CydM at 2013-07-29 20:32:58:

Character, always character. I wish I could remember who said that plot is the footprints characters leave in the sand, but I can't. I strongly disagree that you have forever in novels to wander through a character make up. Reading is an extended experience, and unless you want to keep throwing the same few characters off a cliff so the reader returns to your book instead of another book, you've got to populate that world with a larger cast or well-rounded characters, and that requires brevity and razor sharp skill in revealing all of a character's qualities while holding back just enough so the reader will want more.

Despina at 2013-07-29 20:45:14:

@CydM - Your first line really resonated with me in a funny way - it *totally* makes sense if you think about it. And it also makes me second guess the validity of any of my plot-driven characters. Then I realize that sometimes the story makes the person. I am one of those people who are who they are, but I absolutely pull from my surroundings and the situation and my actions depend on any given scenario. True story. Does that make me flaky or devoid of developed "character"? Perhaps that's why I can think of stories (when I seem to have trouble developing characters) and picture different people responding to different aspects within that story which gives me ideas of who they are and how they'd react further. Sound weird? I guess when you think about it it's a chicken or the egg kind of thing. I know there are, and I recognize the differences in, stories that are plot-driven and stories that are character-driven (and I'll have to think of a few as examples here in a minute), but I wonder what the outcome is, by movie, on whether the writer thought of the character or the plot first.... Is Shawshank Redemption character or plot-driven? What about True Grit or O' Brother? What about The Princess Bride? Were their characters thought of or considered first, or was the story thought of and the characters birthed as an effect...? I'm actually really curious to know how most people think of their stories/characters (in produced film) in their writing. My really good friend who's all about writing novels and is 4 years deeper than I, is very much a character-driven writer. Period. I am very much a story/idea person who has to come up with characters to fit the plot. Hhhmmmmm..... These are the sophomoric ponderings of a newbie scribe.

Scott at 2013-07-29 23:54:56:

Not sophomoric at all, Despina. If you read through all the interviews I've done this year, in Part 5 or 6, I specifically ask questions about their work with plot [in terms of prep and structure] and character development, and you will see a wide variety of answers. It's intriguing how different writers have different approaches, but also can help to inform our OWN process. I love the first line from Cyd's comment that you highlighted and it reflects one of my favorite quotes from author Sol Stein: "Characters make your story. If the people come alive, what they do becomes the story." I find working with writers as a teacher, if they believe they are strong with characters and not with plot, that I can help steer them through a character-development approach that will show them the "footprints in the sand" that make the plot appear. I also find working writers who believe they are strong with plot and not with character that by spending more time with characters, they can not only enrich these 'personal agents' in their story, but also the characters can lead to interesting plot twists and shifts because they CAN come alive. In a perfect world, the old adage, "Character equals plot" can work. At least that's what I find in my teaching with writer after writer.

NEGenge at 2013-07-30 08:05:46:

I’m not sure there’s any difference really… I mean, one or the other might be the “inciting incident” that gets a new project going, but, it is sort of all the one thing, isnt it? “What will this character do next?” and “How will that character respond?” You see? I can’t really separate them? Basically, plot can go in a bunch of directions, but, character determines which of those you’ll eliminate first. Sure, lots of stories are about characters going against their type, or finding hidden parts of themselves, or succeeding where they have no business doing so, but, really, your very first plot decision is going to have to come from the answer to what would THIS character do? At least, that’s the way it works for me.

JoniB22 at 2013-07-30 11:41:42:

Character! I'm inquisitive about people by nature -- always wanting to meet people, learn what makes them tick, hear their stories. Same can be said about characters who invade my headspace for a chance to reveal themselves. As I learn about them -- their wants, needs, shortcomings, foibles, goals, etc. -- their story and thereby, the plot for a potential movie story, swim to the surface. Not wholly "hand in hand", if you will, but the question was about what am I more comfortable with. That's easy -- it's the people. Without characters, there is no plot. So yeah, I'm more comfortable digging around and letting my characters bring their stories to me. And thank goodness, most of the time, they do!!

lisakothari42 at 2013-07-30 13:41:47:

When I start writing, I have my concept - I then find my 9 beats. I think about who is going to populate those 9 beats and then I start writing. The characters show me who they are as I write from page to page and the plot takes interesting twists and turns as I write - neither one - plot or character - is fully formed when I write that first draft. I do this purposefully to let the characters show me who they are and the journey they want to take.