Kimber’s post yesterday, and Zot’s comment, really got me thinking, so this is a follow-up to that. Here’s a question for y’all: what makes a character believable to you? What makes him (or her, no need to limit ourselves *g*) come alive for you?
Contrariwise, what makes a character not believable? What makes you say “come on, no freakin’ way would Our Hero do that/say that/have hot monkey sex with that guy”?
Okay, so that’s more than one question. I’m sure everyone will manage to deal just fine *g*
For me, what turns a fictional character into a real person is kind of hard to define. I think it’s the little things. The details. The speech patterns, the nervous ticks, things like that. Things that add depth and texture to a character.
It makes me kind of sad that I have less trouble figuring out what makes a character unbelievable. What does that for me is when a character is TSTL or does things that are completely out of character for who they are. Like when the “strong, kick-ass heroine” turns into a complete simpering jellyfish just because Mr. Alpha growled at her. Blech. That particular pet peeve seems to be much less prevelent in gay fiction. Or maybe I’ve just been incredibly lucky picking out books and haven’t run into those very often, I dunno.
So. Your turn. Share your thoughts!
Written by Ally Blue
Ally is a rich and famous author of hot gay manlove. She travels the world in her private jet, being waited on hand and foot by her team of pretty young men who bring her umbrella drinks and make out for her pleasure . . . Okay, so that's her dream life. Her novels of Manlove & Angst are mostly written in her living room, in between working at the Evil Day Job and doing Mom Stuff. Oh, the glamorous life of an author!
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sarah wrote,
I agree I hate when a character does a 180 in there basic makeup. Go from really strong to whimp drives me crazy. I love the little details you add. A certain smile that they will always use at a partilcular time. Or the habit of running hands thru their hair when frustrated. Its the little things that make a character more real to me.
Link | April 16th, 2008 at 8:07 am
lisabea wrote,
I agree, but sometimes, the little things aren’t enough and serve to flatten a character rather than flesh them out. I’m thinking of characters that remain in my mind so vividly: Derek Craven; Nate (the great); Adrien English; Max Bahgat. Conflict. It’s the internal conflict that drives how they react and why they react that makes them so real to me.
Does that make sense? I’m still fatigued.
Link | April 16th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
Ally Blue wrote,
Sarah, thank you very much! And yeah, tough-to-wimp for no reason drives me up the wall. Why does that seem to happen to the heroines so much more than the heroes? I HATE that!
Lisabea, very good point. The inner conflict in a character certainly does breathe life into them, not to mention making us care about them :)
Link | April 17th, 2008 at 10:44 am
JL Langley wrote,
I agree wholeheartedly. It;s the little things, the details, the quirks. Inner conflict is another good “living quality”.
Link | April 18th, 2008 at 10:39 am
Kimber wrote,
For me a lot of the believability comes from a character’s voice. This is particularly true of my own characters. Until and unless I can *hear* a character in my head I can’t imagine him/her as a living, breathing person.
I have actually heard people’s voices, sometimes on tv or in movies but more often in passing on the street, and thought to myself, that’s what so-and-so sounds like!
Yeah, I’m weird. Lol!
Link | April 19th, 2008 at 6:18 am