Let the Character Move the Novel

The true piece to the puzzle of the novel is a character. When the writer forces a character to do something they would not there is a problem. Characters are integral to the novel being "real," and to making the audience relate. A wooden character will lead to a rejection for a young novelist. And even the experienced novelist can make mistakes when it comes to character. Let this essay guide you down the road of creating a real character in a novel.

This is not intended to be a cliché. The secret is not here. The problem with many books on writing is that they drone on about things like suspense, plot, conflict, and of course character. But the character is only understood by the better novelists. Most of the better novelists are too busy following their characters to decide whether or not to write a how-to-write book. That is a generalized statement, however. Stephen King is a hell of a writer, and he did write "On Writing." David Morrell, the creator of the Rambo character, also wrote a classic in "Lessons From a Lifetime of Writing." Is there a problem with this thesis? No, because both of those books had memoir aspects to them. These two books were chronicles of writers. They had plenty of useful facts, but those were combined with the lives of the writers.

So, the character should move the novel. The writer should not force the character around with their pen for a few reasons. First, it is easier when the characters perform the movement. Second, a character portrait, a real thing, can enliven a piece. Lastly, the character is who the audience responds too; they don't look at one sentence of prose and say "that's me!" They look to characters, not details or plots, to relate to.

In the novel it is a must to allow the characters room to breathe. This is not a short story where you have little room to work with. The characters will make the process much easier. What would have happened if Ahab was not in "Moby Dick?" He was the critical piece, readers could almost relate to his madness. But if the ship captain had not been on a mad quest the entertainment value would have been much less.

Consider letting the character move the novel. Not only will you have an easier time, but the readers will enjoy it, and the publishers just might pay you for it.