characters have a life of their own...

[ShiroiHikari]

have any of you writers ever had your characters run away with a story? that's what's happened to me. ^_^;; since my characters started developing more, my story has really ended up changing from what I originally wanted it to be. what do you guys think of that? should I just keep running with it or put it back the way I originally intended?

[Esoteric]

It depends. Which choice will give you the better, stronger story?

As a general rule though, I wouldn't force your character to do or say anything 'out of character' just because you had originally intended it to be different. As long as story and character are consistent in nature, all will be fine.

[Debitt]

My character Torres has stolen so many of my stories it isn't even funny. He was originally supposed to be an antagonist and nothing more, but he's become a testament againt child abuse, a wonderfully twisted psychological train wreck that I enjoy analyzing on a regular basis (ask some of my close friends about "The Big Chart of Torres Psychology" - it exists and it really is very big), and my muse. He's run away with half of the book I'm working on, and I'm beginning to think I like him more than my main protagonists. That's being a writer for you - you're always slightly schizoid.

[uc pseudonym]

My advice would be to let the story go the way it seems natural to go, but keep any elements from the original that still work within the story's new form. If the character to you seems to want to go a certain way, it will seem just the same to readers.

Personally, I don't ever have this problem. Not sure why, I just always understand my characters fairly in depth.

[Mave]

Say, I'm not much of a writer but I guess there's some amount of storytelling in mangakaing. It happens to me all the time (assuming this is exactly what you mean). The development of my characters easily changes the storyline and I don't really mind that.

I tend to follow the change because I've found that it makes the story better. I can't count how many times my original ideas get changed along the way, thanks to characters. For example, when I first had the idea for 'Home', Pastor Mark was completely non-existent. But as some of you know, he's playing a significant role in it now and his existence (in a way) dictates the storyline.

That's how it works for me. Might be different for you. All I know is "never be afraid of changes." Heh

[ShiroiHikari]

It depends. Which choice will give you the better, stronger story?

heh, that's a very good question. what started out as something kinda science-fiction-ish and serious has turned into something...quite different. like, originally the main character was a type of android. but in his development he's become so human and real to me, so that idea doesn't really work anymore(to me), and it kinda throws everything else off.

I guess I could get a little more specific here...this character sort of decided that he wanted to fall for one of the female characters. and I'm over here like "NOOO! no romance!!" so it's taking the story down a completely different path (not to mention I suck at writing all that romancey stuff).

[true_noir_chloe]

(not to mention I suck at writing all that romancey stuff).

LOL - I love the romancey stuff. XDXD I'll just say this Shiroi, "JULIAN!!!" ~_^

On topic: Usually what happens to me is a secondary character becomes more predominant. I don't usually have a protagonist change - maybe only grow in depth. I believe a lot of the heart/ourselves that we place in our characters really affect how they act. And sometimes that means they run away on us and start to develop more deeply. I think this is because we're developing as well - our thoughts, our views, or perspective and in that way our character runs away and grows up. He/She matures just as we do as we write.

Heh, more of my two cents. ^__^;;;;

BTW, I love your characters Shiroi. ^__^

[spiritusvult]

In my very limited experience I've found that there are basically three ways to write a story/book: 1(start writing and see where it leads, 2(have a good outline, but leave it at simply an outline, then run with it, 3(plot everything out in as much detail as possible, leaving little, if anything, to chance. Of course the three catagories can be mixed and matched, but that seems to be the way of it.

For me, it depends on how complex things are getting. I think I'm a reasonably intelligent person, but I can only hold so much in my head until it starts to leak. As such, if the story gets too complex, then I must start making notes. If it's just something really short and takes maybe a page or two, notes are clearly not needed. Anyway, that's what I think.

[Esoteric]

Ah, I see, that is a difficult problem if it's an android. I'm sure you'll find a solution, but it definitely sounds like you'll have to make a drastic change.

For example, you could make your main char human, and add the android as another character. ...Or you could keep the main char as android and omit the romance, but then, you will have to tamper with the personality you've established.
There's another option I can think of, and it depends greatly on what type of android you have in mind. If your androids are devoid of programmed human characteristics like emotion, then it won't work. But if not, if your android is supposed to be the lastest, greatest piece of technology, then it might be programmed to respond to some humans with a sort of fascination that could come across as love. I could see this attention 'creeping out' the particular female at first and creating good story tension. You could spin the developing relationship it so that it would not be a romance, since it's between human and android, but more of a loyality/devotion situation. I dunno.

It's your story. Do what's best for it. I'm sure whatever you decide will work fine. Good lucK!

[ShiroiHikari]

but he's become a testament againt child abuse, a wonderfully twisted psychological train wreck that I enjoy analyzing on a regular basis

sounds like one of my characters o_o XD

But if not, if your android is supposed to be the lastest, greatest piece of technology, then it might be programmed to respond to some humans with a sort of fascination that could come across as love. I could see this attention 'creeping out' the particular female at first and creating good story tension. You could spin the developing relationship it so that it would not be a romance, since it's between human and android, but more of a loyality/devotion situation. I dunno.

that's a very interesting idea...something to think about at any rate. thanks for the input :]

[uc pseudonym]

Ah, it is this story. Now I at least have some context. Given further details, I can't say that I am able to help you.

[Hari]

Characters running away.........

I should probably just buy a net, because I'm like Pirandello... My characters run me! They push me around, ignore me, rewrite ME sometimes... I have characters in search of a story (they've definitely decided I'm the author, unfortunately), and they're keeping me working. I wrote a story for them, but they weren't satisfied. They wouldn't let me out of the first chapter. So I'm still working for them.

I've got Marty, Hunter, and Bob - they like to jump stories. I was so mad at Hunter when he showed up in an airport unexpectedly. He won't stay in his stories! Bob and Marty are more straightforward - they're always trying to convince me to put them in whatever I'm writing. "Oh, I should be doing this..." "That dialogue should definitely be coming from me..." "That's classically my department..."

I must be a wimp. But I love them, and could never write if they weren't acting out their versions of my stories. I'm a nut, I know.

[ShiroiHikari]

lol.

sometimes I feel like a mental case because my characters are always with me. ^_^; I see an outfit and I'm like "oh, that is so Adrian", or hear a song that reminds me of one of them, blah blah, etc etc. >_>

they're not doing their job lately though. they're supposed to be inspiring me to write XD

[Hari]

[quote="ShiroiHikari"]lol.

sometimes I feel like a mental case because my characters are always with me. ^_^]


Ah, writer's block! I can't stand it... I'm considering admitting one of my friends to a hospital after a six-month bout with it. He's a great writer, and I want to know WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?!

But, yes, clothing or songs -- I even adapted a Country song (sorry, I do dislike Country music) to be about a character and his dog. As the lyrics unfolded, it was more and more funny, kind of like a mad lib.

Have you read Six Characters in Search of and Author? It is OK as a play, but let me highly recommend Pirandello's preface. He talks about how haunted he was by the characters, because he DIDN'T want to write about them -- and they kept coming back! I laughed, it was great, and since I was reading it for a class... I wrote an essay about how much I'd loved the preface on the midterm exam.

Don't feel like a nutcase! The proof of a heart-and-soul writer had BETTER be this rapport (war?) with his/her characters. Otherwise, I'll have to commit myself.

Feel free to pm me if you want to talk shop -- or share writing! I would LOVE to read your stories, with the high recommendation that your characters ran away with them!