WHY SHOULD WE CARE? The one question the Comic book Industry just can’t answer

Deaths.

New costumes.

Retcons.

Reboots.

New Number one issues.

New Universes.

Yet after all these efforts the comic book industry hasn’t been able to get any new readers in the past nineteen going on twenty years.

While there are other issues like distribution and pricing that keep comic books out of new readers’ hands the main reason why people don’t buy comic books today is the content. The stories published currently just don’t answer one question effectively: WHY SHOULD WE CARE?

If the reader doesn’t have a reason to care, then they have no reason to invest their time and money into the story.

If the writer and the artist can’t make the reader CARE they have failed.

And looking at the sales numbers, most comic book writers have failed at their jobs over the last past twenty years.

They tell stories that most readers can’t care about. Worse, they tell stories that new readers can’t access.

In their desperation, today’s comic book writers throw gimmicks at the reader in the hopes of getting the readers’ attention. Deaths, rapes, murders. Mutilations. Sex.

When that doesn’t work they retcon their mistakes with a retroactive continuity that makes a character’s history even more confusing and harder to follow. And when that doesn’t work they cancel that volume and start over with a new writer and artist and a number one issue.

Again.

Again.

And Again.

And when all these efforts don’t work, some publishers like DC Comics blow up their universe and start all over again. For the umpmillionth time.

Giving the reader less and less reasons to care about comic books. Why should the reader invest time and money in comics if the writer can’t commit to a telling a series of entertaining stories?

All of this focus on shocking readers with gimmicks and events shows me that the comic book industry has some half-assed writers working in it today. People with no sense of craft and no story sense. People phoning in work for a paycheck. People who don’t care. People who have no business in this industry.

If some of these comic book writers were in trade publishing, their stories wouldn’t make it past the slush pile. Yes, the storytelling is that bad these days.

Shock plot devices like deaths, mutilations, graphic sex, and profanity are the tools a hack writer uses to cover up their lack of storytelling ability. Bad writers need these plot devices to deflect the reader from their inability to make an interesting main character, an exciting premise and a compelling storyline.

Bad writers hope that by distracting the reader with gore, sex and violence they won’t see the house of cards comic books have when it comes to the basics of structure and form of storytelling. That writers don’t do their homework. That they don’t think the premise through. That they didn’t figure out the characters’ mission. That they didn’t understand the mission of an existing character. That they didn’t do the research necessary to get the little details in a story right. That they didn’t take the time to even figure out what direction they wanted to go in before putting fingers to keyboard.

The end result of this lack of craft are comic books with no story and no point. What today’s readers get are a bunch of random violent events that are meant to shock them and keep them strung along buying issue after issue until the writer figures out what kind of conclusion they want to tack on 24 to 100 issues later.

Part of good storytelling is showing. Putting pictures in the readers’ head. A good writer shows, shows, and show some more. Action defines character, and in a visual medium like comic books the reader needs to see a lot of action in the pictures. Showing a character in action allows the reader to visualize in their mind. Imagine the action coming to life. Hear the sounds of voices, noises and explosions.

Most comic book writers today don’t know how to write action that translates into exciting panels when an artist interprets their words. Most of the action in American comic books today is stiff posed like fashion models or television storyboards. It’s not bold, or dynamic. The reader can’t get into the story because everything is so unfocused. Usually most comics feature talking, talking and more talking and not doing.

I’ve read comics from publishers like Marvel and DC with long setups. Comics with unclear premises. Awkward dialogue. Underdeveloped characters. Taking 22 pages to write nothing but exposition.

Instead of writing compelling stories, most of today’s comic book writers spend their time pandering to the small audience of over 35 fanboys who are familiar with a character’s long history instead of writing in such a way that makes comics accessible to a new generation of Independent and Young Adult readers.

Worse, they pad stories out with a decompressed story model. In today’s comic book industry it takes seven to eight issues to get to plot point one and 24-36 issues to finish a story. At $4 a copy that lowers the entertainment value of a comic book to $0 compared to other forms of media such as video games, movies which provide a faster payoff for the customers’ entertainment dollar.

