Friday, September 12, 2014

When a character/s hijacks your story

As I am half-plotter and half- panster, I always have a rough idea of the beginning of my stories, the middle and the end. I am a plotter where the basic outline is concerned and a panster where the individual scenes are concerned. It was the same situation for my current WIP- Scavage, about a pack of wild street dogs. I had a basic plot outline in mind about how the story would start, the scenes that would constitute the middle and how it would end. I was quite happy with my rough plot outline. For a change I had the entire plot mapped out and I started writing the first draft.

Then, I really don’t know why I introduced three new characters (who literally jumped out of the blue). Trust me when I say that these characters caught hold of my hand and made me include them in the story. These three adorable characters not only clamoured to get their stories heard but they have also hijacked my plot in another direction. Right now I am staring at my computer screen with a zombie look wondering where did my plot disappear.

Now I am in a big dilemma. Should I leave these characters alone and go back to my original outline or should I write a new outline incorporating these three characters? I am seriously miffed with myself.

Do you all have any advice for me? How do you handle such situations? What do you all suggest I do?


18 comments:

  1. I try to avoid too many characters, as it maybe confusing to the reader. However, if it enriches the story, why not?

    Destination Infinity

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  2. Sometimes more characters lead to taking a totally different outcome!

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  3. Try both! Go back to your original outline and write that story, as well as write a new one using these three characters. Even if you do a hundred words of each you might find you prefer one storyline over the other. Then that’s the one to go with – which one inspires you with more enthusiasm.

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  4. If the characters are taking the story in a different direction, best to follow.
    I had a very minor character, who didn't appear until two-thirds in the story, develop into a lot more and he took CassaStorm in a new direction. And one much better than what I'd originally conceived.

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  5. I say go with them!They popped in for a reason and caught your interest.

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  6. I'm with the others; stay with the flow and see how it goes. You'll never know til you try. :) And you can always go back to the original plan.

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  7. If it were me, I'd go with the new characters and see where they lead. I am mostly a pantser though, so I tend to write without thinking too much about the storyline. I've usually have a general idea, but I've never plotted out a whole story before writing.

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  8. I'd try adding the three characters. If it doesn't work out, you can always rewrite.

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  9. Oy. That's a tough one for me, too. I have characters jump out like that and I have either changed my outline to include them, or planned to take them on a separate "excursion" of their own at some point.

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  10. Sometimes characters have a way of doing that. I usually go with the flow and rewrite the outline, just to see where it will take me. If I don't like where it leads, then I go back to the original outline.

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  11. I don't think there's an easy way out of this one. You've got to try and tie the plot with these new characters and complete the story. Then, put it aside for a week or two, and come back and read it yourself. If that reads good, then, stick to it. Otherwise, revert to your old plot. Simple; not easy. :)

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  12. Go with your gut! That's my only advice. I don't think any of us, except you, can tell you what's best. Go with your gut, and have fun while you're at it. Good luck, Rachna.

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  13. I would suggest writing a new outline. It won't take too long and you'll figure out pretty quickly if it's worth pursuing.

    mood

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  14. Whatever you decide, just remember that nothing written is ever wasted.
    If you decide to cut certain characters, you can keep them for another story.

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  15. Hmmm... this is tough! I would say these characters need to tell their story- either in this book or in another. Good luck! I am sure they will tell you what to do!
    ~Jess

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  16. You should see where this goes. If it's too much or too confusing, save them for another story. I once broke apart a big novel and was able to make several manuscripts out of them, two of which became published.

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  17. Maybe the version with the new characters is the way the story was meant to be. Or maybe you have two books instead of one on your hands! I would agree with the advice to plot/draft both versions and see what works best. More work, but nothing we write is ever wasted.

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  18. When that happens, I turn to the character in my mind, and say "thank you." It usually makes the story much better:)

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