One thing I love about inventing characters is seeing how they develop. I knew Roherum, FNN's goblin presenter, was going to be a bit of a loveable idiot but wanted there to be more to him that that. I wanted a character who was avuncular and who hid his intelligence well.
This led to the development of the weatherman's character as Roherum is meant to be part of a "double act". He is Mister Nice Guy to the weatherman's Complete and Utter Git. They both wind the other up. They unwittingly amuse the realm, even the Witch, which is a major achievement and a factor in the survival of both Roherum and the weatherman. Yet Roherum can come up with decent interview questions, has shown some courage and is not at all fooled by the weatheman's attitude. Roherum simply doesn't care the weatherman hates his guts. What Roherum enjoys is knowing the weatherman is flummoxed by that.
But all of this did not come at once. Both characters developed piecemeal. I hope they are better written for it because I've had time to work out, yes this is what they would do, this will strengthen the story if I write them like this and it is appropriate for the kind of characters they are etc.
I am always encouraged when I can look at the end of a novel or short story and see exactly how my characters have changed and why and that it all makes sense. It doesn't have to be a positive change either. Brankaresh does not become a fine, upstanding character. His type just wouldn't because they are too full of themselves to recognize the need to change. In some ways that is quite sad. From a writer's viewpoint though, characters like that are fun to write for because they need a comeuppance of some sort.
This led to the development of the weatherman's character as Roherum is meant to be part of a "double act". He is Mister Nice Guy to the weatherman's Complete and Utter Git. They both wind the other up. They unwittingly amuse the realm, even the Witch, which is a major achievement and a factor in the survival of both Roherum and the weatherman. Yet Roherum can come up with decent interview questions, has shown some courage and is not at all fooled by the weatheman's attitude. Roherum simply doesn't care the weatherman hates his guts. What Roherum enjoys is knowing the weatherman is flummoxed by that.
But all of this did not come at once. Both characters developed piecemeal. I hope they are better written for it because I've had time to work out, yes this is what they would do, this will strengthen the story if I write them like this and it is appropriate for the kind of characters they are etc.
I am always encouraged when I can look at the end of a novel or short story and see exactly how my characters have changed and why and that it all makes sense. It doesn't have to be a positive change either. Brankaresh does not become a fine, upstanding character. His type just wouldn't because they are too full of themselves to recognize the need to change. In some ways that is quite sad. From a writer's viewpoint though, characters like that are fun to write for because they need a comeuppance of some sort.
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