Composing a Symphony

I wonder when Mozart composed his symphonies whether he heard all of the instruments at once, his fingers blurring to get everything on the page, or if he first only heard the strings and percussion only to go back and add the woodwinds and brass. Not that it matters, I’m no Mozart. But I’ve been wondering this as I’ve pondered character and plot this week.

My first book, the book to be published by WiDo publishing, was very much a character driven story. I had a notion of where I wanted to take my characters, my historical threads, their powers. But I didn’t outline or plot. And when I turned it into WiDo they said “Yes, we want your story! But wow you need help with your plot.” So that’s part of what we’ve been working on.

Now I’m writing a new story. I’m at 37,000 words, just about to hit my second pinch point. If I had heard myself say this a year ago I wouldn’t have known what I meant. This is where my journey to understand the craft of writing has taken me. Now I’m obsessing over plot, so much now that the pillars holding up the plot of my story is strong. But what has happened to the characters? This is where I wish I were Mozart. I’m writing and thinking, hmm, what would so-and-so say here? And then I’d answer “I don’t know!” And that’s when I realize my characters are suffering. But will I turn it in like this? Will this be the end? You bet your darn tootin’ not.

I finished watching the series finale of Prison Break last night. After watching it, I can’t honestly say which came first—the plot or the characters. And THAT’S what I want to be able to achieve. Yes, I’m focusing on the plot right now—and three of my main characters have intricacies that make them nowhere flat—but I will go back and fix the rest of my barely silhouetted characters. I’ll make them come to life!

But something I’ve been running into while trying to create these rockin’ characters is making them unique. I think of T-bag or Sucre in Prision Break. I think of Sayid or Lock in Lost. I think of Jenna in The Adoration of Jenna Fox, I think of my characters in my other to be published book. I need to make something new!

I don’t want to make stereotypical characters, but I also want them to be believable and relatable. It’s not hard to do that with a handful, but when your cast is more than four, it’s hard to make each of their voices become their own.

So that’s my goal. Make a solid plot with well rounded characters. Yeah, yeah, I know that’s what you all want, too. Whether you’re reading or writing or watching TV.

Who’s your favorite character right now? Besides two in my current work in progress, I gotta say Lincoln Burrows in Prison Break. Bull in a China shop. I love that guy.