Bad Decisions
Last night in my crit group, I brought a chapter in which one of my main characters makes a bad decision. And it's pretty interesting. Because Tomato Blogger said, "Right now I am pretty frustrated with Evie. But that's okay."
And therein lies one of the trickier elements to writing a novel. Having it be okay.
Because we all make bad decisions. It's part of life. But have you ever had a friend who was a train wreck? Who made bad decision after bad decision after bad decision, until you just could barely stand to be around them? Everyone in their whole world screams, "NO, don't marry the four-time felon . . . " but off they go down the aisle. Again.
With characters, at times they must make bad decisions. Only making perfect decisions would make for a boring book. Or maybe it's not a bad decision, per se, but simply the WRONG one, such as in a thriller, believing the killer is Suspect #1, when it actuality it's the guy next door. So how do you keep any frustration at an acceptable level for readers? Without it crossing over into Too Stupid to Live Territory.
I think in my work-in-progress, on this second draft, I added a second layer to her decision. On the first go 'round, she made the decision on purely moral terms (and the decision, in a nutshell, is whether or not to, as a pregnant woman in a dystopic future, to enter into a walled area where she would be safe, versus living in serious danger and darkness in a city gone to ruin). Morally, she is against (naively) the idea that her doctor-husband would work for the company on the other side of the Wall. As Tomato Blogger said, "BUT SHE'S PREGNANT!" So this time around, though she is still morally naive, in a sense, she has added a more sinister FEELING about the other side of the Wall. The people there are kind of like her. [No offense if you are a fan, she just scares the crap out of me.] The Wall is Halliburton. Dark deals done by ruthless people.
So back story helps, more depth helps, . . . motivation helps . . . and knowing there is a LIMIT helps, I think. Stubborn refusal that becomes insanely foolhardy just makes people toss their books against the wall. Or delete them off their Kindle.
So thoughts? How do you balance elements like this? Ever read a novel when the bad decisions were just so frustrating you were totally turned off?
4 comments:
For a study of this I'd recommend writers read the Harry Potter novels. Harry's actions are, for the most part, internally logical and age appropriate. Yet, I think as an adult you read the books and think, "You really should have told one of the teachers." Of course, that's consistent, too, because kids often feel that when they voice suspicions about someone or something they will be ignored by adults and teachers (whether it's true or not; kids don't always see the process, just the end result).
And, I would add, going to the adults would pretty much kill the beauty of most books for kids.
Mark:
Definitely. I know in my middle grades, there's always this motivation for the two cousins to "prove themselves." They don't feel they will be doubted so much as they want to be treated like adults, or older, which I think is another authentic emotion--and also another emotion that gets kids in trouble.
I think it helps if there's consequences to both sides of the equation, like with your Sarah Palin wall. Harry Potter often feels as if he's an outsider, like he'll get in trouble (he's often deep enough in it he would, too) and there's often extenuating circumstances that make getting in that kind of trouble hurtful to his schooling and his life.
Trinidad makes a string of bad decisions after Castile is jailed by the Bishop. He tries to meet with one of the coven leaders and gets caught. He goes to his armsmaster for advice, forgetting that as friendly as they are, the armsmaster is basically a mercenary whose salary comes from the Church. He then follows his heart instead of direct orders and gets caught and jailed, costing several people their lives.
He's basically flailing, trying to save Castile, but he never stops to THINK.
One of my critters said she really wants him to think. But another said, "No, Trinidad is not a thinker. He's a doer."
Which is exactly right. He's in the habit of not thinking or remembering his past since to him that's to succumb to the pain. Frustrating? As hell. But I believe he's behaving true to his character and motivation.
I'm guessing Evie is too.
Starbucks:
I think so. She just is so loathe to go there (the place has Christian/religious overtones). And she can't understand her atheist spouse willing to . . . she's not seeing it in practical terms but in emotional terms. I actually think BECAUSE she is preggers she's being more emotional, so I feel like that is realistic (at least from my experience).
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