Created by writers, for writers.
Writing Fiction: Which comes first, Plot or Character?
Today’s Be My Guest Author Article is by Kathryne Kennedy, Author of the upcoming My Unfair Lady.
Whether plot or character comes first when composing a novel is sort of like the chicken and egg thing. It greatly depends on the author’s point of view. Plot and character are so entwined that it’s often hard to even separate the two. Like all elements of a novel-dialogue, exposition, description, pacing-plot and character are woven throughout. I think writing can be compared to weaving, where the threads are blurred within the composition of the overall pattern.
After several books I’ve found that, although there are guidelines to writing, there are no hard and fast rules. That’s why the best authors appear to break them. So I would hesitate to give a definitive answer to that question, and can only offer what I personally do as a writer when starting a new novel.
I start with plot. I’m probably breaking the romance guidelines, as romances are known for their character driven stories. But then again, most of my books are a mix of fantasy and romance, so they’re a bit different anyway.
For me, I have to know where I’m going before I create my characters, even if it’s only a general idea of the plot. Once I have my external conflict (plot) I can then create the characters who would suffer the worst internal conflict within the story. So, if I have a storyline where the heroine must leave her village to find her missing father, who is tangled up in all sorts of political intrigue, I will create a character who is not an adventuress at heart. She’d prefer a cozy, quiet life of knitting and cooking and raising babies. The last thing she would want is to leave her peaceful home and go wandering about the dangerous countryside, eventually becoming tangled up in the same intrigues that cost her father his life. Her internal conflict will be so much greater than creating a character who longs for adventure and excitement. And her growth would be much more rewarding and life-altering.
And then this is where it gets interesting. Because once I create the characters, and plunk them into the story, they will take over, sometimes changing the plot drastically from what I’d first envisioned. And I let them. Because isn’t that the magic of writing, when the words aren’t coming from you, but the characters that you’ve created?
My upcoming release, My Unfair Lady, is a Victorian romance, and probably more character driven than any other book I’ve written. Inspired by Shaw’s Pygmalion, I knew the plot would involve a brash American who comes to London and hires an impoverished duke to turn her into a lady. I knew that someone would be trying to kill the duke, and why. And then I created the characters. The heroine’s reasons for wanting her transformation seemed obvious at first, but then I gave her a secret, one that made her want the things she did, without knowing why, at least at first. When I created my hero I gave him a superficially glamorous life, and a boredom with it that would make my heroine seem like a breath of fresh air-that would make his desire to change her conflict with his growing attraction for her just the way she was. And then the magic happened. The internal conflict became so pronounced that it overwhelmed the external conflict, and I let them loose to figure out each other’s secrets. However, the external plot continued to throw them together time and again to give them a chance to do so. And it was pure joy to watch these two characters discover the truth about themselves, and fall in love with each other while doing so.
So should you start with plot or character? That’s all up to you, and the story you envision writing. But if you’re not quite sure, try starting with a general plot outline or idea, and create characters who would hate to be put into the situation you’ve created. And see where the magic takes you.
About the Author
Kathryne Kennedy is the author of the Relics of Merlin series, acclaimed for her world-building and best known for her historical paranormal romances. She has also written a fantasy romance and this Victorian historical romance. She has also published nearly a dozen short stories in the SFF/Romance genre, receiving Honorable Mention twice in the “Writers of the Future” contest. She has traveled a great deal and has lived in Guam, Okinawa, and several states in the U.S. She is a business owner and currently lives in Arizona with her husband and two sons. For more information, please visit http://www.kathrynekennedy.com/
About The Book
My Unfair Lady by Kathryne Kennedy-in stores December 2009!
