HALLIE EPHRON: Welcome, once again, to What We're Writing week.
I recently gave a two-week, six-session workshop on how to use the writer’s tools (viewpoint, setting, description, dialogue…) to build a compelling main character. For me, one of the major revelations as I’ve developed my own craft is the importance of the main character’s arc as parallel and counterpoint to the plot of the novel.
As usual, I find I learn as much as I teach, and this time two questions leaped out at me from my interactions with the participants.
Question one
One of the writers asked a perfectly fair question: Is it essential that my protagonist has some uniquely distinguishing characteristic?
This came after I’d made the observation that in so many of the works-in-progress, main character was a woman who was recently divorced or widowed, but without much more by way of distinguishing features.
If there’s one thing I’ve heard over and over from agents and editors at writing conference, it’s that they’re looking for the same but different. (Infuriating, I know, because what does that even mean?) This applies to the characters as well as the story.
These writers had nailed same, but not different.
To the writer’s question: Does a protagonist in a crime novel have to be unique in some way? My answer: it helps if you want to get out of the slush pile. It could be a special area of expertise or a profession, an ability or disability, a personality trait, or a job or hobby. It could be a past experience that casts a shadow over the present.
Question two
At the same time I heard from several other participants, urgently needing to know how to protect their unique idea, and whether it was “safe” to share their writing with others. In other words, what if my idea is SO UNIQUE or my writing SO GOOD that others will steal it before I publish my book.
Notice that Question 2 is really the upside-down version of Question 1.
My answer – Unique ideas are rarer than hens’ teeth. Having said that, ideas are hard to protect. That’s why it’s so important to carefully research any agent or editor to whom you pitch your work. It’s also so important that you trust the multiple beta readers who will be so essential to your revision process.
The good news no one can write that “unique” idea as uniquely as you can.
All of this goes to prove a wonderfully twisted adage coined by SF/Fantasy author Lauren DeStefano:
