 Action/Adventure: November 08, 2017 Issue [#8590] |
  Action/Adventure
This week: Your Character's Courage & Cowardice Edited by: Cinn  
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Think of a child who goes out
into the new neighborhood,
cap at an angle, and offers to lend
a baseball glove. He knows
how many traps there are—
his accent or his clothes, the club
already formed.
~Excerpt from "Some Notes on Courage" by Susan Ludvigson
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Someone told me the other day that they could tell a great deal about me from a single interaction. I have been swamped with work, as usual, and I got a rather large and complicated project dropped in my lap (albeit apologetically). After a few mental calculations and schedule shifting, I responded with "I can have it to you by next Tuesday at 5. Any sooner, and I'll need to get back to you." No complaints or groans or further questions... they gave it to me because I'm familiar with the project, after all. It's in my wheelhouse.
I considered the comment, and I agree. The manner in which someone copes with stress, pressure, and/or the unexpected really can tell you a great deal about them. Where this comes into play for writing is pretty clear... character development. Whether the story is Action/Adventure or not, plot is necessary... conflict is necessary. How does your character naturally deal with stress/pressure/the unexpected? It's worth considering.
I'm sure that I'm not the only one who has read a story in which everyone seemed utterly competent. A group of elite military, political figures that never crack, etc. I've seen the opposite too: a group of helpless survivors of catastrophe are coaxed, pulled, and herded by the only cool and calm character (often a cop or ex-military). Both of these are stagnant... they leave little room for believable conflict between characters and add little to the character development.
My suggestion is this simple: Add to your character sheets a line about how they react when the chips are down. Do they calmly give up? Do they cry and cower? Do they have a breakdown but shake it off and rise to the occasion? Do they instantly begin strategizing? Do they become angry or aggressive? You can all picture these behaviors in your head, and each of them is a realistic response to the unexpected. Further food for thought: How would your character react to any of the other behaviors? Taking the time to understand this one simple behavior may help in creating believable characters with unique traits and voices.
As a final note, I just want to say good luck to all you NaNoers! If you get behind, try to be like one of your strong characters. Don't "calmly give up" or "cower and cry". Have that breakdown if needed and get back to work. 
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Do you prefer your main characters to be the hero, reluctant hero, or anti-hero?  Of these, which do you find most difficult to write? Any tips for writing your favorite type?
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