One of the downsides of being a writer, I think, is the fact that we can become hyper-critical as readers and filmgoers. It’s so much harder for me to get totally absorbed in a story.
One of the things that really pulls me out of a book or movie is when a character acts out of character.
In one book I read recently, the author had gone to great pains to tell how intelligent one character was. The character had experienced great academic success, had a great job, read thought-provoking literature.
All of that gets chucked out the window for me when that same, “smart” character does something really foolish in the book.
It was obvious that the writer had needed the character to do something stupid, just to make the plot move in a particular direction.
To me, this just demonstrates how much more powerful showing is than telling. Sure, you can tell me that this character was summa cum laude, but if the character is blithely heading into a dark cellar when she has a sneaking suspicion that a killer is down there, then you’ve shown me she isn’t so bright.
It’s a good reminder for me, because I’m frequently thinking about ways to convey personality traits, etc., by showing, but I don’t often think about the process the other way around.
What I think I’m going to start looking at when I’m doing edits is, “Have I left the reader an impression about this character that I didn’t intend?” Especially if it contradicts an image that I’m trying to plant.
Because actions can speak louder than words.
Have you run across characters in films or in books that you felt were acting out of character? And, as a side note, is it harder for you, as a writer, to get totally wrapped up in a book or movie without being critical?
Where did i recently read “good books spoil us for bad books”? I believe it was The Guernsey Potato Pie book. (Can’t think of the proper title).
My point is agree with you. The more one reads and writes the harder it is to enjoy subpar material.
I totally agree! Whenever I’m reading a “bad” book, I feel like I’m doing a critique of it in my head. So not fun.
I totally agree.
Last week, I was watching Tron: Legacy with my boyfriend. He LOVED it, I fell asleep (and I never fall asleep during movies).
Since I’ve started to educate myself on writing and such, I have become much more critical. Tron… It just had a bad plot. It was overly cliché, it just had a “time-bomb”, and there was not much else for it. Also, some of the dialogue and the one-liners were so cliché that it made me cringe.
Luckily, the “hairography” (a Glee term: “frequent, dramatic hair-tossing—to distract from the fact their singing and dancing ability is limited”) was really impressive. All the lights and loud music kinda covers up the bad story. For non-writers, that is. I still pay attention to the story and characters and dialogue!
Hi! I’m a new blogger and Mallory Snow (hi!) over there recommended your blog. Love the advice! I was thinking about ways to show rather than tell lately, also. And I’m really bad about picking apart movies. Don’t watch one with me… I’ll just tick you off. lol
snarkandire.blogspot.com
I pick apart movies and books so much so that I forget that others around me really don’t want to hear it. :)
Actions do speak. We need to remember this.
Elizbeth – I’ve found myself being more critical of what I read, too, and I think it is because I write. I notice things about book that I might not otherwise notice.
As far as characters being out of character? That bugs me, too. To me it makes the story less believable when a character acts out of character unless there’s an important reason for it. In fact, that very problem is one reason I had to go back and do a lot of revision on my WIP. One of my characters couldn’t figure out what she was going to be like, and acted out of character because of that. I had to go back and make her character more consistent. Not fun.
I can’t read a book without editing it in my head. Or noticing the way the writer uses the craft (sometimes good, sometimes not so good.) Too often, I say, “how would I have written that?” or “Dang, I’ll have to remember that.”
As for keeping characters in character — yep, it can be hard when you need an ‘out of character’ moment, but that’s part of the challenge of the craft. We all do stupid things; it’s showing them effectively that’s tough.
Terry
Terry’s Place
Romance with a Twist–of Mystery
I see it in movies even more that books, almost to the point that the writers don’t care about anything other than the flash of the story.
It is hard but lately, I’ve read a lot of good books that have totally sucked me in! If they don’t and they received good reviews, I’m willing to wait a bit to see when it gets better. The stories that don’t suck me in though? I usually don’t read past the third chapter.
I don’t generally pick apart movies so much, as I find I don’t want to go and see that many in the average year! I would rather see The King’s Speech five times than five lesser movies. But sometimes I find the special effects (‘Inception’) are so good I am not too worried about the characters. I do it to books quite a lot, especially if the plot loses my interest or the characters are particularly unappealing.
Unfortunately I work in a large art gallery and help behind the scenes at an amateur theatre group, and these two things have removed much of the pleasure from culture for me! I now have mental lists of artists and playwrights I consider ‘great’, and nothing inferior will do!
