orchestrating and the muse

[marycatelli]

If you just let characters spring up on their own, the muse may decide to make them all too similarly.  So sometimes they need to be consciously dragged apart.

Was trying that with an experimental story, with seven major characters.  Gave nudges to the characters to help them contrast in their virtues, their flaws, their interests. . . .

One has decided not to be the angry soul.  Especially since another character has decided to make her bad temper known, so orchestrating means moving them farther apart.  And excludes a few other faults that pop to mind, such as sloth, which other characters have.

And if I just let the tale give me one, he may not get one -- muses are unreliable -- and if he does, he may be too similar to another character.  They need to be foils to each other, and means of instruction.

sigh

Variations on a flaw, perhaps.  Though even though the other character is peppery, with a quick but not long lasting temper, I don't think he's going to be bitter and hold long grudges.

Comments

[undauntra.livejournal.com]

Seven major characters, seven deadly sins?

[marycatelli]

Was playing with that notion but while some of them work -- pride, sloth, envy are all in play -- I don't know if avarice and gluttony would work in the plot.

Possibly I just need to play with them some more.