Pushy Characters

Thursday, August 12, 2010

To the uninitiated, I risk sounding like a madwoman when I say that some characters created in a writer's mind are a whole lot pushier than others. I have two such characters who've been 'talking' at me over the past couple of days, and it really isn't their time yet.

I'm editing the sequel to Contraband and one of the men in that novel will get his own story. I've written three chapters of that new project (Grudge), but because of my editing load, I'm not ready to continue with the story. Now the female lead in Grudge had a troublesome ex, whom I've given a name - Bradleigh Summers.

Bradleigh's the one who's been giving me reasons why he shouldn't get involved with another woman, and why the one he's about to start seeing is wrong for him.  His counterpart - Serita, for now - is trying to get in her side of the story as well.

I have one scene written, where they're meeting for the second time and not liking each other very much.  I suspect that I will get other snippets which I'm putting down in a private blog. For now, I've given up on ignoring these two.  I'll create around the ideas that come, but I absolutely will not do anything about starting their story from the beginning, although I have pictured it in my mind.

Bradleigh will have his moment in the spotlight after I've written the novel that comes before his. Ha! Even now he won't shut up. I think Stalker is a good name for his story. Gotta check eventually if that's taken.

Whoever heard of writing books out of sequence?

8 comments:

  1. I have done so because I get inspired over certain part. I think that's what's happening here. I would just go with the flow. Writing when inspired is the best.

    ann

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  2. Clarissa,

    I do understand why you'd do that. I keep getting snippets of scenes and conversations. :)

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  3. Interesting idea. I do get distracted by strong secondary characters from time to time. If they're strong enough, well then, give them their own story I say! Happy writing, Joy!

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  4. Thanks, Stacy. He'll definitely get his own. I think it'll make for quite an interesting tale.

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  5. Hi Joy,
    I love the pushy characters! I had one in EOLYN called Corey, who refused to conform to any of the plans I had for him when I first brought him into the story -- greatly enriching the novel in the process. I've got another one now -- we'll call him Nathan -- who expected his novel to be my next project. But the sequel to EOLYN shoved him aside, and he's still complaining about it. I hope to get to him someday, though. Thanks for another thought-provoking post!

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  6. Rita,

    You gotta love those strong characters. They do indeed enrich our stories and then refuse to roll over and go to sleep at the closing of the back cover. When they're that compelling there's nothing for it, but to work with them. Thanks for dropping in. :)

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  7. Pushy people in real life are bad enough. I can't imagine what it would be like to have pushy characters vying for your time!

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  8. Cass,

    In fiction, the pushy ones make the best stories. :D

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