So true!!! I think my husband is going to stop watching movies with me soon because I shoot holes in the plot, the premise, and the characters more often than I’d like to admit. On a positive note, I think this ability to find such holes strengthens us as writers and critique partners. At least, I’d like to think there’s a positive side :) Great post!
Marissa
Crystal Pistol–Very true! We get spoiled by the good books. Now sometimes I DO like to read bad books…when I’m struggling with a manuscript. Makes me feel better about myself. :)
Mallory–I guess we’re learning from the experience? Maybe? I’d like to think there’s some positive outcome from it all. But I’m not sure!
Betty–Thanks so much for coming by! Yes, I think writers are NOT good people to see a movie with. I know my husband will Pay-per-view to watch action movies he wants to see (and waits until I’m in another part of the house so he can watch them alone without my criticism!)
Manon–Good point! I think that you can cover up a bad plot in films easier (at least for non-writers) with hairography (love that term!) but it may stand out more in books. I’ve heard the same about Tron…haven’t tried Legacy (and I think I won’t, now!)
Alex–I bet it really stands out for you–especially with the number of movies you see.
Laura–I’ll usually read 20 pages, then I have to move on to something else if I’m not grabbed…unless I hear the book gets a lot better. I do trust the book bloggers –a lot.
Teresa–That’s my problem, too! No one wants to hear my sighs in the movie theater. :)
Margot–Ugh…going through and doing a character revision? Not fun! Good for you for taking that on to make the book better for your readers.
Sheila–I think I’m tough on films (I have a hard time suspending my disbelief these days), but I’m working on keeping my opinions to myself so I don’t ruin the experience for my kids or husband! It’s hard for me, though.
When you’re in the position of working behind the scenes, I bet it really does make you aware of the puppets’ strings!
Adventures in Children’s Publishing–I think there’s definitely a positive side to it–I have to think so, because I’m sad about the downside of not getting wrapped up in a story as easily!
I agree! It makes me crazy when the writer does that. It shows laziness.
Excellent points here, Liz. Showing the reader a character’s traits is almost always a superior way to divulge information than telling.
I had to laugh at your observation that as a writer, it’s hard to just read for enjoyment anymore, we always wind up analyzing, lol.
Same goes for me also with listening to music. I can’t just hum along, and enjoy like most peeps – I’m always like, “Why did the bass line drop to the 5th instead of maintaining the root during that change? Hm – I wouldn’t have put a bridge in here – too abrupt. Ooops, the singer missed that note, little pitchy, there … ooh wow, great guitar riff! – I gotta remember and learn that one!”
LOL. Lost in analytics while others are having a good ol’ time!
Marvin D Wilson
I find myself doing line edits on bad books! lol!
However, bad books (at least for me) tend to help my writing. When I’m editing my own manuscripts it is almost easier to see the sub-par writing if I’ve noted it in someone else’s book.
Yes, I wrote a post about this awhile ago (http://bit.ly/i0lenG) and mentioned two TV shows that lost my viewership because the characters were acting out of character. In real life people act out of character all the time and there doesn’t seem to be an explanation, but in books and movies I want to see some foreshadowing. I like being shocked at a character’s action, but then I want to think “oooo I should’ve seen that coming!” if I think back on previous scenes.
If the plot and the characters are good, I am not overly critical (I think). But if the writer cheats me in that way, I may wail a complaint to my poor family, “no, he/she would never do that!” I still remember a short story I read fifteen years ago, full of tension and conflicts – and then it all ended blissfully and they lived happily ever after. Rubbish!
I see a lot of this “out-of-character behavior” in mystery novels, particularly on the part of the female sleuth.
Terry–So true–I’m a lot more forgiving of a character misstep if the writer paved the way for the error in judgement to begin with.
Clarissa–Drives me nutty!
The Old Silly– So you’re messed up from all angles! I know nothing about music, so I’m able to enjoy it without any problems! Ha! Makes me want to avoid learning anything about the subject so I can continue my enjoyment. :)
Julia–And these bad books help us feel better about our own bad writing, too!
Laura–Thanks for the link! Yes, a hint that the behavior might happen. Maybe the character is acting out of character but it’s because of something that the writer has already laid the groundwork for earlier in the book (something that happened in their childhood, fear of flying, they’re annoyed because their boyfriend has left them…whatever).
Dorte–Oh, that’s frustrating. And you’re right–it’s like the writer was cheating the reader. Especially if there’s some sort of deus ex machina at work.