In this economy it’s a fight for every entertainment dollar. And comic book creators and publishers are bringing knives to a gunfight. And the movie, ebook and video game industries have machine guns, smart bombs and missles.

Today’s comic book writers, artists, editors, and publishers don’t know how to compete in a changing entertainment world. Sadly over the past ten years I’d have to say they’re regressing instead of adapting.

It shouldn’t take ten pages for readers to meet the main character in a comic. It shouldn’t take three whole issues for us to figure out what they want. And it shouldn’t take six whole issues for the reader to care.

If a good movie can answer these three basic questions in ten minutes then why can’t a comic book writer do it in five pages?

Comic book writers forget a principle element in writing: That the readers’ time is precious. Every second that a writer spends wasting time on exposition is a second that the reader can be lost. The longer a writer takes to setup a plot, the higher the chance the reader’s attention will be lost to another form of entertainment. With today’s reader bombarded with a million other options they aren’t going to wait three months for a comic book storyline to start setting up. Life is too short to wait for some writer to figure out what they want the main character to do in 22 pages. Why should the reader care about spending time to read a story if the writer doesn’t respect their time ?

Moreover, comic book writers forget the readers’ money is valuable. Three issues at four dollars a pop is $12. That’s twelve dollars. Compound this with the three months and it’s clear why the comic book industry is in dire straits these days. It’s just a waste of time and money for the customer.

A reader can spend twelve dollars on a 300-400 page paperback and get more for their money than they’d get in a 32-page comic book. That’s one of the reasons why people aren’t reading comic books.

Today’s slow decompressed approach to comic book storytelling doesn’t give the customer a reason to get excited about comic books. It doesn’t make them passionate enough to anticipate the next issue. It makes them head for the exit of the comic shop empty-handed. Worse, it makes them tell their friends not to pick up that book.

And that word of mouth is killing the comic book industry. Word-of-mouth is how books are sold. Friends tell friends about books. They lend friends their old books to read. They go to the store and ask retailers who sell books to order them special for them. And if retailers get enough demand for those books they stock them in their stores regularly.

That’s why it’s important for writers to write comic book stories readers of all ages can care about. If a publisher can’t build a demand by producing quality product, then they can’t sell the supply. Basic economics.

A comic book story should be easy to access. Readers should know who the main character and what they want in three pages or less. And the audience should be given a reason to care by page five.

It’s a writer’s job to craft stories that are well-written. Easy to access in five pages or less. Stories that feature characters readers can connect with, relate to and identify with. Stories that can give the reader something of value they can take and apply to their own lives. These are the things that make the reader care. These are the things that get people excited for the next issue, to plunk down their money for this issue and the next.

The comic book industry has to make the reader care about comic books again if they want to get sales back up again. Not with gimmicks, graphic violence, graphic sex and events that take a hundred issues to figure out. No, they have to make readers care about the stories they tell and the characters featured in one comic book. Until comic book writers can effectively answer the question of why should we care, then they’ll never get readers passionate enough to build the demand retailers need to begin stocking them again outside of comic shops.

IRRESPONSIBLE DOG OWNERS ARE FUCKTARDS

Dogs are man’s best friend. But some dog owners are absolutely fucktarded when it comes to the basics of caring for a pet. Some of these dog owners are just so fucking irresponsible I want to slap the shit out of them.

Seriously, there should be a law requiring people to take an 8-hour-course with a written exam before they can take ownership of a dog. Because I’ve seen some grown-ass people aren’t smart enough to handle taking care of themselves let alone a goldfish.

There are idiots who walk their dogs on a city street without a leash. These morons arrogantly insist that “their dog will not hurt you” when they charge up to you barking and snarling. No, their dog won’t hurt THEM because they know them. Other people are fair game because dogs are territorial. Worse, other people’s dogs are fair game because dogs are territorial.

Seriously, people this obnoxious should have their pets taken away from them for being so stupid.

Then there are the fools with the pit bulls and the Rottweilers swagger around inner-city neighborhood with unleashed dogs and sagging pants thinking they’re intimidating people. Sorry, but this doesn’t impress anyone.

What’s so cool about showing how irresponsible you are? Someone who walks a dog without a leash is someone who doesn’t understand the basics of pet care.

