Alone in a Character Desert

Just in! You can hear a few minutes of the audio version of STOLEN MAGIC here: https://soundcloud.com/harperaudio_us/stolenmagic_levine!

Here’s a preview of my upcoming tour for Stolen Magic. You’ll see that the farthest west I’ll be coming is Ohio and also that the time isn’t set yet for my first appearance in Washington, DC, but you can contact the bookstore for details.

Sunday, April 19th – Rhinebeck, NY
Oblong Books @4:00 PM (with Jeanne Birdsall)

Tuesday, April 21st – Concord, NH
Gibson’s Bookstore @6:30 PM

Thursday, April 23rd – Fairless Hills, PA
B&N Fairless Hills @7:00 PM

Saturday, April 25th – Hudson, OH
The Hudson Library & Historical Society from 2 – 4 PM

Sunday, April 26th – Washington, DC
Barston’s Childs Play @ 3:30 PM

Monday, April 27th – Takoma Park, MD
Takoma Park Public Library @7:30 PM

On October 30, 2014, Rock On wrote, I was kind of having trouble with the idea for one of my characters. She’s a loner, and I’ve never written an MC who was a loner before. I like to give my characters a good, quirky supporting cast with a really close best friend and a geeky friend and lots of other unique characters. But if my character is a loner then that means basically no friends. She’s an only child too, so no siblings. About the only people she has are her parents and then she has a dog. Any suggestions for a book with about three good characters and a dog, and then the villain?

In response, Bibliophile wrote, I assume by loner you mean introverted, not good with most people, etc. If that is the case, then that just means that your MC won’t have a lot of friends, not none at all. She can still have a supporting cast of three or so friends who are probably misfits as well. Frankly, most of the characters I write ARE loners or misfits, mostly because I have never had an exorbitant amount of friends myself or I forget to write in interactions with other people besides like, one other person who is normally some sort of love interest. I think that any plot can be used with that cast of characters, though you may find that that size cast is just hard to work with. I do assume though that each of these characters are involved enough that it would be possible to tell the story or the majority of it from any of their POVs. That said, there is still room to place in tertiary characters to liven things up.

Bibliophile’s idea is certainly a possibility. Rock On’s MC–let’s call her Regina–may have a few friends who aren’t close to her, maybe because she pushes them away. Part of the arc of the story could be her growth in the friend department, and at the end she may have a best buddy. Could be that in the book’s crisis she’ll fail unless she relies on someone. For a happy ending, she does, and the friend comes through. For a tragedy, she doesn’t, or she does and the friend fails her.

We can add more characters if we like, the quirky supporting cast, although maybe not the best friend, while maintaining Regina’s loner personality. One of the supporting characters can be super-friendly, which may be annoying or not, and we can write all the ways Regina pushes him away. We can make a teacher reach out to her, and even though she likes this teacher, she can still keep herself at a long arm’s length.

Or we can make Regina a loner not by choice. She’s always reaching out, but her attempts are so awkward that people are put off. Or she’s hyper-critical and no one can stand to be around her. In this case we can also have a big cast, although no one likes her.

There are other alternatives as well. A long time ago I read a thriller called Slayground by Richard Stark (high school and up), which I’ve mentioned before on the blog. Most of the book, as I remember it, is a chase through an amusement part, and it was so tense that I inhaled before I read the first sentence and exhaled when I closed the book. Parker, the hero, isn’t a saint, but the people who are after him are worse. If I remember right, there were flashbacks to scenes with them and also to scenes with Parker’s girlfriend, but mostly the reader is in his head as he plans how to escape and how to defeat them. As I recall, we get to know only Parker in the course of the story, but it’s enough, because the action is so intense.

We can try something similar. Regina is alone somewhere; let’s imagine the setting is a kingdom where she doesn’t speak more than a few words of the language; she’s on a mission to capture the king’s daughter and get out. We write her thoughts, her plans, her emotions; we describe the castle and provide her observations of the king and his courtiers, the daughter, her nursemaids. We take her on a midnight exploration, where she fears discovery at every moment. If we want to suggest other characters in her life, we can have her write communiques that report her progress and failures to her commander at home, to her brother, to her teacher who prepared her for the mission. There’s probably going to be little dialogue in such a story, but lots of thoughts, setting, and, most of all, action.

