Focussing on Your Characters

I recently shared with the members of the writers' group I belong to an article I'd read in the United Church Observer (September, 2011), an interview with theologian Marcus Borg, author of several books of popular theology. He's just written his first novel, "Putting Away Childish Things," and the interviewer was asking Borg how he found the new experience of writing fiction.

Borg admitted that for a long time writing the novel was a struggle. He found he couldn't get past the first few chapters because he didn't know what the plot was. I can relate to that.

After putting the novel aside for ten years, he decided to try a different approach: he'd start by focussing on the characters. He wrote a page about each one, who they were, where they were, what they liked, etc. Then he put them in a setting to see what would happen. "It was the breaking of an ice jam," Borg said, "and I finished the book in eight months."

He likens writing non-fiction, his usual field, to carpentry work. You know the sequence of the subject matter, and you know what topics you'll cover in each chapter. Then you just fit it all together.

I agree with what he has to say. By focussing on the characters in your fiction you know how each one will react in whatever situation he finds himself. You don't have to think about plot; the characters will help that to unfold. Then you can go back and make sure that it moves along as it should.

Write on!

"A Passion for Narrative"

One of the favourite books on my resource shelf is A Passion for Narrative, by Jack Hodgins. Subtitled, A Guide for Writing Fiction, it was published by McClelland & Stewart in 1993.
Although I read it years ago, today I still dive into it for help with certain aspects of my story. Lately, I've been re-reading the chapter on plots.

The chapter details a wide variety of plot categories--something I find rather daunting--from one Professor Norman Friedman. I love Hodgins' conclusion to all this.

He writes, "Rather than think of plot as a prescribed formula (or choice of formulae) to which you must make your material "fit," I suggest you think of it as a general pattern floating somewhere in the back of your consciousness as you write . . . Let the combination of your material and your hopes for it, rather than anyone's list of characteristics, guide your story's progress."

I find that comforting.

Most helpful to me, at the end of the chapter Hodgins provides some questions to ask myself about the plot, now that I've reached the first-draft stage. These thoughtful questions give me an idea of why it might not be working.

Write on!

Wilma's Wish

Exactly one year ago, our writers' group lost one of our members. It hasn't been the same since. Wilma was the one who kept us on track, encouraged us to "soldier on" whenever one of us felt the sting of rejection.

The successful author of seven children's novels, as well as numerous short stories and a radio play, Wilma had had her share of rejections, but she never let anyone be discouraged for long. It was "pass the Kleenex" and get right on with the writing.

"History with a mystery" was how Wilma E. Alexander described her fiction. As was our custom at meetings, Wilma read novel number eight, Finding Silver, to us, chapter by chapter over the months, looking for suggestions and hearing how it sounded read aloud. We listened and made our comments. We all loved it.

Wilma had a wonderful sense of story. She and I used to toss around, half-jokingly, the idea of collaborating on something one day. My books are character-driven; I spend a great deal of time developing characters and letting them decide where we're going. On the other hand, Wilma had this wonderful ability to weave the most intriguing plots.

She had completed this eighth novel for young readers and was shopping it around to various publishers when she became ill. Before we knew it, she was gone. Her final wish, according to her husband, Jim, was that he publish Finding Silver himself.

This week, Wilma's wish came true, and Jim accepted delivery of Wilma's last novel from the printer. He had taken great care in selecting a publisher and in arranging for editing and proof- reading of the manuscript. Only another writer can appreciate what a labour of love this was.

The finished book looks most professional. Wilma would be proud. Besides the fascinating story inside, the book is attractively designed with an eye-catching cover. It is well-bound and has a reader-friendly typeface that will appeal to children.

Thanks to Jim Alexander's generosity, every school and library in a wide area will receive copies of Finding Silver at no charge. Any proceeds from further sales of the book will go directly to the Canadian Cancer Society, in Wilma's memory.

Soldier on, fellow writers.