What these types of dumbasses don’t understand is that a leash is for other people’s safety and the safety of your pet. Leashes keep your dogs under your control. Not just from charging at people, but from running into the street and getting hit by a car.

Moreover, leashes are the law in all 50 states. In some states you can be fined hundreds of dollars for walking a dog without a leash.

In some states you can be held liable if your dog causes harm to someone or damages their property in small claims and civil court.

Then there are the fucktards who tie their dogs in front of stores then go shopping. In their narrow minds “they’re just stopping in for a minute.” Unfortunately, these idiots don’t think of how they inconvenience others with their irresponsible behavior.

I was going to the store one day when some fool tied up his pit bull right in front of the supermarket entrance. While the dog barked and snarled at the entrance, no one could go in the market and those who were inside were left were terrorized by this scared dog as this clueless moron shopped.

Thanks to this dumbass, the business owner lost a whole bunch of money as I and others went to his competitor who had no pets tied out up front. I’m sure a lot of other patrons left that store and didn’t come back thanks to this idiot.

Seriously, how lazy are people that they can’t take a fucking dog back home and then go back to the store? It takes five or ten fucking minutes.

And if I’m a business owner I would have words with stupid asses who do this shit. Even if it costs me their business, I’d tell them to tie up their dogs someplace else. Or better yet, leave them at home when they go shopping. Because business owners are liable if someone is harmed by a dog left tied up by another customer in front of their property.

Hey fucktard dog owners: When you tie a dog up in front of a public entrance you put people’s safety at risk. No one knows if your animal which is barking and growling will attack them.

If time is that precious to you that you can’t schedule a return trip for your pet before going to the store or wherever else, then it’s clear you can’t handle the responsibility of pet ownership. Turn your dog in at the nearest pound.

A super special type of idiot are the dog owners who leave their pets in the car when they go shopping. Oh, this is a super special type of stupid ass who deserves the backside of a hand to the back of their head for being so fucking retarded.

This is another brand of jackass who is “just stopping in the store for a minute”. Usually the minute turns into twenty or so as they peruse items and chat with friends. Meanwhile their dog is frying in the backseat of a car interior that’s over a hundred fucking degrees. These dumbasses don’t understand that cars turn into fucking broilers, especially in the summertime. Even if you crack the back window there isn’t enough ventilation in a car for a pet to breathe. Leaving a dog in the backseat can cause a dog to pass out, get brain damage and in extreme cases die from asphyxiation due to the lack of air.

Seriously, don’t leave any living thing in the back seat of a car to “stop in for a minute”. I’ve even read about babies and toddlers who have died due to idiot parents doing this stupid shit.

Sorry, but again, if you have a pet and you want to shop after taking them for a drive, there is no “stopping in the store for a minute”. If the store doesn’t allow pets (and most don’t due to liability laws) then it means you dog owner are taking TWO FUCKING TRIPS. One to take them back home and another to go shopping. So allot the fucking time lazy motherfuckers.

Then there are the morons who take their dog out for a walk and spend most of their time on a cell phone. I’ve run into this shit numerous times and it just makes me mad every time I run into it. I just want to take that phone out of their hands and ram it up their ass. Maybe then it’ll make them PAY ATTENTION.

Hey idiot, how about paying attention to your pet so they don’t wind up urinating or defecating on someone’s property? Or running into someone else with a bigger dog?

Then there are the imbeciles with the retractable leashes. Oh, these people are FUCKING RETARDED. They let their dogs run around everywhere and don’t PAY FUCKING ATTENTION. These idiots don’t understand that retractable leashes don’t give you the luxury of being irresponsible.

The worst thing is watching these idiots with these retractable leashes standing around on a cell phone. How this fucktard manages to breathe is beyond me. What the fuck could you possibly be fucking talking about that’s so fucking important at seven AM in the damn morning?

Hey dumbass, how about looking out to make sure your pet doesn’t wind up running into the street being turned into roadkill?