Regina, her dog, and her parents can live in a remote place. She’s home-schooled, and she helps her parents with their work studying the behavior of a certain species of beetle. Maybe one of the parents is having trouble of some sort, and the beetles have been infested with a parasite, and Regina is carrying on a running argument with her parents about her future. Meanwhile, the dog develops a limp and the villain shows up. There’s a lot of complexity here. I don’t know if we need more characters.

The dog can be a full-fledged character, too, which will expand the cast a little. Even books for adults include animals who think in language. Some of them speak. A few examples include: Nop’s Trials by Donald McCaig (middle school and up, I think), which I loved, about a border collie; Call of the Wild by Jack London; Watchers by Dean Koontz (I’m not sure; maybe middle school, maybe high school), in which the dog’s name is Einstein, and I don’t think there are many characters in this one, either; Charlotte’s Web; Bambi. I don’t think the animals communicate directly with the human characters in any of these except Watchers. The dog in Rock On’s book–and ours–can talk if she wants it to. Regina’s dog can talk, can be her friend while maintaining its doggy qualities.

Here are five prompts:

• Regina lands on the seventh planet of a giant star, where conditions are deemed suitable for people. The others in her seven-member crew died during the crossing. She discovers three-legged sentient beings on this planet who remind her of stools more than of anything else. She needs to establish camp, resume communication with earth, and win the cooperation of the aliens. Write the story.

• Regina, a talented actor, is in a theater group. Everyone but her is outgoing, and she plays the part of a lovable friendly person. Because she’s so good, her fellow performers keep expecting her to be like her character. Write the cast party after the final performance in which she makes everyone understand that she is NOT their friend.

• Regina and her intelligent dog are home alone when the villain rings the doorbell and manages to get in the house. Write the scene, and be sure to keep the dog doglike even if you decide it can talk.

• Write the story of Regina with her beetle-scientist parents. You can give her the problems that I suggested or make up your own.

• Write the story of Regina and her attempt to kidnap the young princess.

Have fun, and save what you write!

44 Responses on “Alone in a Character Desert”

  1. Chicory says:

    One really good example of a book with limited characters is `Nim's Island.' There is just Nim, her dad, the author she's writing to, and her three pets (oh, and a random tour boat.) But the book has exactly enough characters.

  2. Erica Eliza says:

    I wrote a NaNoWriMo length book (fifty thousand words) that was mostly just the main character interacting with one other person. She and the other person are hiding a secret, so whenever her friends or sister try to get close to her, she pushes them away. Pushing someone away is still interaction. All her deep interaction happens with the one character, but others get their moments too. I actually liked writing a small, focused story.
    I'm reading Stitching Snow by R.C. Lewis. It's basically Snow White in space with robots instead of dwarves. The story starts off with a boy crash landing on her planet. Since she's hiding from the queen, she's wary about talking to strangers, so their dialogue is really stilted. The robots can talk, though, so they provide comic relief and help break the tension.

  4. Tracey Dyck says:

    I wrote a 20,000 word novella based on Beauty and the Beast, and it had a cast of only three characters. More like two, actually, since the third was pretty much comatose until the very end. But the two main characters' relationship was deep enough to carry the plot well.

    These prompts are fantastic! I LOVE the one about Regina capturing a princess. Really got my writer's brain going. 🙂

  6. Penguin says:

    Off topic, but I have a writing problem.
    I wrote a short (very short) story about a character which I created before, but didn't include in anything. I really like the story, which is little and light and about a mother and daughter(the MC is the daughter). The problem is that my character is way cooler than the story, and I feel like I should save her for something else. She was created in a steampunk universe, and she has these metal prosthetic hands that she adds tools/weapons to. As a side character she was super mysterious and exciting with like 12 different middle names that she switches around by the day/person, and maybe two different colored eyes, but for the story I toned her down a little, made her a little too proud of herself, and younger and less dangerous. Really the only thing that remains constant are the hands. Should I keep her for a later role as a side character in something longer, or should I keep her in the story?

    • Katie B says:

      For what it's worth, I definitely agree! One of my favorite things is to read about a character I love as they continue to grow and take part in various stories, either in one plot, or through a series, or even across multiple series! And she truly sounds like an awesome character to read about and watch grow 😀

    • Penguin says:

      Thank you! I never thought of putting her into multiple, and I think I might age her into a future character. She's one of the best ones I've come up with so far and I want to keep her around for as long as possible.

  7. Katie B says:

    I was so overwhelmingly excited to see that you're coming to Hudson, Ohio. I'm only about 45 minutes away, and given that it's a Saturday it's perfectly doable!

