˒⠀S O T T . . . 𝙲𝙰𝚁𝙳𝙸𝙸𝙰𝙲

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❛ JUST 𝑺𝑻𝑶𝑷 YOUR CRYING,
IT'S A 𝑺𝑰𝑮𝑵 OF THE 𝑻𝑰𝑴𝑬𝑺. ❜

writing "in character"! ━━ no. 030
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     QUESTION OF THE CHAPTER: HOW DO I KNOW IF MY WRITING IS "IN CHARACTER"? This was one that was requested a very long time ago and I do not remember who requested it, but if they're reading this: this one is for you.

     Honestly, one of the worst criticisms a writer can get is that their character is acting out of character. I personally haven't had anyone on Wattpad call me on this, but I have had friends give me their thoughts on a chapter before I publish it and they've told me this. This led me down a rabbit hole of attempting to figure out where I went wrong and re-writing the entire chapter.

     This critique indicates that the writer has failed at one of their most important jobs: creating and maintaining that element of realism in their story world. When a character acts out of character, what this actually means is that the writer has failed to sustain continuity and the believability of their character's actions/decisions.

     And what is the result of this, you may wonder? It can cause readers to distance themselves from the character and the story, and their suspension of disbelief is endangered, at best.

     However, something that is frustrating, and worth pointing out, about this accusation (that may hold some truth to it) is that, even though it may be incredibly easy for readers to point it out, it's ridiculously difficult for writers to identify it. Or at least, identify the part where their character deviated from their normal behavior. After all, who knows their characters better than the authors? Right? If our character(s) were to act out of character, surely we'd notice and be the first to point it out. So, whenever someone calls attention to it before we took note, our instinctual response is to snort and doubt judgment. Obviously, the reader doesn't understand the character we created.

     But when readers then supply specific examples in our work, we're still at a loss at times. For some authors, it can cause them to grow angry and immediately defend themselves, howling, "She's totally in character! I know my character! I know what she would do! And this is what she would do!"

     Sadly, this performance does little to convince others and is, oftentimes, useless. The proof that they're providing us with is in the words we wrote. How can we say they're wrong when they could be right?

     Today, we dive more into in-character writing, its warning signs, characterization, and more.

     ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ 𝟓 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐈𝐆𝐍𝐒 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐈𝐒 𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐑 ⸝⸝ ⇗
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀→ ⺌ This section is inspired by an article from Helping Writers Become Authors. Credit for this portion goes to them. Disclaimer: I have added my own words, advice, and paraphrased sections of the article.

          "The reason out-of-character characters can be so difficult for writers to see (or accept) is that they're usually the result of our own blind spots. Let's consider a handful of the warning signs."

          ╰─── 𝟬𝟭. Your character suddenly changes personality.

          ╰─── 𝟬𝟮. Your character suddenly changes goals.

          ╰─── 𝟬𝟯. Your character suddenly changes his behavior toward another important character.

          ╰─── 𝟬𝟰. Your character experiences significant emotional swings.

          ╰─── 𝟬𝟱. Your character does something unexpected.

          "Now, if you're like me, you're probably able to look at that list and identify several instances in your own stories, in which characters have done just that. So what am I trying to tell you? That your characters, in your perfectly good story, are acting out of character? The nerve.

          "Well, maybe that's what I'm telling you. But more than likely, your characters are just fine the way they are, even with all those sudden changes. The root of the out-of-character problem is a little more complicated than the bare warning signs all by themselves."

     ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ 𝟔 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐈𝐆𝐍𝐒 𝐌𝐀𝐘 𝐁𝐄 𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐄 ⸝⸝ ⇗
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀→ ⺌ This section is inspired by an article from Helping Writers Become Authors. Credit for this portion goes to them. Disclaimer: I have added my own words, advice, and paraphrased sections of the article.

          "Here's the simple truth about characters acting out of character: The idea that certain people will never behave certain ways is just flat-out untrue. Put any person in the right situation and he will act in ways that even he could never have predicted.

           ➳❥ Example: "The entire story of Jim Sheridan's Brothers hinges on this idea. The "good" brother goes to war, is captured, and, in his desperation to get back to his wife and daughters, he murders one of his own soldiers. Did he act out of his character (as it was established at the beginning of the story)? Sure. Did it work in the story anyway? Absolutely.

