Character Versus Story

The age-old writing question is whether plot or characters are more important.  Does the plot create the characters, or do the characters drive the plot?

Think about two stories within the same universe.  In Star Wars: A New Hope, there is an evil galactic empire blowing up planets, and stopping that is the main thrust of the story.  As a result, characters have to evolve.  Luke Skywalker goes from whiny teenager to noble hero.  Han Solo goes from self-serving egotist to a self-sacrificing swashbuckler.  Even Grand Moff Tarkin goes from evil bureaucrat to cunning genius who fails due to his arrogance.  The plot created those characters.

In Heir To The Empire, on the other hand, Grand Admiral Thrawn is the character.  It’s his machinations that drive forward the plot of using clones and stolen ships to re-conquer the Empire.  Joruus C’Baoth was a mad Jedi Master who became a focal point of Luke’s journey.  In this case, the characters created the story.

So which is the best?  The answer, as usual, is that it depends.  What are you trying to say as a writer?  In Salvation Day, the main character created the story.  You couldn’t just put anyone into that tale; Mike Faulkner and his situation is what pushed him to confront God.  However, in Schism, the Second American Civil War is the plot, and it makes the characters react to it, such as how Dean Turlman decides to end his journey.  Without the Second Civil War, Turlman is just a bot.

My advice would be to figure out at the beginning what you want to do.  In my latest novel, a sci-fi/fantasy mashup I’m working on, the story will drive the characters, and I knew that from the outset.  Yes, each of the characters is fine, but the story would go on without them, so their development will be story-based.  As long as you pick one track over the other, your story should be fine.