Any writer worth his or her salt has found themselves surprised by their characters. Yes, this sounds haughty to the non-writer, but it’s no less true. There have been characters in my previous works(Gary from Salvation Day comes to mind) who have grown and taken on a larger role than originally envisioned, and it is happening again with my newest foray into the writing world.
My new sci-fi/fantasy mashup has a character who was
initially intended as a throwaway. He’s
a security chief meant to provide a sounding board for the more cultured
commander, and he wasn’t intended for longevity. He was envisioned as gruff and a throwback to
a less civilized era. However, even this
early on in the writing process(I’m finishing up chapter four), he has become a
much larger part of the story than I thought he would. He was integral in the first minor conflict
between the folks from Earth and those from the world of magic, and as I finish
up the latest chapter, he is about to become much more prominent due to circumstance. It has me wondering if there are others I’ve
overlooked, or even haven’t come up with yet, who will make a greater impact
than I thought.
The advice here is to never write off your characters
completely, casting them off into irrelevance without due consideration. The story can make their inclusion and growth
inevitable.
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