What really pisses me off are the stupid ass owners of vicious breeds like Pit Bulls and Rottweilers, who have a new baby. Their ignorance puts their children’s safety at risk. This is another group of idiots that deserve a backhand pimp slap to the back of the skull. Seriously, I have no idea why these morons are allowed to even fucking breed.

These people don’t understand that these breeds aren’t child friendly and family friendly Because of their territorial nature and the need for a clear line of authority, dogs in these breeds see babies as a threat to their place in the hierarchy.

I’ve heard too many horror stories about children who were mutilated, disfigured or killed because irresponsible dog owners who don’t understand that their life has changed. Aggressive breeds and children DO NOT MIX.

If you have babies and toddlers, the aggressive dog must going to a new owner or a pound and be replaced with a more passive dog like a cocker spaniel or a Newfoundland.

And I also get angry at the fucktarded dog owners who send small children to walk big dogs like Pit Bulls, Rottweiler, and other vicious breeds. I’ve seen children small as six who barely weigh eighty pounds being pulled around like a mule by these hundred plus pound dogs they can’t control. The stupid ass parents who own these dogs think they’re teaching their kids responsibility, but they’re actually putting their kids in danger and the public in danger.

Aggressive breeds like pit bulls, Rottweillers and Dobermans need a clear line of authority and a short leash. When they are in public are to be handled and supervised by adults, not small children.

Here’s a note to you fucktarded parents: If you can’t get up off your lazy ass and go out and walk that dog YOU BOUGHT AND ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR, then maybe you shouldn’t own it.

Most dog owners aren’t as incompetent as the people I’ve described. But the handful of idiots are making it hard for the responsible dog owners out there. And they make it hard for people they inconvenience with their reckless and irresponsible behavior. If you know a dog owner like this, show them this blog. These fools need to be checked and checked hard. 

APOOO Book Club review of All About Nikki- The Fabulous First Season

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0615507018/?tag=apooo-20

 APOOO Book Club review below

All About Nikki: The Fabulous First Season by Shawn James is the second teleplay I have read. Mr. James also wrote the first one, where the main character, Nikki, was introduced to me briefly. Nikki was a fictional character being played by an actress named Marilyn Marie. Now Nikki has gotten a life of her own and she believes everything should be all about her and no one else.

After Nikki’s parents got a divorce, custody was awarded to her mother. However, her mother was all about business and money, so she sent Nikki to boarding schools. Due to the distance, Nikki and her mother’s emotional relationship suffered. When Nikki got kicked out of yet another boarding school, her mother sent her to live with her father in California. She thought she was punishing Nikki, but she could not be further from the truth.

Donald Desmond, Nikki’s father, was more than happy to take on the responsibility of raising his daughter. He used the time he was given to teach Nikki the right way to go about earning and giving respect. Donald wants nothing more than to change her from her stuck-up, disrespectful ways. However, it will not be as easy as he thinks. Will Donald have to use the old-fashioned belt to get Nikki to learn the proper way to treat people?

Mr. James provides me with a different type of reading experiences with his teleplays. I enjoy them and like being able to picture more of the scenes and the characters’ actions without the added inflictions from the author. With all that said, there were some errors that needed corrections. There was one thing that stopped me in my flow of reading, causing me to turn back to an earlier episode (instead of chapters there are episodes). That thing was a repetitive beginning to two different episodes. I almost did not read the second one because I was certain it was the same one with a different episode title. However, I pushed through and enjoyed the episode. That one needed a little more creativity for the beginning, otherwise the entire teleplay was entertaining and at times emotional and/or funny. I recommend All About Nikki: The Fabulous First Season to readers of plays, young adult books and sitcom watchers.

The author provided a copy of the book for review purposes.

Jennifer Coissiere
APOOO BookClub

Pick up a copy in paperback or for your e-reader today! 

New eBooks on Kindle

As part of an effort to reach more readers with some of the great articles from the blog, I've published three popular articles as eBooks. They're currently available for Kindle for 99 cents. They're also enrolled in Amazon's KDP Select program. So if you have Amazon Prime, You can borrow these new titles for free.

 Why Black Women Choose Thugs over Good Black Men details the real reason why brothers the real reasons behind why Black women choose thugs over them.

