NOTES FROM AN AMATEUR WRITER #44 - What Are Some of Your Favourite Characters?
Notes From an Amateur Writer #44
This Blog series is an exercise in creative writing. Sometimes expressed in short story form, sometimes as a journal, or just my thoughts written down. It is a nursery of sorts for the stories that are on their way, or yet to be written.
This is post 10 in @dragosroua's January 30 day writing challenge.
Do You Have a Favourite Character?
Writing characters is a fundamental part of creating a riveting story. Creating these characters, and instilling in them the depth to drive the story forward and have us invested in their development and travails is an art form in itself. And getting that right is often the difference between a great story and a mediocre one.
Learning to create a character arc is a core part of learning to be a writer. Creating real people, with issues we can relate to, problems we can understand or empathise with, and goals worth pursuing is certainly worth the budding writers time to learn and study in full.
It is with this in mind that I wanted to ask other avid readers out there about some of their favourite characters. Good or bad. Or even badass (Lisbeth Salander). Have you encountered a character in a book that had you hooked? Who was it? And what was it about them that worked for you?
I have just written a book review about Altered Carbon, and the lead character in that is Takeshi Kovacs, a very slippery and menacing son-of-a-bitch. Neither completely good or bad, but with a moral compass that did guide him through some tricky encounters, to me he was likeable for his fortitude, cunning, stubbornness, and sheer determination. He is a very well written, complex and dynamic individual, and a large part of what made Altered Carbon work for me was the Takeshi Kovacs character.
Another one is Lisbeth Salander from the Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium series). She forces her way into the first book with style and substance, and proceeds to own all three stories. Completely badass, rebellious, and single-minded. We learn over time the reasons why she hates authority. A bond is formed between character and reader, and her fate became a genuine concern to me as I read through the series. This trilogy is a complex web of intricate plot-lines, yet Lisbeth's role is central and a standout. She certainly makes the books the masterpieces that they are.
So, what are some of the characters you have encountered in your reading journey that have appealed to you? Please feel free to share what it was about them that moved you. They can be good characters, bad ones, morally indifferent. You as reader decide what works and what doesn't.
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@naquoya
Links to earlier works
- Fiction
Writing Myself Out of Existence
- Blog Posts
Notes #1 - #39 Notes From An Amateur Writer Collection
Notes #40 Read, Write, and Face the Future
Notes #41 What Are Some Of Your Favourite Books?
Notes #42 Website Review: Fiction University
Notes #43 - Seeking a Community Of Writers
-Poetry
I love this, and I hope you will continue this series. It’s a great discussion starter on books, plots and characters, and I look forward to reading all of the recommendations.
My favorite character right now is Count Rostov in A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. The story of his house arrest in a hotel in Moscow is so beautifully told, and he is is absolutely endearing. I could not set the book down and have now read it more than once.
I will have to come up with more reading specific questions. And that wont be too difficult. It's great feedback for aspiring authors to hear what avid and prolific reader think, and what they want.
Thank you for sharing your current favourite character. It's hard to pin them down, isn't it. I appreciate the book recommendation, it sounds interesting,enough so for me to add it to my reading list.
I think I am going to have to learn speed reading at this rate :)
For the life of me, I couldn't think of a single favorite character. But, I gravitate towards those compelling characters that live on the gray. Those calculating character who think they have everything figured out, only to have life sweep the rug from under them. I think those characters are the ones that keep me most hooked.
Yes, and they seem to be involved in some of the more interesting stories. Not one-dimensional, perhaps morally ambiguous. Behaviour and character that depends on circumstances.
Having a single favourite character is difficult. I think that some may stand out more, but I have favourites that relate to what my recent reading list has incorporated.
Off the top of my head, Odd Thomas from the Dean Koonz series, I find Dean Koonz can create memorable characters.
I've not read any Dean Koonz yet. Writing memorable characters is a plus. Worth me remembering his name anyway. Did you have a favourite book with that character in it?
