1. Storm713

    Storm713 Member

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    Characters need relief?!

    Discussion in 'Plot Development' started by Storm713, Oct 14, 2017.

    I have no idea if this goes in plot development, as I am new to this site, but I have had an especially angsty chapter and feel like my poor chapters need a break from all the trauma… how do I do this? In case that's unclear: the two MCs have separate troubles and they've both hit pretty hard in the past chapter. Now I'm wondering where to go from there… I feel like some relief and humor is needed to lighten things up yet still keep it slightly serious, and I would appreciate if someone gave my feedback on the matter. I'm awful at writing humor and am wondering how to make the chapter important in the plot development instead of merely a lone piece of fluff floating around. I had the idea of making the two MCs (who are in the same boarding school) take a day trip to a nearby village on the weekend… but again, I want to stay away from pointless rambling. Any ideas? Thank you in advance!
     
  2. David Lee

    David Lee Member

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    First: don't pointlessly ramble. Follow your plot and write it out the way it needs to be in order to do that. Sometimes easier said than done, I get it. If this is a first draft then just write. Don't worry about all of the subtle nuances at this point. You will refine it later.

    You mentioned "boarding school", I believe @EstherMayRose writes a lot in a similar setting and could maybe give you some thoughts.
     
  3. Sir Robin

    Sir Robin Member

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    I think what you may want to do here is to put your characters in an odd situation if you're looking for a light effect. Maybe there can be a character that you can use for comic relief. A basically serious person, but someone who always seems to get in comical jams. Maybe the character dresses a little odd. Maybe one of your MC's has a depreciating sense of humor. Perhaps however bad their situation is, they find a way to make light of it. There are all sorts of way you can get a little comic relief without taking away from what sounds like a sad story (not knowing the genre you're going with obviously).
     
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  4. Storm713

    Storm713 Member

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    Thank you for replying! Since it is a first draft, I will try and just write it out and go back to work on this chapter when I've begun my editing. I'll check out @EstherMayRose, and thanks again.
     
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  5. Storm713

    Storm713 Member

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    It's a good idea to put in some light humor- not so loud because it is, as you correctly guessed, a sad story. Thanks for replying!
     
  6. KiloBravo

    KiloBravo Member

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    It may help to develop your characters so that you understand them better. If you understand them well already, try to draw from their past and have someone break up all the noise. Have anything from a third perspective break it up. It could be a cat, a child, or anything else doing something funny and bringing them back to sanity or a time when things were better... There are lots of ways of doing it... But if you cannot right now, just put a placeholder there and then come back to it when you think of it.

    I agree with this.

    As mentioned already, you can assume in you own mind that you resolved it, everything is lightened but still slightly serious. For example, [Something funny goes here, now everyone is calm again] and then continue to write more. Worry about this later, but keep writing and don't get stuck on this.
     
  7. David Lee

    David Lee Member

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    Exactly. I wrote a bunch of stuff just last night that I looked at today and wanted to delete. I kept it however as this is a draft. I will decide later whether it's even relevant or not, but for the moment I'm just plodding along. Sounds like you are in the same kind of boat; get the words out, let the cards fall and then later go back and do the maintenance. Since we kind of already know where we want things to head, we tend to second guess ourselves as we write.

    Often we come to an impasse, I do. If you let go of the analytical side of your current moment and just let words flow, you can always correct things later but the muse may become invaluable down the road.
     
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  8. Homer Potvin

    Homer Potvin A tombstone hand and a graveyard mind Staff Supporter Contributor

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    I'd say make the character/scenes less angsty/traumatic. Cure the disease instead of treating the symptoms. Readers will see right through the patch job if you have to constantly compensate for systemic issues.
     
  9. OurJud

    OurJud Contributor Contributor

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    Injecting a little humour is fine, but don't just put it there for the sake of it, otherwise it will stick out like a sore thumb.

    It's true to say characters don't just go from one misadventure to other, so when you reach a point where it all starts to feel a little hectic, it's probably a sign your story needs some exposition, which you use to get across the passing of time.

    I used to think the same thing - that 'downtime' needed to be detailed for it to have the desired effect - but really the reader just needs to get a sense now and again that time has passed where not much really happened.
     
  10. Storm713

    Storm713 Member

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    Thank you, I think that really cleared things up. :)
     
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  11. BayView

    BayView Huh. Interesting. Contributor

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    Also may be useful to note that your characters don't need anything. Your characters aren't real.

    Your readers, on the other hand, may appreciate a break.
     
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