 The Invisible Black Men features two popular blogs about the Black men in the community many of us don't see and fewer of us support. It also details a plan on how to give these men a hand in helping out the community.

The Myth of the Strong Black Woman explains how the divide between the Black Man and the Black woman came to be and the historical roots of the current gender war between brothers and sisters.

Writing 101: Part 4- Why Should we Care?

The toughest of all the three basic questions a writer has to ask themselves before they start writing is: Why should we care?

A good writer understands that the reader’s time is precious. They understand that the reader needs reasons to pick up a book and read it. And they need more even more reasons to be compelled keep reading that story to the end. If the audience doesn’t care about the plot or characters in the first five pages they have no incentive to buy the book and invest time into reading the storyline.

A good writer also understands that a reader’s money is valuable. They understand that the reader has other entertainment options they can spend their money on including other writers’ books. Moreover, they understand that those entertainment options compete with their stories for the reader’s attention. So it is imperative that the writer write a story that gives the reader a story that is both entertaining and informative.

The best writers produce stories that are compelling, engaging, and provide the highest value of the entertainment dollar for the reader.

In answering the question of why should we care, a writer has to switch hats from writer to reader and see their story from the audience’s perspective. From that point of view they have to ask: What is the audience going to get from taking time from their valuable lives to read this story? What are they going to get for the money they invest? A laugh? A cry? An understanding of why the price of gas in China is so high? What lesson are readers going to get from finishing this story?

A writer has to have the question of why should we care answered clearly in their planning stages or all their work on a project is just wasted time. If the writer doesn’t have an understanding of what the audience will get out of a story, then they aren’t ready to write.

Understanding what makes the audience care requires the writer to think about someone other than themselves. When I answer the question why should we care, I take myself out of the equation and focus solely on the audience and what they’ll get out of the reading experience.

When I wrote Isis, I thought the audience would care because I was giving them a fresh perspective on the myth of Isis, Osiris and Seth and the Egyptian Gods. I thought people who liked mythology and fantasy would like to learn a little more about the gods of Ancient Egypt.

I also thought the audience would care because they would learn why some fathers aren’t in a child’s life. In most mainstream media regarding single parent homes and illegitimate children, I felt readers often got a female-centered perspective, a story where the mother tells us about a “no good daddy”.

However we never got to hear from the father or understand his reasons for allegedly abandoning his family. I wanted to tell that story.

With Isis I wanted to give a reader an insight into the complicated personal and political reasons why homes become broken and how having no father in a child’s life leads to children losing their way. Along with that insight, I wanted to show that it was possible for a father to re-establish a connection with his child and that if they forgave each other it was possible for them to restore their relationship.

When I wrote The Cassandra Cookbook/A Recipe for $ucce$$, I felt the audience would care because I was giving them an insight into life in the African-American corporate world. I also thought they’d care because they could read the story and pick up some tips they could apply to their own careers regarding interviewing, networking, and social etiquitte.

When I wrote All About Marilyn, I thought the reader would be fascinated because I was going to show them how the business side of Hollywood and the entertainment industry operated. Moreover I knew most people loved reading about what goes on behind the camera on more than what’s presented onscreen. That curiosity is why people buy tabloids and watch shows like Extra, Entertainment Tonight, TMZ and Access Hollywood.

I also thought older women would care about the story because they’re often made to feel worthless by Hollywood and Madison Avenue. In today’s youth-oriented world, most women over 35 are considered them over the hill. Past their prime. Told to sit their old behinds down somewhere and give up.

Myself being 33 when I wrote All About Marilyn,  I saw the beauty, experience, and wisdom many women over 35 have. And I wanted to show those readers that that these older women are valuable and still have a lot to offer the world.

When I wrote All About Nikki-The Fabulous First Season, I thought Black tween and teen girls would care because they’d get to see how rich Black kids in Beverly Hills lived. And I thought their parents would care about these stories because they’d get some tips on how to constructively parent and discipline their children and give them guidance.

In the case of Marilyn and Nikki I also felt aspiring filmmakers would want to learn more about the craft of film and Television writing.

when I wrote The Temptation of John Haynes, I felt the audience would care because they’d get to see how The Devil works behind the scenes of everyday lives in his quest to take souls.

