Character development is something I tend to look for most in novels, especially when the material is character-driven, rather than plot-driven. If a story centers more on plot and action, then I will be inclined to lend greater consideration to the symmetry of the plot—whether there is a harmonious arrangement of the rudiments in the overall story; whether the story rises and falls with creative tension; and whether the author maintains a narrative and thematic balance. Be it character- or plot-driven, however, the story must be well-structured, being set inside a sturdy framework that includes a strong beginning, a captivating middle, and a satisfying end, with the usual character arcs and ebb and flow of events therein.
Martha Alderson, an author, teacher, and plot consultant, has this to say about writers who prefer to write either character-driven or plot-driven stories:
Broadly speaking, writers who prefer writing action-driven stories focus on logical thinking, rational analysis, and accuracy. Action-driven writers tend to rely more on the left side of their brain. These writers approach writing as a linear function and see the story in its parts. Action-driven writers like structure. They usually pre-plot or create an outline before writing. Action-driven writers have little trouble expressing themselves in words.
On the other hand, writers who write character-driven stories tend to focus on aesthetics and feelings, creativity and imagination. These writers access the right side of their brains and enjoy playing with the beauty of language. They are more intuitive, and like to work things out on the page.
Interestingly enough, I am drawn to both models; but, as you would expect, for different reasons. Despite what model you as a writer tend to lean toward, I realize that moments of inspiration come and go, and authors are sometimes left in a murky creative pool. This post will proffer a novel means of literary inspiration that I hope will not only aid in offsetting those moments, but also allow writers to take home a few creative lessons.
While it is a different creative medium altogether, I find that television—good television—can be an effective purveyor of important literary lessons. In fact, I’ll go as far as to say that drawing inspiring from a creative medium other than the one you are currently working in is probably best. I know of many writers who read books by authors they hope to somehow emulate, albeit in a small way, only to come away dissatisfied, because they couldn’t quite capture the essence of what their admired author seemed to convey so effortlessly. By watching a good television program, however, and gleaning insights into effective and forceful portrayals of human behavior, one can transfer those lessons onto paper without the undo pressure of trying to live up to the lofty standards of a literary predecessor.
This is not meant to contradict my advice to one writer, however, wherein I said: “If you want to write well, read as much as you can. Devour any and everything that inspires you. Learn from the greats.” By reading a good amount of quality literature—that is, books that are put together well, written well, edited thoroughly, and so on—a writer can learn how language is to flow on paper, where punctuations are supposed to fall; how sentences, dialogue, and narrative on a whole, is to be constructed.
The reason I suggest television as an alternate medium for inspiration, and not film, is this: a television show, particularly an hour-long drama, has roughly 22 episodes to a season, which is very similar to the makeup of a novel—each episode acting as a chapter of a book; the season being the book. It would take roughly 16.5 hours to devour a full season of a dramatic series (sans the commercials)—the rough equivalent of the time it would take a person, reading at a normal pace, to complete a full length novel. Over the course of that 22-episode season, characters would go through various changes—including ups and downs, and the inevitable arcs—and we would see character flaws develop in some, and virtues develop in others. I can’t think of a better source of inspiration than the medium of television for someone who is stuck in a creative slump.
As far as choices go, there is something out there for just about everyone. For those who are given to character-driven stories, I’d say, for instance, take a look at Six Feet Under. (It’s time to put that Netflix account to good use.) By watching a mere season of this show, one can learn a great deal about character interaction and development, and how to create personality nuances that will allow your readers to interpret subtle variations in your characters. And for those who are given to plot-driven stories, I’d say consider ABC’s Lost, which not only demonstrates the use of crucial plot devices, timing, and atmosphere, but it also serves as a good model in the department of character development, given its clever and carefully woven back-stories. But feel free to pick and choose what you will, as long as it inspires you, and gets your creative juices flowing.
Now bear in mind that one would, at the very least, have to rely heavily on intuition for what I’m proposing here, as many of these lessons won’t be apparent to the casual observer. A serious writer, however, will spot them for sure.