He created the perfect woman…
The impoverished Duke of Monchester despises the rich Americans who flock to London, seeking to buy their way into the ranks of the British peerage. So when railroad heiress Summer Wine Lee offers him a king’s ransom if he’ll teach her to become a proper lady, he’s prepared to rebuff her. But when he meets the petite beauty with the knife in her boot, it’s not her fortune he finds impossible to resist…
For the arms of another man
Frontier-bred Summer Wine Lee has no interest in winning over London society-it’s the New York bluebloods and her future mother-in-law she’s determined to impress. She knows the cost of smoothing her rough-and-tumble frontier edges will be high. But she never imagined it might cost her heart…
Thanks for writing this article especially for The Cuckleburr Times readers, Katherine. We’re thrilled! – Editor.
Writing – It’s All in the Conflict15 Commentsleave a comment
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The whole writting process is amazing to me. Your books are great so I think how you do it works well for you.
I enjoyed reading your post. I’m not a writer but for some reason I think I’d probably have to have my plot first. I love the blurb for My Unfair Lady. Can’t wait to read it. Thanks for sharing Kathryne.
Carol L.
Loved the article. I don’t think it should matter which comes first. Plot or character. That should be the writer’s choice. Read the excerpt on My Unfair Lady. Hope to read the book soon.
Thanks for the insight on how your write. It is really interesting to know how a story gets told. The Unfair Lady sounds like a good read. Congrats on your release!
Tamsyn
It’s my absolute pleasure. Thanks so much for having me here!
Kathryne
Hi Kathryne, great article! I say you’re breaking all the right rules because I love your books. Can’t wait for my copy of MY UNFAIR LADY to arrive!
Thoughtful and interesting.
My apologies for not replying earlier. My computer had a glitch. :}
Theresa N.: Thanks so much for your lovely comment. Great to hear that my writing process works for you!
Carol Luciano: It was my pleasure, and I thank you for reading.
Joan Woods: Glad to hear you agree. :} Thank you for such a kind comment.
Tamsyn T: I’m glad you enjoyed the article. Again, thanks so much!
Erin: Good to see you here! Great to know you’re looking forward to the book!
My best to all of you,
Kathryne
Great to hear, Varina. Thank you for leaving a comment!!
I am so glad I did not go visit my brother Kathryne,lol keep that between us,I love hearing how other authors put their sotries together.For me I honestly just start from the beginning because it all unravels like a movie in my mind,and don’t you just hate when you catch a movie in the middle?Anyways,I follow and meet the characters as it moves along,and almost always never know how it is going to end until it does.Sometimes I sit here typing and something in ‘my movie’ happens and I’ll just stop and burst out laughing,or feel like crying or even rabbit kicking the computer in the face.I know it’s not the computers fault.But I can’t change what happens,okay I can but to me if it happens then there’s a reason why it happend,of course I do make a few minor adjustments here and there if it doesn’t make the best of sense.LOL.
Loved your article,I’m even more anxious to read one of your books now.
Kathryne, I’m right there with you on thinking it makes sense to pick the plot first — it works so WELL in your books!
And I’m betting that you’re even better at coming up with characters than you are with plots, because you know you can always create a character to suit any plot you come up with. Someone who’s stronger at plotting than at characterization would probably want to go the other way, getting the hard part over with first so it can be shored up with the part that comes naturally.
I love the part about where the magic happens…and can’t wait to watch it unfold!
Like always, I am excited to read this book! I tried my hand at writing, but I can come up with great ideas, but actually getting them to come out on paper.. not so great.
I love the idea of your characters taking over and guiding the direction of the story! They could
make their version great fun for everyone! I look forward to securing a copy of “My Unfair Lady”
upon its release.
Pat Cochran
Kathryne, I love your books so however you do it, don’t stop. I’m still finding my best practice when it comes to writing a novel. I’m getting close, but it seems similar to yours. I can’t plot or I lose the characters’ depth, but if I do only characterization, then I end up throwing out pages of uneeded scenes. Still, I’m getting closer to what works and it’s great to hear what works for you. It’s sort of a pinch of this and a dash of that
Can’t wait for the new book to come out!
I think character development is more important than the plot. Yes, the plot shows their character, but a good plot with shallow characters gets put back on the shelf. Also, a simple plot can be more than made up by having a good cast of characters, same wont work in reverse though.
I can put money on saying your book will be well worth a read.