What makes the reader care? What makes them invest their time and compels them to read more? That varies from reader to reader. But the writer has to provide some incentive that motivates them to buy into the story. And a good writer takes their time to find out what that element is before putting ink to paper or fingers to keyboard.

Remember, if the writer doesn't give people a reason to care about their stories, then reader won’t have any reason to invest time in reading  them. Making the reader care is paramount to selling a story to the public. If the readers don't care, then the writer can't build an audience. 

*NOTE*

Articles will be back Monday. But Writing 101 will continue throughout the year!

Writing 101- Part 3 What does the Main Character Want?

After a writer establishes their main character they have to answer a critical question: What do they want?

What the main character wants to accomplish is the primary reason for the story transpiring. It is what the character desires, what they must have above all else.

Usually the answer to this question is simple.

In Isis, Isis wants redemption.

In A Recipe for $ucce$$, Cassandra Lee wants to take over her family’s Bakery.

In All About Marilyn, Marilyn Marie wants to break out of being typecast

In The Temptation of John Haynes John Haynes wants a job.

In the Sneakers Trakaim and Luis want the Air Jordan sneakers.

In Trial of The Goddess Isis wants to get through her trial.

Usually I keep the main characters’ simple so the reader can have a clear understanding of what the story is about in the first couple of pages.

I also keep the main characters’ goal simple so I can have a clear understanding of what I’m writing about. It’s easy to get off track when a writer isn’t clear about what the main character wants.

All the subplots are related to the main character achieving their goal. All the supporting characters are working for (or in the case of an antagonist) against what the main character wants to achieve.

As I try to answer the question of what the main character wants, I ponder what obstacles would be in the main characters way in trying to accomplish this goal. Conflict is what drives a story. Each of the obstacles that are placed in front of the main character has a purpose:

To get the reader asking questions. The reader wants to know how the main character will overcome the challenges put in front of them. What solution will they come up with to achieve their goal.

To further the storyline. The conflict is what moves the story forward. Each obstacle the main character overcomes moves the story just that more forward towards the climax and the eventual conclusion.

To show what kind of person the character is. As the main character is confronted by the conflicts presented to them in the story they show parts of themselves to the reader. When confronted with conflict, does the character run away? Do they take time to plan a strategy to face the conflict? Do they explode in rage and frustration? Or do they give up?

How a character deals with conflict speaks volumes about what kind of person they are. The actions they take have a direct impact on the advancement of the storyline.

For example in The Temptation of John Haynes, John Haynes wants a job. In his quest to get that job he shows that he’s an honest man with pride. When presented with a job by his friend Scott Grayson, he declines. He feels it’s a step back. What does that tell us about him? That he’s proud. Is this a character flaw? Maybe. No one wants to go back. That keeps them from growing. So while he’s proud the reader can respect his decision. It shows his character as a man.

Moreover his actions show that wants to earn his own way. He doesn’t want a handout. After he doesn’t get the job at American Foods through his own networking efforts he’s desparate. He’s this close to swallowing his pride and calling Grayson for that job. But That would be the end of the story. Then he gets the call from the headhunter. Tempted with the offer of a new job, the story moves forward. When he gets to the headhunter’s office he’s offered the position of CEO of Morris Phillips. It’s a position where he’ll have lots of money and lots of power. An unemployed man down on his luck, John gives into the first of many Temptations furthering the story. The reader wonders will he compromise more?  What will he show us about his character when he gets this new high-powered position? Will he change for the better? Or will he change for the worse?

In All About Marilyn, Marilyn Marie wants to break out of being typecast. She’s a washed up former child star, a woman down on her luck, struggling to pay bills. Her agent, Sabrina has retired leaving her with no way to get an acting job. Sabrina’s assistant Ava offers her a job, but her unethical and under-the-table tactics cross the line. But Marilyn is desperate. She needs money to stay afloat.  She needs a role that will help her break out of this character. She takes Ava’s offer hoping for a way out. However, when she gets to the set she finds out she’s been set up by the unethical Ava. Worse, she’s trespassing on a friend’s set. The set of the very movie she tried to pitch years ago. That makes her feel guilty. Seeing how far she’s fallen, she decides to leave.

