Like Erica, I’m constantly battling my characters, but in a different sense. After she beautifully described characterization in her post on it, I want to discuss that always is prevalent in writing: and that’s perspective.
It dawned on me as I was running this week. Let’s say for hypothetically speaking, that I’m not a writer, but a protagonist of a short story, where someone is writing about me running. Me personally, I don’t think I’m a story at all when I’m training – I have a distinct beginning and end, wherever that may be, and I have a purpose. I may be the protagonist in their short story, but as the observer, what do they think of me?
Are they keen in to what my running gear I’m wearing? Am I wearing something appropriate and conducive to the climate?
Am I running toward something or am I running away from something? Only I know, but that’s up for the writer to figure that out, without using run-on sentences of course!
What is my struggle, my triumph? Is it the scowl on my face? Or my sweat-laden brow pushing for the extra mile?
These are all decisions that are subject to the whim of the writer. But, as the writer observing the runner, here are the exercises I would use to challenge yourself to improve your writing and to make your writing more 3-dimensional.
WRITE FROM YOUR GUT UNABASHED.
Smock style, assault your new found subject matter, and write what you think his thoughts are, making him the protagonist, and flesh out his purpose. Is he losing weight? Is he training for a marathon? Is he trying to look cool? Show this all in your words and your word count.
CHANGE YOUR ANGLE.
After you have your first perspective, write another one, of the same person. He’s not running towards the finish line, perhaps he’s running away from the cops, and disguising himself as a seasoned marathon runner!
CHANGE YOUR ANGLE. AGAIN
Push through the limits of your creativity. Saying you don’t have any more perspectives on a character is even more reason to challenge yourself to do so. Let’s see what you got.
Until next week!
- Ralph, Rambunctious Smock.
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