          "This leads us to the premise that the real problem we're addressing isn't the actual act of the character acting out of character. So what is it? The real problem is the lack of causal realism—or, in other words, a lack of believably constructed character motive.

          "Consider our previous list of warning signs. If you can identify any moment in your story that qualifies, look deeper. Ask yourself if any of the following also rings true:

          ╰─── 𝟬𝟭. The character lacks any obvious or sensible reason for his unusual actions.

          ╰─── 𝟬𝟮. The character's reason for his new motive isn't strong enough.

          ╰─── 𝟬𝟯. The story fails to explain the character's motivation.

          ╰─── 𝟬𝟰. The narrative fails to offer proof the character is evolving into someone who would feasibly perform this new action.

          ╰─── 𝟬𝟱. The narrative fails to present enough time for the character's evolution to make sense.

          ╰─── 𝟬𝟲. The narrative doesn't share the character's inner reactions (especially in sequel scenes).

          "If you're getting reports that your characters are acting out of character, it may be a sign of a deeper problem in your plot, your character building, or your narrative flow. Identifying which (or all three) are at fault will help you figure out how to create stories and characters that resonate with readers, no matter how many unexpected turns they may take."

     ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐒 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐙𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍? ⸝⸝ ⇗
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀→ ⺌ This section is inspired by an article from MasterClass. Credit for this portion goes to them.

          ╰─── "Characterization is the way that a writer communicates a character's traits to the reader. It can either be direct characterization, where the author uses direct statements to tell the readers exactly what the character is like, or indirect characterization, where the writer suggests to the readers what the character is like by describing the way the character acts. Good characterization is crucial to any short story or novel because it allows writers to paint compelling portraits of their fictional characters as real people. Any character—whether they're a round or flat character—needs to feel real enough to readers that they care about what happens to them; that's what keeps readers turning pages."

     ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ 𝐇𝐎𝐖 𝐓𝐎 𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐀𝐋 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐈𝐍 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆: 𝟓 𝐓𝐈𝐏𝐒 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐙𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 ⸝⸝ ⇗
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀→ ⺌ This section is inspired by an article from MasterClass. Credit for this portion goes to them. Disclaimer: I have added my own words, advice, and paraphrased sections of the article.

          "Regardless of the type of characterization you use—direct or indirect—there are a few different approaches you can use to make your characters feel developed and interesting."

          ╰─── 𝟬𝟭. How your character looks. "Readers can learn a lot about your characters by their physical appearance. Are they fit? Do they wear jeans or slacks? Do they have a cigarette dangling from their lips? Physical description details like these can clue readers into a character's personality, lifestyle, and priorities—not to mention give them something to picture as they read."

          ╰─── 𝟬𝟮. How your character acts. "Actions speak volumes, and fictional actions are no exception: from the way they walk to their morning rituals to the things they order at a restaurant, describing your character's actions—the way they interact with the world—is a great way to foster character development. Giving your characters specific mannerisms, like a nervous twitch or a particular way they drink their coffee, will aid in making them feel developed and believable."

          ╰─── 𝟬𝟯. How your character reacts. "Anybody can keep their cool if everything's going as they expect—but what happens when the unexpected strikes? If a server spills a drink, does your character yell or forgive them? If someone tells them they love them, does your character say it back? The ways that your character reacts to small moments or big events tells a lot about what they're really like."

          ╰─── 𝟬𝟰. How your character speaks. "The way your character speaks will say a lot about them. Do they use words like ain't and gotta? Are they constantly chatting or do they rarely say a word? Do they swear? Do they compliment others or insult them? Using dialogue is a great way to help authors show where their characters come from, what they care about, and how they express it."

          ╰─── 𝟬𝟱. How your character thinks. "There's nothing like getting right into a character's head—it's the most direct way to reveal their personality, but it can also be the most difficult. A character's thoughts need to be written entirely with their point of view in mind, so you need to be prepared to describe their private thoughts in a way that crafts a believable person."

     I hope these were all helpful and if you have any questions or want more tips on this topic, let me know!

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❛ THEY TOLD ME THAT 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑬𝑵𝑫
IS 𝑵𝑬𝑨𝑹, WE GOTTA GET 𝑨𝑾𝑨𝒀
FROM 𝙷𝙴𝚁𝙴. ❜
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