In that scene Marilyn shows that while she’s desperate she there’s a line she won’t cross. She has integrity, dignity and self-respect. Sure, the story could end there. But she’s crossed the line. The conflict can only build from here. As she tries to cross back over to the side of good, the story moves forward. The Clown recognizes her. As do other people she’s overwhelmed by former fans. The conflict builds. How does she get through the crowd? How does she get back to the side of good?

How a character handles each obstacle shows the reader what kind of person the main character is. What will they do to accomplish their goals? Will they cross the line? Will they find a way to solve their problems while doing the right thing? Or will they compromise?

In resolving conflict, the writer wants the reader to ask questions.  The more questions the reader asks means the reader is more involved in the story.

Each conflict has the reader asking more questions. As the writer answers those questions through the character’s actions the story moves forward on its way to the conclusion.

Once a writer establishes their main character and what goal they want to accomplish they have to answer the toughest question of all: Why should we care? I’ll answer that question in the next blog.

Writing 101 Part 2- Who is the Main character?

Working in a character driven model like mine, a writer quickly has to answer one question before putting fingers to keyboard. Who is the main character?

The main character is the primary protagonist in a story. They’re the first name we see in a synopsis on the back of the book. They are the person the reader is interested in reading about in the story.

The main character is who the story is about. They are the person who all the action in the story revolves around. They are the person who the reader follows on their quest to achieve their goal.

The main character is the one who faces all the challenges in the story. As the main character overcomes each of these obstacles, the story moves forward building to the climax and concluding with the accomplishment of their goal or the failure to achieve that goal.

The main character can be a hero, or they can be a villain. The focus of the story are the steps they take to achieve their goals and overcome the obstacles in their way.

I usually establish who the main character is in the first chapter of a novel. I feel the faster the reader is introduced to the main character, they’ll be drawn into the story.

Sometimes in a story like Isis I’ll delay introducing the main character until the second chapter so I can introduce supporting characters or establish the storyline, but most of these plot points will revolve around the main character. Usually these supporting characters will discuss the main character or mention them in their conversations or plans.

In character-driven fiction like revolving first-person and first-person perspective, the main character has to stand out above all the other characters. They have to have a strong “voice” which speaks to the reader. A main character’s words come alive on the page. They reveal their personality, their emotions and their heart.

Visually, I feel a main character has to be distinct, in appearance, and personality in a description. They have to stand out in a crowd. Be unforgettable. Readers have to imagine them like real people. They have to come alive to grab the reader’s interest.

A main character is a leader. They take charge. They inspire supporting characters like love interests to join them and best friends to help them in their quest. They motivate antagonists to keep throwing obstacles in their way. They find a way to beat the odds no one else can. In their quest, they compel the reader to keep following them on their journey as they make their way to the conclusion of the story.

A main character is always Active. Main characters do not sit passively by while the supporting characters do all the work. No, a main character LEADS the supporting characters and the antagonist through the story up to the climax and the conclusion. They are the strongest of all the characters pushing and persevering to achieve their goals. Supporting characters can quit, but the main character NEVER gives up.

A main character ALWAYS SHOWS and NEVER TELLS. We see a main character going to achieve their goals. SHOWING IS ACTIVE and STRONG. Telling is PASSIVE and WEAK. Main characters are always strong.

A Main character is established through their actions. Characters are mostly what they DO, not what they say. Action defines a character. A main character is the character who the supporting characters look up to, and the one the antagonist despises.

Main characters are bold and dynamic. They grab a reader’s interest. They hold their attention. They carry the story from beginning to end.

I usually establish the main character when I’m brainstorming. Before I put fingers to keyboard I imagine who the main character is first in the planning stages. Back in the day I used to draw pictures of the main character so I could visualize what they looked like so I could have an idea of who I was describing in those paragraphs. Sometimes I’ll go through catalogs to see what kinds of clothes they wear.

Once I get the main character established, I start focusing on answering the next of the three big questions I have to answer before writing a story: What do they want?

I’ll show readers how to answer that question in the next blog.