It’s about the character
My tendency to binge-watch television shows. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s the total immersion into another world. It’s nice to escape the real one sometimes. However, I don’t find all worlds engaging. Not even well-built ones. Sure, I like action as much as the next gal. I like urban fantasy worlds probably more. But for me, it’s all about the character.
Tonight (maybe all night), I’m watching Percy and the Olympians, the series. I know I’m not the target audience, but I’m captivated. The characters are so complex. They have backstories that clearly color their personalities, emotions, perceptions, thought processes, and consequently, their decisions.
Have you seen The Brothers Sun on Netflix? It’s another good example. It’s about two brothers who are charged with protecting their family from organized crime. One of the conflicts in the book is that one brother was raised in the family’s criminal enterprise, and the other was raised with NO IDEA about the family business. Although it’s a comedy, the main characters are well-rounded and nuanced in terms of how they see the world and the choices they make.
This is why I write character-driven fiction. Action? Yes. Romance? Yes. Supernatural elements? Yes. But the characters and their journeys of growth, success, and/or redemption are the heart and soul of every story I write.
What pulls you into a story?
