk away from your portfolio without feeling something for the people you’ve created.  {c}
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