I've been looking forward to Deana's Get an Agent Blogfest all month and now Week 1 is finally here!! Eep!
Everyone should go and sign up because it's awesome.
So, here's my question! Are you a character driven writer (or reader if you prefer) or are you plot driven?
If the plot is weak but the character is strong then I will absolutely keep reading. This applies to my writing, although hopefully this doesn't mean I have weak plots, lol. I try to have fully developed characters who are flawed, as we are in real life, but also are able to overcome their weaknesses.
What kind of writer are you? Do you think there's a happy medium we can reach between character and plot?
(btw, I've been driving across country for the past couple days and completely forgot to post yesterday for Sentence Sunday. Sorry guys! I'll catch up next week :)
Characterization is fundamental for a good book. You're right; if you don't like the characters, who cares what they're doing? You won't want to read anything about them. But if you like/relate to/feel sorry for/are intrigued by the characters, you'll stick around, even if the plot is the pits.
ReplyDeleteGood question! Blogfest is already a blast!
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI think the best way to show characterisation is through what characters do - the plot. So I see the two as closely entwined.
mood
(fellow blogfester)
Moody Writing
@mooderino
Character driven for sure. I spend ages getting to know them, building histories and timelines before giving them something to overcome.
ReplyDeleteHi, Juliana! It's a great questions. I love a good plot, and can excuse a lot, but if the characters are blah, it loses something. On the flip side, great characters can take me anywhere cuz I just like spending time with them. :)
ReplyDeleteNice to meet you!
I am all about the character for sure!!!! If I love a person, I will follow them anywhere, just ask my husband:)
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you all are having fun with the fest so far and I'm seeing some pretty cool questions!
Character driven, all the way! Then the plot happens naturally for me, both as a reader and a writer.
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for leaving a comment on my blog, Juliana; I've posted a response at http://michellefayard.blogspot.com/2011/07/i-just-had-to-ask.html.
Hope you had a great Fourth of July weekend!
Michelle
I'm definitely about the character, but trying to be more plot driven - I've realized I let things meander too much when I'm all about the characters and I end up having to do a lot of editing to keep the pacing tight.
ReplyDeleteHi Juliana - I am definitely a character driven writer. I especially love creating dialogue between them. Nice to meet you. I enjoyed reading your blog.
ReplyDeleteI can't seem to find an email address for you. I've awarded you a couple of awards. Please visit my blog for details.
ReplyDeleteRichard
Character, definitely, though I do love me a rip-through-it plot. I love what Mood says about the two being entwined...
ReplyDeleteHere's my final answer: I'll keep reading if a character's weak, but if it's a series, I won't pick up the next book!
Great question, btw!! And nice to meet you :)
Thanks for all the fabulous responses! I'm not sure I had thought the two so entwined. I see now I need to rethink this question.
ReplyDeleteCharacter driven all the way! I often don't even know the plot of a book before I start. I just come up with a character or bunch of characters and then think 'hmmmm, I wonder what might happen if this happened to this person...' And then a few months later, I have a book.
ReplyDeleteIt would appear that the general consensus is character-driven...and I'd have to agree on this front. I tried developing a story idea with just a plot as the starting point and found that it was like chiseling a masterpiece out of marble with a toothpick! It wasn't until I went back and worked on developing my characters that I discovered a way for the 2 to work together.
ReplyDeleteI think I'd stop reading if I didn't like the characters, so for me, character comes first. When I'm writing, the character usually comes to me first, too.
ReplyDeleteBut I also stop reading if the plot doesn't capture my attention. So a good character has to be in a believable (as far as the world of the story goes) situation.
characters for me are the most important part of a story, in fact it really is the whole story for me. Richard from the Amish settlement of Lebanon,Pa
ReplyDeleteCharacter driven - but the plot tells their story.
ReplyDeleteFor me, the two walk hand in hand. Both have to be fleshed out well to keep readers interested.
ReplyDeleteCharacters drive plot, IMO.
ReplyDeleteAs to what kind of writer I am, I think I'm the type who loves characterization and dialogue. The process of "fleshing out" a character helps me understand my plot more than if the character was two-dimensional.
I agree with all the characterization comments, but even if I like the character if they arent' doing anything I can't read for too long. Character drives plot, but there still has to be a plot.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Loralie. My plot comes first; the fun part is imagining what my characters do in the plot.
ReplyDeleteI think I am a character driven writer. Great question.
ReplyDeleteThis feels like a cop out, but it really depends on what I'm writing. Longer pieces tend to be more plot-driven. Shorter pieces are character-driven. Or it depends on what I want to get across. So I guess I'm both? LOL
ReplyDeleteI am more plot driven. While I aim for characters with voice and depth, I get bored if things aren't happening.
ReplyDeleteTo me, it's all about character. It could be the best plot in the world, but if I don't care about the MC, I won't care. That said, I like a good plot too.
ReplyDeleteSorry!
Wow, I think it's almost unanimus. Character wins! Haha :)
ReplyDeleteSorry to break the trend, but I feel the story is character driven. The character tell the story through their words and actions.
ReplyDeleteI think it could go either way if I'm reading - like a really great plot could make up for lackluster characters. On the other hand, I probably won't connect to the book as much like emotionally.
ReplyDeleteI'm more of a character-driven writer. I'm much better at characterization than I am at plot (mostly because my brain makes things way too convoluted and I'm a pantser). I'm working on the plotting though!
I write more character, but I like both plot driven and character driven. It's like sometimes being in the mood for watching the King's Speech and sometimes wanting to watch Transformers.
ReplyDeleteThough I'd never watch Transformers.
I'm following you! Please come check me out sometime: laurabwriter.blogspot.com
It's nice to meet you, too!! I'm going with character! No doubt!
ReplyDeleteWell, it really depends on the type of book. Literary fiction is nearly solely dependent on being character driven while thrillers are mostly plot driven.
ReplyDeleteEither way, you cannot have one without the other. No matter how good the plot is, if the characters are weak, who is gonna care what the stakes are? And if you write with only the characters in mind, you'll bore your audience to death.
It's definitely a delicate balance and should be weighted according to genre.
Oh, I forgot to tell you, I'm a new follower and fellow BlogFester. Look forward to seeing you around!
ReplyDeleteHi there, I'm half and half and I know how annoying that sounds. I love plot, but there's always a strong lead character too. I probably think of a character first these days though and the plot comes later.
ReplyDelete