#the write angle

[mischiefiswritten]

|| The Write Angle || Character Dynamics

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There are a lot of iconic squads of fictional characters out there who play off each other to absolute perfection. They keep us coming back for more and inspire fanfiction and fanart and shoving whatever piece of media they come from down the throats of everyone we know. (Just me?)

Frodo and Sam. Sherlock and Watson. Sam and Dean. The Gaang. Whether they’re siblings, lovers, frenemies, or bitter rivals, character dynamics can bring life to a work of fiction in a way few other things can.

What are your favorite character dynamics? Do you prefer duos or an entire squad? What elements in a dynamic make it truly *chef’s kiss*? Do your preferences differ if you’re the reader as opposed to the writer?

I’ll start things off with two of my favorite character dynamics/tropes. The first is grizzled and/or gruff loner character who Does Not Form Attachments that adopts the smol bean who is a living ray of sunshine or otherwise just their child/charge now. From John Silver taking Jim Hawkins under his wing in Treasure Planet to the titular Mandalorian forming a clan of two with Baby Yoda, I cannot get enough of this trope. It tugs at the heart strings and sets up great potential for suspense, strife, and angst. There’s something about the innocence of the smol bean proving the warmth of their rough and tough guardian and bringing out their potential for good, especially in the context of a more morally ambiguous character.

The second dynamic is enemy-to-adopted-weird-uncle-who-still-hasn’t-really-changed-sides-exactly. The most prototypical example of this is Hector Barbosa in the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy. He’s the primary antagonist of the first film, but by the third (spoilers) he’s marrying two of the heroes mid-battle. He’s not exactly friends with the good guys, but at the same time, he is. The longstanding comedic irony in this group dynamic is one of the primary draws for me, as well as that unique push and pull of being fond of someone you can’t necessarily trust to be on your side. I revel in the massive grey area of these kinds of relationships.

I don’t know that I have a true preference for group dynamics or one-on-ones, but group dynamics often prove to be more difficult to balance. There’s actually a pretty clean split between my two active WIPs. In The Calm Before, it’s more a series of one-on-one dynamics, while Here There Be Monsters has to deal more with how a larger group interacts and relates as a whole.

Join in and start chatting about character dynamics! Reblog or tag me in your own ‘Write Angle’ post with your take. No deadline for participation, and no need to necessarily answer the questions above - they’re just prompts to get the ball rolling!

Taglist under the cut. Drop me a line to be added/removed.

@ren-c-leyn / @monstrouswrites / @inscrutable-shadow / @sundaynightnovels / @seventypercentvodka / @iamidentical / @perringwrites / @dahladahlabills / @thewritertiffany / @writevevo

Thanks everybody!

<3 Mis   |05.28.20|

[mischiefiswritten]

|| The Write Angle || Are Adverbs Really Evil?

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The road to Hell is paved with adverbs. Or so a lot of people say. And not just internet people, who - let’s face it - will say anything. Even best-selling, full-time writers dish this adage out amongst their advice for others. I believe it’s actually a takeaway from Stephen King’s book, On Writing! Nevertheless, the topic persists as one of those never ending wars of attrition within the writing world (similar to the war being waged over the battle cry “said is dead”).

But, surely there must be a reason adverbs are so pervasive, so natural in our writing. It goes beyond writing as well; tell a story aloud to someone, even if you’re just relating the events of the day or what you saw on your commute. Notice all the adverbs that roll from your tongue! Now imagine those same conversations with those adverbs stripped away. Though this is not precisely what the “eschew adverbs” advice is advocating, it makes speech seem slightly... wrong. Flat maybe. Adverbs evolved as a part of human language for some reason, I’m sure of it. I suppose the question comes down to this: because it comes so naturally, does that mean it’s right for the craft - or wrong?

What’s your stance on adverbs in creative writing? How often do they make an appearance in your own writing, and how do you address them in editing?

Bonus! Just for fun: what are some of your favorite adverbs??

From my own perspective, adverbs are just another tool for writers to make use of as skillfully as we can. They’re pervasive in my own work - that much is clear. If you’re in doubt of my belief of their being a natural part of language and storytelling, check how many time I used adverbs in this short post! I understand the crux of the matter is to use more evocative writing, such that you don’t need adverbs to qualify your words. But, hear me out - 

“Said softly” holds an entirely different meaning than “whispered.” This is my hill and I will die upon it.

My bottom line is that I want to use whatever combination of words best gets my meaning across - regardless of what parts of speech they are - and of course style, the general flow and melody and picture the words make on the page, factors in. That said, what I try to cut from my writing are filter words - anything that mitigates or puts distance between the reader and the story. A lot of these turn out to be adverbs, as it happens. My writing has a lot of “slightly” and “mostly” and “somewhat” in it that makes it weaker!

Anyone who wants to participate, please consider this your personal invitation to jump in and start reblogging with your take on the subject! (You don’t have to answer the exact questions above; they’re just ideas to get you rolling!)

There is no deadline for participation. Share your two cents anytime!

Taglist: @ren-c-leyn, @inscrutable-shadow, @monstrouswrites, @sundaynightnovels, @seventypercentvodka, @iamidentical, @perringwrites, @cragamiel, @dahladahlabills, @darkforestroads

No pressure to participate, even if you’re tagged. If you want to be added to/removed from the taglist, please let me know!

<3 Mis  |05.06.20|