Dean Koonz is in the same kind of genre as Stephen King, slightly more lightweight. He is a prolific author and his earlier books are generally better, I think. He has an entire Odd Thomas series and they are all good. Definitely worth the reads! He also created another memorable character, Christopher Snow, who features in a trilogy of books.
I thought he wrote horror, but was completely certain. More character and book recommendations - I love it :)
Kovacs's my favourite character I think. A close second works be Kvothe from The Name Of The Wind. An amazingly written and compelling fantasy piece!
Thought you may agree with the mention of Kovacs. It's interesting that you mention The Name of The Wind. That is actually on my reading list (a very long list by now) after reading reviews. May have to bump it up the list now that I have your endorsement also.
Kilgore Trout a reoccurring character in many of Kurt Vonnegut’s novels. Kilgore is a prolific science fiction writer of little fame.
I have Kurt Vonnegut on my reading list thanks to you. Perhaps I will finally make Kilgore's acquaintance?
This is quite a creative and interesting exercise. Identifying different characters you like and why you like, hate or enjoy them often gives you quite an understanding of your own needs, desires and personality. I have forgotten the name of a mystery and crime fiction series I used to read a lot some time back. The lead character in the book was quite strong and one I liked a lot because she liked to take matter in her own hands.
Thank you for your comment. I have found, as I study deeper in to the craft of writing - how central characters are to a good story. And how hard it is to develop a character in their fullness. So I thought to throw it open to others to make suggestions for me to study up on. I love a good story, but I love a great character just as much. Put the two together then well, reading gold :)
Oh a good character is the heart of a plot. Often, if a character is strong enough, he/ she easily adds substance to even a not-so-powerful story.
This is true too. Some poor stories have scraped through on the strength of their characters. Usually though a good character makes a good story.
Oh, great question!
Yeah, man. A well written and compelling character sometimes is enough to carry the whole story.
One of my favourites is Wolverine for being the reluctant hero. A berserker with a heart.
And another one that comes to mind is Artemis Entreri, specifically from the Sellswords series written by R.A Salvatore.
The man is a cold hard killer. Skilled assassin. A total badass.
Yes, I get you about Wolverine. I think the Logan film encapsulated that in its style. Artemis Entreri is new to me, so thanks for sharing. Will have to discover some more about him. He sounds like someone worth getting to know (from a distance, if you get my drift).
I tend to latch on to witty, intelligent, sarcastic, sometimes debonair type male characters. The strong, fashionably experimental, bad-ass female type characters on the other end of the spectrum. Great insight for writers, and very true. We have to be able to connect with the character, or the story is a lost cause.
Those character traits can make for a very interesting person. I think I have similar tastes in characters. They can really elevate a story, especially when written with respect for the depth of human nature.
Couldn't have said it better myself!
Hmm, recently it would have to be the main character in a series called 'Ancillary Justice' about a spaceship AI 'Justice of Toren' that gets downloaded into a single human body - brilliant character.
From the far past, Robin Hobb's Althea from the Liveship traders series. Basically an adventurous girl who ditches expectation to go sailing aboard magical living ships. That was an awesome series too :)
Okay that first one sounds fascinating. Trying to get my head around the concept. I can see how that would allow for the creation of a unique character.
I'm familiar with Robin Hobb but not that particular character or series. One to keep an eye out for from the sounds of it.
Both great sounding characters and stories. Thanks for sharing.
It is hard to pick a favorite but again I go back to my childhood reading for an example. My favorite character as a child was Anne Shirley from the Anne of Green Gables series. She is smart, imaginative, outspoken and competitive. I liked how she always spoke eloquently and I also loved her determination. Megan Fellows did an excellent job of portraying her in the 1980s series based on the novels. The most recent "Anne" on Netflix presents her as a darker, more traumatized child so I prefer the Anne of the books and the 80s.
I never read the Anne of Green gables books, but they are classics. Your description of the character sounds like someone worth reading about. Characters need to have depth and complexity to them. Then the story seems to come to life. From my experience, anyway.
The picture i have of the series is not a darker one, so the new Netflix would be a dramatic change.