    And then I realized that it's the same day as my cousin's wedding, and there is basically zero chance that I can make it (the wedding starts at noon, and I really think my entire family would hate me if I tried to rush out as soon as the mass is over). I'm so, SO bummed that I won't get the chance to come see you! However, I am anxiously awaiting Stolen Magic!! I hope you have a wonderful release tour 😀

  8. Rock On says:

    Thank you so much for writing this post! I think I lost the book I was working on then, but this gives me some good ideas for my current writing project. Glad I saw this. Thanks again. =)

  9. Chrissa says:

    Another book with a loner type MC is “Greenglass House,” by Kate Milford. Milo is a bit OCD living in a remote Inn with only his adoptive parents hoping for a quiet Christmas holiday. And of course that doesn't happen … the cast of characters that arrive in a snow storm are not his friends, but they provide tons of fodder for Milo's adventure. Wonderful example of a loner who plays off other character's. The story is full of mystery, action and the MC's personal growth found through role-playing.

  10. unsocialized homeschooler says:

    Oooh this was super helpful! My camp nanowrimo character is also a loner and I've been having waaaayyy to much trouble with him.

    Unrelated, but I just got my hands on a copy of Writer to Writer (my library just got it in a couple of days ago) and saw that my username and question was in it! I was ridiculously and completely thrilled. I haven't stopped grinning since I read it.
    I'm only halfway through but I love it and it's perfect.

  11. Elisa says:

    Hi! Wow, it's great to be back! I havn't been keeping up with this blog lately, and it's been nice reading through the latest posts. I've been fixing up my TTDP story, which I all of a sudden decided needed to be set in a different time period….so anyways, that was intense. That was a story I have been planning for SIX years and suddenly it's getting switched all-around and it was extremely difficult. But in a good way, I hope. I have a problem related to another of my stories. I have this character who joins the army to save her (step) family from having to pay a draft-tax. It's kinda like a Cinderella/Mulan mashup. What I would like to know is: what do y'all like to see in a story about a girl masquerading as a man? I'd just like some inspiration. Any thoughts? Warnings? Advice of any kind? Thanks!

    • gailcarsonlevine says:

      I haven't done that, but I have actually turned a girl into a toad, and in FAIREST Aza undergoes a transformation, won't say what. I'd suggest that to make it feel real, detail is crucial: the walk, the voice, the costume, thoughts about how she's coming across, feelings, maybe of fear, triumph, and more. Anyone else have any suggestions?

    • Penguin says:

      I don't have any experience writing about this, so this may not be the best advice, but I think that you should read the book Leviathan, by Scott Westerfeld.(it's YA, just warning you) The main character is a girl masquerading as a boy, and even though she's not in the military, she does work on an airship among all men. I like her as a character a lot, and I guess it might be useful to look at her interactions with the other boys.

    • Erica Eliza says:

      Every girl-masquerading-as-boy story I'm familiar with has:
      1. Awkward comedy. Kind of comes with the package. Some stories play it entirely for comedy, but even serious stories pull it in sometimes.
      2. Especially strained romantic tension because she can't even hint that romance is a possibility
      3. Reflection on what a girl's role and a boy's role is. As with the comedy, sometimes this is the whole point, (which I don't really like because it can get heavyhanded) but it's always in there to some degree
      4. The girl being terrified of someone seeing through her disguise
      5. Multiple close calls and boys teasing her about not being manly, which makes her panic and think they suspect
      6. The girl either being such an exceptional fighter that she surpasses all the boys, or the girl having to work her way up. I favor the second one. My favorite part of Disney's Mulan is the training montage because you get to watch her grow.
      7. A dramatic reveal. Having the girl get injured is a pretty common way for it to happen, but there are other ways, like her doing magic only a girl can do, or straight up confessing to her love interest.

      It might be useful for you to read up on women and girls who've sneaked into the military over the ages. It's more common than you'd think. Historians estimate there were over a thousand in the Civil War alone.

    • Elisa says:

      Thanks guys! Penguin, I'll look that book up. Mrs. Levine, yes I agree, details are important. I've decided to have her practice walking like a man a lot before she runs off, because she was always trained to have a light tread and take small quick steps. Erica Eliza, thanks, you've given me lots to think about. Aye, Marian's a learner alright. In the beginning she has next to no skills besides hunting and skinning animals. And the dramatic "reveal." I've always hated the whole injury-related-reveal. I'm not even gonna gonna go there. And no love-interests either. That always bugged me terribly. And yes. I will definitely look up the civil war records etc. Thank you. If anyone else has anything to add feel free, I will be grateful for any input.

