"Make your characters suffer. That can be tough to do, but consider this: Being nice does not engender great drama. Trials and tests are the stuff of character building, of conflict. Ask yourself, who is the one ally your protagonist cannot afford to lose? Kill that character. What is your protagonist's greatest physical asset? Take it away. What is the one article of faith that for your protagonist is sacred? Undermine it. How much time does your protagonist have to solve his main problem? Shorten it. Push your characters to the edge, and you will pull your readers close" -- Donald Maass (WRITING THE BREAKOUT NOVEL, p. 78). [emphasis added]
Yeah, that's a great quote. I don't think I'm nearly mean enough to my character in my first drafts. But she better watch out for that revision axe. :P
ReplyDeleteThis made me laugh! However, I need to do more of that :)
DeleteLOVE this!!
ReplyDeleteThis is an excellent quote and so true.
ReplyDeleteI make mine suffer just enough for the plot and subplots, but I need to do more.
ReplyDelete