Hey! You aren’t supposed to say that! I looked at the paragraph I’d written. This character was speaking and acting…well, out of character. I had her personality planned and knew how she fit into the story I was writing, but, here she was, taking the bit in her mouth, the bull by the horns, and not being a bit sorry for it.
What do I do with a character like that, a make-believe person who has a mind of her own? First, I ask why he or she said it. Then, I look back at the rest of the story. If I change the plot so that the dialogue (or monologue) doesn’t contradict, does it sound better than what I planned in the first place? Perhaps the story would sound better another way.
Sometimes, a character just won’t behave and sometimes that’s a good thing. I’ve learned, through the years, to listen to my characters. They may actually be trying to tell me something.
Cozy Mysteries by Blanche Day Manos
Speak Your Mind