Reacting vs. Reacting

Reacting vs. Reacting

What's the difference between the two? 

While browsing through a critic section of a certain novel, I saw a comment stating that the MC's biggest fallacy was that s/he is bland because s/he just reacts to a situation. At first, I thought this made sense, that I understood what the commentator meant. Obviously, the MC is just "reacting" to a situation because the author just needs her/him to move the plot along.

And then, when I actually thought about it, I realize how "deep" that comment really is.

First of all, everyone reacts to everything. It's inevitable. Even when someone gets hit with a ball and doesn't do anything, the person is reacting. The reaction is the indifference to the ball.

But readers are bound to get bored of this dynamic. Something happens, someone does. So on and so forth.

There are many types of reactions, most of them as unique as the person reacting. The difference between a "bland" reaction and a "motivated" or "interesting" reaction is the why factor. There's gotta be a better reason for a character doing something other than "it was convenient for the plot". Think of a reason that actually connects your character's personality/motives with his/her actions. Do two and two connect? Disconnect? If so, why? Making the connections will help characters gain more depth as an individual.

There are many factors that can play into this; don't hesitate to use your imagination. It mostly depends on how complex you want to get, as well as your target audience.

How to Create Fantasy Creatures

 How to Create Fantasy Creatures

A "Realistic" Spin on Creature Creation

Practically every fantasy book has some sort of mystical creature, either original, borrowed from folklore, or neither (anthropomorphizing Earth's creatures). Whatever the case, magical creatures are signature of fantasy. If you have them in your story, then it is crucial they be one of the stronger components since they contribute a great deal to the allure of your realm.

 

The method I use to create "realistic" fantasy creatures is mix-and-match. Probably every creator has used this method at least twice: basically, mash together two or more random creatures into one. For example, a centaur; a human and a horse. We don't stop there, however. That's the easy part.

Here's where we get a little bit into the nitty-gritty, specifically history. Everyone (I think) knows what a centaur is. Centaurs have a high level of appeal. Something about them just...clicks. In fact, a centaur practically makes sense, unless you were one of those sharp kids who asked, How does that even work?

Vampires--How have they come to be one of the most vastly-known "creatures", even before Twilight's time,  when they are simply humans with fangs and a dangerous penchant for blood?

One of my theories behind the centaur's 'popularity', for lack of a better word, has a lot to do with its origins. Wikipedia has a section called "theories of origin" for centaurs. One of the major theories is that the motif of centaurs arose because of a pastoral community that evolved primarily due to its "mounted nature". These ancient cultures did practically all their living--and dying--on the saddle. Other cultures who found this sort of living alien interpreted these men on horseback as...Well, centaurs. Suddenly, all these stories about centaurs bursts forth, and quite frankly this is where the creativity seriously kicks in.

Writing Processes: Character Creation

Leon "Gale" Casma
Inspired by your average romance
book cover. Well, not really...

How to Create 3-D Characters: Psychology of the Human Spirit Dissected (warning: not for the faint-hearted)

Just thought I'd share a bit of my writing habits with you. Let's compare notes!

Character creation, as we all know, is damn important. Creating amazing characters comes directly after an amazing storyline. That feeling you get when your characters leave such an impression on readers to the point that they just want more (who knows, maybe even less) [insert character name] in general? One of the most rewarding feelings you could ever feel as a writer.

So what can we do to avoid making something 2-dimensional, or, even worse, ignorant? Well, for one thing, we can think. Deeply. That, and try to understand and sympathize with your fellow human-beings. It's less than getting to know how people function, yet a little more.

If you're a fantasy writer, chances are, your roster is not going to consist only of humans. And if not, that's fine too. At this level, which is the psychology of characters, the process works much the same for creatures human or otherwise. As long as your character is capable of thought and feeling, it is capable of being influenced and affected by its surroundings, which likely include family, friends, society, politics, nature, media, and so on and so forth. It will be a complex creature.

You've probably heard that certain people do the crooked things they do purely out of greed. Or better yet, purely because they're jerks. Take Hitler; why'd he kill so many people? Most common answer: cause he's a racist, homophobic, power-hungry psychopath! Then we all shrug the matter aside. That's that. People are just born horrible.

Remember this, dear reader: no one is purely evil. No one is purely good. Everyone is right, but no one is justified.