Where the Characters Take Us

Things have taken a bit of a turn in writing my sequel, Piercing the Darkness.

When interviewing other authors for my site, my favorite question to ask is (I'm sure you all know the answer to this one by now) whether or not they outline their novels.  When first conducting interviews, I was constantly surprised by how many times other authors stated they didn't outline and just let the story and the characters take them hither and yon.

Over the years, in almost all of the writing 'how to' books I've read, speakers I've heard, etc., etc. there is one clear and fairly unanimous refrain - outline, outline, outline.  So call me shocked to discover that I'm not the only one or even one of the few who ignore said refrain.

I've always been a bit of a rebel.

Or just stubborn.  My mom would call me headstrong.  But I digress once again!

Don't get me wrong - outlines serve a purpose for some writers, but they just don't work for me.  When I write I always have a clear idea of the beginning, end, and certain segments along the way.  It's like there's A and Z with a little G, L, P, and U intermingled and all I have to do from there is connect the dots without giving too much away.  So it isn't like I write completely blind.

But at times I am blindsided by twists and turns as those connections are made. 

Take for example, a character from Running into the Darkness.  This character was supposed to be a major player throughout the series, but as the ending neared, he walked up to me (in my mind, of course), laid down his weapon and stated that it was better for him to die in order to save my protagonist.

I fought.  I resisted.  I told him he was crazy.  Either that or I was.

In the end, it worked out perfectly as he sacrificed himself to save someone else.  It covered over a multitude of sins and left him with that endearing, redemptive quality we seek in all heros.  However, it left me in a quandry.

So in Piercing the Darkness, we have the introduction of a new character who was set up to fill a minor role left open by the demise of previously said character.  The interesting thing is that this new character has quickly developed a back story that has tongues wagging.  He has intrigued me to the point that his back story plays right into a deeper role I now need him to fulfill - and once again it's completely different than intended.

And I really, really like it.

Now things are moving really fast.  The pages are slamming out faster than I can count.  The story is flowing in such a way that I hope to have the draft finished up by summer's end.  Then it will ruminate for a month while we finish up the cover art and then on to final draft.

I can hardly wait to see where the characters take me between now and then.  Someone else will have to die in the end.

Guess we'll all have to wait to see who that will be.

Behind the Scenes

Throughout the years I've been writing, I've often been asked why my stories tend to be dark and brooding, why I put my characters through so many trials, and why things don't always turn out blissfully happy in the end. 

My response - that's reality.

Some of the things in my stories tend toward the fantastical, but there is always an element of reality to bring it all back down to earth.  Stop to listen to each other long enough and most will tell of difficulties, extreme heartache, deep struggle, and dark days at points in their lives.  These are the things I highlight in my writing.

So many times we want to skip over the painful experiences and just focus on the pleasant memories.  It's hard to go back and relive hurtful times at the hands of others or hurts we have inflicted.  But I've found that when we allow ourselves to go there, to reflect on those moments of shadowed memories, we can learn from the past, find healing, and help others who may be struggling.

It also helps us to see the pains of others.  Those who have hurt us have usually been hurt by someone too.  Even the most seemingly evil person has some redemptive quality somewhere in their life.  No one is beyond help if they only choose to admit their fault and accept the assistance offered - before it is too late.

Those who are perceived as good may not be all they are cracked up to be when you get below the surface.  Some who are truly good may make some bad choices that have terrible and life-altering consequences.  Then those perceived as bad may not be completely so upon closer inspection.

That's what makes my characters so rich (in my mind) because they contain elements of good and bad, elements based in reality.  They are mostly good people who make some bad choices and pay the consequences.

There's my joy in writing - getting to see behind the scenes of what makes each character tick.  It's the place where fantasy and reality meet.  And sometimes reality can be stranger than any fiction.