    • Erica Eliza says:

      Oh, and here's this. It might help. Or get you hopelessly sidetracked. I always feel bad dropping tvtropes links.
      http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/SweetPollyOliver

      Since you got me thinking about it, I went on a google prowl and I'm shocked at how many girls got away with it. There was a famous Revolutionary War soldier, Deborah Sampson, who was injured twice, and took musket balls out of her leg by herself with a pocketknife so she could keep her secret hidden. Wow, these girls were tough!
      Good luck on your story!

    • Kenzi Parsons says:

      @Elisa I am in love with your story idea!! It's something I would totally read 🙂 I don't have any advice–just encouragement! I think it sounds fabulous, exciting, and fun! Good luck!!

    • Song4myKing says:

      One warning: when you think of problems she might face in her masquerade – even if you think of them halfway through the writing process – carefully consider whether she would have thought of it earlier or not. In one book I read, the MC had everything planned out well for several months in advance, then was caught off guard when she got her period. This doesn't mean you have to address every potential problem – your readers will take it for granted that your MC is smart enough to have thought of a lot of the nitty-gritty things.

      Good luck with it! It's a subject that can go many different ways and spark quite interesting situations!

  12. Penguin says:

    Sorry for a second comment, and also sorry for assuming that your army was all male…. I would also add that she would probably be fidgety and nervous at the beginning of her time as a "man", and afraid that she's going to get caught. Then she would get more comfortable/careless, depending on if, when, and how she gets caught.

    • Elisa says:

      Oh hey, no problem, she wouldn't be disguised if it were a mixed gender army, though after she is discovered to be a woman she is held to her contract and becomes the only (known) woman in the army. And yes, she is fidgety at first, but an older soldier takes her under his wing because he assumes she is just a mountain boy too young for war. He makes sure no one bothers her too much, but she does get teased because of her excellent cooking skills and later everyone realizes why she is such a good cook and they can't believe their stupidity etc. She is very careful always, and though she has a few close calls, it isn't her fault when she is discovered, it's her sister's.

    • J. Garf says:

      Another woman you could look up is Charlotte Parkhurst. She didn't join the army but disguised herself as a man because she recognized that they had more opportunities during the time she lived. She became a stage coach driver and was so good at it that no one knew until she died.

  13. Kenzi Parsons says:

    Has anyone tried to co-author a book? My best friend (of twelve years) and I have a story we've been trying to co-author since we were only eight years old but really aren't sure how to go about it. We tried the whole "these three characters are yours, these three are mine, and we'll trade off chapters with them" but our writing styles and preferences are so different, and making our characters interact was so hard, that it sort of fell apart. We're both in love with the story still, but aren't sure how to make it work. Any thoughts? 🙂

    • gailcarsonlevine says:

      I haven't collaborated on a book, but sometimes one person writes the first draft and the other revises, which might result in a voice that reflects the best of each of you. Anyone else have suggestions?

  15. capng says:

    What if you have the opposite problem – too many characters? My novel takes place on a ship, with the MC being the captain, and while I have all the secondary characters developed and planned out, I feel like there are too many to give them the page time they deserve. Any ideas, please?

    • Kenzi Parsons says:

      I totally understand your problem!! I just started reading "The Hound of Rowan" Series (which everyone should read–it's amazing!!), which has tons of characters. However, the author keeps the reader from getting confused or losing track of characters by bringing them up when they're needed, or keeping them in the background. Even with only a few interactions, those moments are enough to solidify the characters so that when they go "back on the shelf" (not being used at the current scene), the reader still knows they're there and isn't surprised when they are pulled back out again once they are needed. Basically, you only need a few good interactions to get the characters known to the audience. If they're fleshed out and unique from each other, the reader won't confuse them and will keep them in the back of their minds. Even one interaction is really all it takes. I hope this helped a little! 🙂

  16. Xiola Cochrane says:

    Hello Gail,
    I am a Bournemouth University English student and I am currently writing my dissertation on the evolution of Cinderella, and due to my love of your book, I have chose to analyse Ella Enchanted as one of the three editions.
    I wondered if it would be possible to contact you to ask a few questions with regards to your religious views and other bits to do with your story? It would enhance my dissertation and be really interesting for me as I have loved this book from a young age (hence choosing to include it in my final bit of work!)
    I look forward to hearing back from you, thank you!
    Xiola 🙂

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