Of all the issues related to writing fiction, none is more subjective or controversial than the long-standing argument over which is more important, plot or characters. Anyone with even the most limited knowledge of fiction—reader or writer—could build a strong case either way, and there is no absolute right or wrong. As a writer myself, I, of course, have my own opinion; a very strong opinion. Needless to say, any successful, well-written novel must have both a strong plot and fascinating characters. That’s a given. However, I’d like to build a case for characters.
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Not to minimize the importance of plot, it is
my strong contention that plots—and please forgive me for saying this—are a
dime a dozen. Consider this: if you pick up any major newspaper in the
country and skim through its pages, you will find dozens of plot ideas from
real-life situations. The husband who has two wives—one on the east coast
and one on the west coast. The corrupt politician who accepts a bribe. A
national security leak. A conflict in the Middle East. For no
particular reason a lunatic walks into a classroom and executes the
students. An average Joe rescues a child from a burning building and
becomes an overnight hero.
Not only are plots everywhere, but many
storylines have a familiar ring. How many times have the two main characters in
a romance novel hated each other throughout the book, only to fall in love at
the end? How many times has the good guy, the character you least expected, turn
out to be the villain? How many books about lawyers and doctors and superheroes
follow the same formula? How many times have you read a classic cat and mouse
whodunit mystery with a familiar storyline?
On
the flip side, have you ever seen the likes of Hannibal Lecter in Silence of the Lambs,
or Scarlet O’Hara in Gone with the Wind? Has
either character ever been cloned in any other novel? Their uniqueness
and originality cannot be easily duplicated. Although the plots for both
of these memorable tales were compelling and engaging, it was the main
characters that grabbed your attention and kept you turning pages.
The ultimate challenge for all novelists is to
write a book with both an original, attention-grabbing plot and fascinating
characters. And this is a tall order. But remember this: if you
create complex, truly intriguing characters, the story can be a lazy tale about
someone building a horse barn and your readers will be totally engaged.
A native of New York, Annechino now lives in San Diego with his wife, Jennifer. He loves to cook, enjoys a glass of vintage wine, and spends lots of leisure time on the warm beaches of Southern California.
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