writerly ways

[cornerofmadness]

a day late and probably a dollar short. I've been thinking about something I've talked about before: characters doing stupid things.

The one place I got enough guidance from the rejection was that sometimes the characters did stupid things. One was meant to be stupid (and it apparently fell short of my intention) and the other was something I feared was done (and I've talked about lately with that other novel I just finished reading.)

for example, in that novel besides the two characters coming together one of which has vital info for the case, and instead of relaying it they have sex (this is the stupid one I had in story), and then go on and do it three more times in the story.

What would you think of a character who knows what the killer is after but doesn't tell his cop boyfriend (or her cop boyfriend since I see this constantly in amateur sleuth stuff) and then decides to go after him without calling the cops in because the killer knows the one detective (like he's the only one in town).

I had this same issue with Angel and Buffy a lot. I didn't mind Xander doing bonehead things but when the supposedly intelligent characters did moron things. For example, when Angel and company set up Cordy to be exposed as being possessed/evil/whatever they thought she was and they know Connor is completely enthralled with her, instead of keeping him with them as they expose her, they let him stumble into it. Head desk.

So where am I going with this? I literally have no idea. I'm just rambling and ranting. And am disappointed to have read several really stupid moments lately. Ditto the one I'm reading now, not that the characters are acting stupid but rather that something got published containing multiple fights at school and NO ONE gets expelled.

I have to put a word count on this some day but not today.

I'm also getting ready to send in my novella and I'm sending it to a different publisher first. I'll see how that goes for me.

Day 19 451 words

Comments

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

Good luck with sending the story to a new publisher!

As to stupid moves in stories - I think it's a trope which needs to be broken unless it's thoroughly within character.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

Thanks. They're the ones who took wolf in the fold


I agree. I didn't mind as much when Xander or Harmony did something stupid but Fred or Wes who were supposed to be geniuses?

And yes in the novel I'm reading, he was supposed to be bright but he was coming across as too stupid to live

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

:D

Agreed about characters and dumbness.

[tinhutlady.livejournal.com]

I agree with ELD.

I have a hard time with writers who say 'oh, I'll write this because it would be such a tense situation!' but then fall flat explaining how they got there.

People do stupid things. Who hasn't? Mostly, though, there is motivation for it, whether they honestly believed something and acted on it, or were too scared to act on something, believed they were above the rules, or flat out had no clue about consequences.

Sorry, am rambling. I guess I'm just saying that you really have to listen to your character and be true to their heart and mind as if they are someone you actually know. Pretend they are explaining what they did and why to you, justifying their actions. Don't throw them in a situation for the sake of surprise or suspense. That's never fair.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

I agree with her as well.

Yes if it's true to the character I have less trouble with it (but I still have trouble with the publisher allowing such a siimilar scene in this book and telling me I had to change it because it was stupid).

And yes falling flat explaining it. I think that is my real problem, like not calling the detectives in because the killer knows this ONE cop. Like he's the only cop in Manhattan.

[tinhutlady.livejournal.com]

Yeah, thought it was strange they would catch you on something they missed on someone else, unless they got slammed for that later...

Very true. Huh. Well that raises an eyebrow. lol

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

hers came out after mine would have, it's only a week old. It could be different editors or, and I know it sounds paranoid, but after the last novel tanked, I think I'm not given as many chances.

it does and it creates that overly dramatic ending which I see so often in amateur sleuth stuff and it has yet to make sense to me.

[tinhutlady.livejournal.com]

I'll be the optimist here. It could be you lucked in to an editor who will push you. Might be a good thing. You are an excellent writer, but even excellent writers can get caught up in a terrific story and not realize they aren't presenting it in the best light possible.

Worst case scenario - you lucked into a snippy editor who questions everything. Even so, still gives you a chance to see your story with fresh eyes. That's a gift. Don't second guess yourself and do everything the editor asks - you are VERY talented and should trust your skills - but be open and honest with what elements might need alterations to make the story even better.

And in the end, you have their attention. They are working with you because they recognize your talent. That's awesome.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

Thanks. You and ELD are the optimists. I'm Eeyore. I can't even fake it. but even the story they did take this year barely received more than a few line edits and typo fixing in three edits, like they weren't trying which maybe they weren't. (anthologies aren't big earners)

They definitely can have snippy editors. I had one once on my steampunk novella rip it to shreds in the third edit which is very unusual (first edit = shredding, second edit = fixing the problems you put in fixing the first round edits, third edit = light typo/word choice) It was so bad I nearly contacted the head editor because this person hated literally everything about it. I wasn't sure if it was my style or if she hated steampunk but it couldn't have been as bad as she was making out or the the editors would have tagged it. I challenged some of her edits (and it's one of the highest rated things Ihave).

I need to find time to work on this but thanks for the push. I need it.

[tinhutlady.livejournal.com]

(hugs you)

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

thank you