In horse racing we have a term for when a horse gets the best of a rider and "runs off". Usually this happens in the morning during the hours of training. For various reasons a horse decides to test, ignore, or disregard his exercise rider or jockey and takes off at a dead run or at an uncontrolled run. It's no fun to be on board when this happens because if fear motivates this action, there's no telling where the horse will run. Will he stay on the track? Will he head for the gap? Whatever his choices, the rider keeps working to gain control of the jaws that have gone cold and unresponsive.
Yesterday Brenda J. brought up characters who "run off" with us as writers. They head directions we never planned to send them. No matter what we thought was right for them, they've set their sights on other ways and means and left us in their dust. While some of the highly organized and plot-driven calculators might find this laughable and absurd, it's a plight we seat-of-the-pantsers contend with on a regular basis when writing our novels.
Characters insert themselves into stories without so much as an introduction and dominate a place we never pictured for them. They claim their portions of our stories and refuse to exit until they've made their marks. Once they've interacted and intersected with the other characters they dare us to remove them, making a solid case for their necessities to the plot. Obviously it's useless to argue with them.
Not nearly as frightening as being a passenger on the lighter exercise saddles of a running off Thoroughbred, a writer can still feel a little out of control when his characters stage their own scenes and invite friends we never intended to include on the guest list.
So much of writing is out of our control . . .
Father, we rest in your ultimate control and thank you for you it. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
And along a related line--you have to be careful where you insert kids into a story--they are typical culprits for stealing a scene.
Posted by: BK Jackson | August 30, 2011 at 11:27 PM
Little attention getters!
Posted by: Nicole | August 31, 2011 at 06:37 AM
As as addendum to this conversation, for any ACFW members out there, the September ACFW Online course is about---managing those secondary characters.
Talk about timing! 8-)
Posted by: BK Jackson | August 31, 2011 at 02:37 PM
It's fun to go down those paths sometimes. Currently, I call it a "luxury" since time doesn't permit to do much seat of the pants writing. That kind of writing potentially leads to the most profound results, though, I think. It would be interesting to know how many literary classics started with a conflict by conflict outline.
There's a horse track 10 minutes from my house. My hubby and I decided on a whim to eat at the restaurant there. We got to watch several races. I thought of you. :)
Posted by: Jessica Thomas | September 01, 2011 at 07:15 AM
Those characters are always invading my stories. I love them actually. ;) They introduce themselves sometimes thoughtfully, other times intrusively, but they always fascinate me and almost force me to give them their due.
It is a luxury to those with little time and focused organization.
What track is it, Jess? Glad you enjoyed yourself. And thanks for thinkin' of me. :)
Posted by: Nicole | September 01, 2011 at 07:51 AM
And Brenda J., "---managing those secondary characters." That sounds suspiciously like "What's essential to the story" to me, and that is so subjective. Who wants to "manage" those characters anyway? ;)
Posted by: Nicole | September 01, 2011 at 07:54 AM