Even I'm now bored with flogging this dead pony, but I wanted to take a look at whether (as I read in another writers blog) certain genres can be generally called character driven while other genres are plot driven. According to aforementioned blog post, Fantasy and Historical were plot driven while Romance was character driven. My question is: Is it that simple and where do the other genres fall?
I am now looking at different genres according to whether they feature extraordinary characters in ordinary situations or vice versa, rather than whether the plot or action drives the characters or if the characters actions drive the plot. Depending on the story in question this may be the same as looking at them in terms of whether the action drives the character or vice versa.
I would agree that Fantasy and Sci-Fi can be seen as plot driven, because the setting or situation is what causes unique problems for the characters. I also agree that much but not all pure romance is character driven, because basic romance really has only one plot. However, there are romance books that have very unique premises and that does drive the character to act certain ways.
So, what about mystery? Depending on the book or story, it could be either. Horror? Same thing. I feel literary fiction is more character driven, because while the plot may be unusual, it is most often caused by the actions of people.
I feel like Paranormal and Urban Fantasy should go under plot driven, but again, it depends on the book. Many of these stories focus on the supernatural elements and how they affect the characters. My novels, and the Southern Vampires Series is the only other one like this that I am familiar with, have a totally mundane setting. In fact, I consider my books to be mysteries, but because there are paranormal elements I am told they are classed as urban fantasy. My books do feature supernatural characters, but they are not neccesarily central to the plot.
So, would this be a case of extraordinary people or extraordinary situation? Most of my characters are mundane and my plots feature mundane occurances, but there are a few extraordinary people involved.
(Note: this is not true of many of my short stories, which center on the characters in my book, but often have supernatural issues as the plot).
I'm afraid I'm going to have to stick with my theory that however mundane or extraordinary a plot or characters may be, the actions of the characters in any situation are what move the story. Ordinary, predictable people who act or react in predictable ways can sabotage even the most facinating plot.
www.daylightsend.weebly.com
www.trustindarkness.weebly.com
www.jennifermballard.com
Showing posts with label character vs. plot. Show all posts
Showing posts with label character vs. plot. Show all posts
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
More Thoughts On Character Vs. Plot Driven Fiction
I just finished reading Stephen King's Full Dark, No Stars and I'm one of those people who always reads the acknowlegements, dedications and forwards/afterwords. (This is especially fun when you like the writer and such things are written in the author's style or voice.) I've mentioned I am a huge fan of SK and think he is an amazingly talented writer but I can't read a lot of his work because I am squeamish.
In his afterword of Full Dark, No Stars he said something that got my attention. "I have no quarrel with Literary Fiction, which usually concerns itself with extraordinary people in ordinary situations, but as both a reader and a writer, I am much more interested by ordinary people in extraordinary situations." This statement doesn't mention the words "plot" or "character", but is certainly a comment about which of them drives a story.
I am not a fan of literary fiction on the grounds that it is very realistic and therefore depressing. If I want to read about people in difficult, unfair or hopeless situations, I can read the newspaper. Where I disagree with SK is that I feel literary fiction concerns itself with ordinary people in ordinary situations; or while not everyday, common situations, ones that could easily exist . This is not uninteresting - even ordinary people are facinating in the ways they act, think and feel in many circumstances.
Even with that difference in opinion about the types of characters in literary fiction, SK and I would both agree that literary fiction is character driven and that his work is plot driven. I find that interesting and now want to explore the idea in relation to other genres, particularly Urban Fantasy and Paranormal, in my next post.
www.daylightsend.weebly.com
www.trustindarkness.weebly.com
www.jennifermballard.com
In his afterword of Full Dark, No Stars he said something that got my attention. "I have no quarrel with Literary Fiction, which usually concerns itself with extraordinary people in ordinary situations, but as both a reader and a writer, I am much more interested by ordinary people in extraordinary situations." This statement doesn't mention the words "plot" or "character", but is certainly a comment about which of them drives a story.
I am not a fan of literary fiction on the grounds that it is very realistic and therefore depressing. If I want to read about people in difficult, unfair or hopeless situations, I can read the newspaper. Where I disagree with SK is that I feel literary fiction concerns itself with ordinary people in ordinary situations; or while not everyday, common situations, ones that could easily exist . This is not uninteresting - even ordinary people are facinating in the ways they act, think and feel in many circumstances.
Even with that difference in opinion about the types of characters in literary fiction, SK and I would both agree that literary fiction is character driven and that his work is plot driven. I find that interesting and now want to explore the idea in relation to other genres, particularly Urban Fantasy and Paranormal, in my next post.
www.daylightsend.weebly.com
www.trustindarkness.weebly.com
www.jennifermballard.com
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
My Two Cents On: Character Driven Vs. Plot Driven
Recently I did some brief research on the concept of character driven as opposed to plot (also know as action) driven fiction. One article I came across claimed that plot or action driven fiction describes fantasy and historical and that character driven refers to romance.
Really? Are those the only three genres that exist? Where do mystery and horror fit in? Literary fiction? Westerns? I believe plays/drama are a kind of fiction as well. So, all in all, the above definition is simplistic at least. Another idea suggested for distinguishing the difference was to ask if the hero was making choices or was the action forcing him to go/be somewhere or do something.
I find this to be another ridiculous idea. I am a believer in the phrase, "It doesn't matter what happens to you in life; what matters is how you handle it." Are there any situations where a person, fictional or otherwise has only one option? I can't think of any, except for maybe unavoidable death.
I heard or read somewhere once that there are only 7 plots in the world (I plan to investigate that concept in a future blog post). If that is true, then it is compelling characters that make each story different from any other.
The most ordinary circumstance can become intriguing if an unusual main character does something unexpected. Alternately, the most facinating setting or plot can become utterly boring if the original concept is paired with characters who only do mundane things and allow circumstances to push them around in completely predictable ways.
My personal feeling is that whatever the plot, all fiction can be described as character driven. The situation or action gives the hero more interesting choices in what to do or say, but what he or she chooses ultimately affects what happens in the story.
www.jennifermballard.com
www.daylightsend.weebly.com
www.trustindarkness.weebly.com
Really? Are those the only three genres that exist? Where do mystery and horror fit in? Literary fiction? Westerns? I believe plays/drama are a kind of fiction as well. So, all in all, the above definition is simplistic at least. Another idea suggested for distinguishing the difference was to ask if the hero was making choices or was the action forcing him to go/be somewhere or do something.
I find this to be another ridiculous idea. I am a believer in the phrase, "It doesn't matter what happens to you in life; what matters is how you handle it." Are there any situations where a person, fictional or otherwise has only one option? I can't think of any, except for maybe unavoidable death.
I heard or read somewhere once that there are only 7 plots in the world (I plan to investigate that concept in a future blog post). If that is true, then it is compelling characters that make each story different from any other.
The most ordinary circumstance can become intriguing if an unusual main character does something unexpected. Alternately, the most facinating setting or plot can become utterly boring if the original concept is paired with characters who only do mundane things and allow circumstances to push them around in completely predictable ways.
My personal feeling is that whatever the plot, all fiction can be described as character driven. The situation or action gives the hero more interesting choices in what to do or say, but what he or she chooses ultimately affects what happens in the story.
www.jennifermballard.com
www.daylightsend.weebly.com
www.trustindarkness.weebly.com
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