Hey, I'm new here. I just joined as of today. I have been working on a particular story for over 6 years. It's cost a long time due to the fact of all the research I have needed for it and to develop a character that feels realist. As I age I throw in my experience into the book so the main lead can grow realistically as the story follows her life through a course of a bout 10-15 years. I have 2 friends whom I discuss my novel with frequently and while they like what I have so far, I have messed up the beginning a bit via not describing the relationship between the two main female leads. While it shows they are friends, their lives are so completely different. The main lead's name I'll call T and the supporting female lead's name is S. Now my book is nonfiction and fantasy and takes place in our time. T was raised by a fairly wealthy background and lives out in the country side in a gorgeous house. She has two siblings and she is from a multicultural family. She has never met her mother, believing she has died during birth. Her and her siblings all share the same father but each a different mother. None of them have met their mothers for various reasons. T is somewhat resentful for having her mother die and the fact that her father works constantly, tending to leave for a day or two at a time. Also, unlike her other siblings - whom were all home schooled like herself - her father tosses her in and out of sports like boxing, karate, and fencing. She has grown into her late teens as a punk-style outcast. T's sister is a dainty, "barbie" who, although might look like the type to be stuck up, actually is quite nice and having been the oldest has been a mother figure to T and their youngest sibling. T and the eldest daughter are very close because of this. Now, S, the second lead role. She has had a trouble life. She grew up in a small trailer, sitting off on a back road. Her parents are abusive alcoholics and they can never keep a job. They mistreat her. Going to school S is tormented by other students as she tends to wear baggy clothes and keep her hair in her face due to her negative body image. Although she is quite pretty she finds herself repulsive and is the weakest character at the start of the story. My friends fell in love with S because she is struggling character. S met T when they were about 10-11 years old in their local town. They formed a quick friendship since T was always so busy she barely had time for friends. The two eventually met a boy, which they both started crushing on. Although T has a rough exterior, she witnessed abuse at S's house one night and intervened at the age of 15. Ever since then she has stepped away from chasing after their male friend. When the book starts T has convinced S to go out on a date with the boy. T wants to protect S and thinks S deserves a shot at happiness. I know this is getting lengthy, but anyways. T eventually has her whole family murdered, her death is faked by an antagonist group and she is whisked away into the night to be trained by this group. S is left alone to weep over the loss of her friend. When a fourth party enters the scene and convinces S that T isn't dead but a captive. Through a series of struggles, loss, and defeat S tries to reclaim T. She begins to turn away from being timid and scared, and grows into a brave, stronger willed individual. She thinks however, she is weak without T, and if T dies S will be lost. Now, during the book T is barely mentioned until the middle of the book and again at the end when she is finally rescued. S and the fourth party character are the major leads for the first book. When the fourth party dies S takes the reigns to protect T, although T can now take of her own twice as well she is still a bit head strong. S is the mechanical - strategist while T is the muscle and the one who thinks on her feet. The whole series revolves around T but I am starting to notice that S is beginning to creep up more. Who is technically the main female role? Also how can I develop their characters so they aren't flat or boring? When my friends gave their input they said they found T to be kind of a B***h - their words - and they found her somewhat annoying because she was blunt headed. They loved S because she had this need for survival. Now T does change and evolve and eventually towards the end of the book you learn of the reasons she has to survive and what her drive is. S is somewhat out in the open from the beginning and her purpose evolves as well. But, I do plan on publishing this series and I definitely don't want the characters or the story... or the plot to come off as a flop. I am probably ranting as I tend to do but if anyone can help me, that would be fantastic Again, sorry for the length of this post
huh to what? Oh sheesh I just realized all of the typos in there. Sorry I was using my brother's laptop and the pointer kept jumping all over the screen and selecting and deleting words on me.
'Huh??' to something being fantasy and non-fiction at the same time. It's not possible. They are contradictory.
Oh my god, I didn't even realize I posted that. Like I said before the laptop I was on before messed up a lot of my post. Should I delete and repost the question in a better way? And no, the story is fiction.
You say it is a series and the series mainly revolves around T, is that correct? Nevertheless, if this particular book in the series mostly showcases the plight of S, I think S should be the main character of this book. Without knowing anything more than what is in your post, I'm thinking you should let more of T's vulnerable side show here and there to give her more depth. No one is 100% hardcore b****. Most people who seem that way usually have a soft, marshmallowy core that they fell they must strongly defend so let that peek out in the scenes involving T interacting with S especially, since T seems to have taken S under her wing, so to speak.
I greatly appreciate the help jen_h. I also love you were able to make sense out of that. The laptop I had been using at the time screwed up everything I wrote. In the sequel it follows T with S falling into the background. But as I take a step back and look at the series as a whole, I am realizing S is predominantly involved. The whole story revolves around T and her life but S tends to take up more of the "screen." So, although the story is about T and her life and development, you're right the main character is S, and shows how she is involved with T and helps T to stay alive. I've decided to create a softness to T. Although she has a rough edge she has a tenderness for particular things, particularly family. Its hard to let anyone in but once she does she is fiercely protective of them and can be led astray from her main goals. I completely agree, I do need to make her more dynamic as a character. Thanks for the help
I personally think that is a great plot, even the summary kept me in full suspense. I'm getting the feeling this is turning into a mystery/emotional story because of the abduction of T, if so I think you should tell the story with plenty of relevance to T's experience after being abducted, which I think will definitely increase the climax points of your story.
Sounds like a fascinating character interaction. I want to read it, just to see how T and S develop over time. They both sounds quite unique and distinctive, and they make a great contrast.
