Character or Plot?
3-26-25
Beginning midway through last year I’ve been on a deep character-focused kick in my writing. This came from my noticing and having it also pointed out that some of my writing skewed heavy on the plot, and the character development needed work.
I’ve stuffed my head with recent books that did character with a level of excellence I hope I can have a fraction of in my writing one day. That all being said, I have loved focusing on this, and it has brought me closer to the characters I’ve created, which I hope will one day transfer to the people who read my stories.
I still feel like a plot driven writer, but I can feel myself merging those separate parts of me into one. I’m Voltroning into an actual writer, *gasp*! What kind of reader are you? Someone who reads for plot, character, both, or neither? If you’re the latter, then you’re really someone I’d like to talk to because that’s the kind of contrarian that I love to fraternize with.
I’m finding the balance of these two parts, and I can see and feel my stories becoming stronger and more readable than ever. I still have a long, long way to go, but my optimism is still intact, and my joy for writing only grows with each page I pen, and with each month that scrolls by.
I’m 25% finished with the first draft of my latest novel at the time of this writing, and I’m still on track to meet my maximum page count (which is the first time I’ve ever done so). I’m really enjoying this story so far, and while I have most of it loosely outlined, I’m thrilled to see where the keyboard takes me through the gaps I’ve left for the choices to come to me in the moment.
My next update will be a couple of new maps I’ve drawn, I’ve just got to clean them up, and get them in frames so they’re not all crinkled and just sat on a table covered in pencil shavings. These maps are of the Shifting Memory universe’s continent Unfeasted, and depict times I’ve never illustrated before, and have since been heavily delved into. Wink, wink.
Your time is an honor as always,
JMB
