A recent comment to one of my postings highlighted a possible dilemma for some writers. Do you control your characters or do they control you?
I know that that’s a very simplified position and as you rightly point out that to force a character down a line that would be not within their normal behaviour can diminish the believability of the character, yet it could also enrich and deepen the character to make her more complex and contradictory like most people.
Another thought is that you could use a supporting character to lead them to that place where they would never go on their own.
I suppose that it also depends on how driven your story is by plot. In genres like crime and mystery then to a large extent they are plot driven and so is any story where you want a particular outcome to happen.
I’m not sure where I stand. The more experience I get then a better judgement I’ll make for a given set of circumstances. BTW I’m a very solution oriented person.
Just some thoughts. What do you think?
And Other Personas