Saturday evening, my daughter’s Brownie scout troop drove to Huntersville (about 45 minutes away) to tour a historic home dating back to 1797. Latta Plantation was having a Christmas celebration, so we were learning how Christmas was celebrated long ago.
Since I’m the Brownie leader, I was put in the position of leading. You wouldn’t think this would be a problem for someone who somehow found herself in a leadership role (I was conscripted), but I’m used to leading children.
I don’t like leading adults. I’d rather they be responsible for themselves. They were all asking me which building we were going to next (the kitchen? the blacksmith?) and I just wanted to wander around. They also expected me to know my way around the property. I didn’t and asked them to refer to their map. Would there be costumed recreation? At what time? I had no idea off the top of my head…but it was on the program they were given, if they wanted to read their program.
The children, thankfully, are much less-demanding of their leader each week. I was delighted when the adults decided to form small groups and do a self-tour with their children. Excellent! No leading of adults. I’d gotten myself fired. :)
I’ll admit I don’t enjoy being a leader. I don’t enjoy being a follower, actually, either. I like being an observer.
But…my protagonists are both natural leaders. When they’re put in difficult situations, they jump into action.
I think that most protagonists are that way. That’s what makes them interesting. I would never write a protagonist like me—nothing interesting would ever happen! They’d sit around watching people and taking notes instead of tackling the world head-on. In fact, in my books, someone like me would likely be the next murder victim.
I like writing leaders. Strong, self-assured, take-charge. They think their way through their challenges. Even protagonists who aren’t natural leaders are interesting if they rise to the occasion when challenged.
Do you write leaders? Or followers? If you write a protagonist who is a follower, how do you portray them? Which are you?
I write both leaders and followers. Sometimes two characters believe they are both leaders and conflict occur. That is always exciting.
I am a leader, if only others would see that potential in me. :)
Great information and thinking exercise.
What an interesting question, Elizabeth! Of course, all your questions are… I’d say that my own Joel Williams is a leader. He’s a professor, and that’s a leadership position. He’s also been a police officer, and there’s leadership in that role. He’s comfortable with that role, too.
For my part, though, I’m with you. I don’t like leading adults; I, too, would rather that adults find their own truths. Odd, coming from a university professor, but the truth is, I see my role as a member of a learning community. Perhaps a member who’s got some useful experience to share, but not one with all the answers. I do “leader” things, as do all professors, I think, but I don’t think of myself that way…
Great topic! I like my protagonists to be leaders. Of course, even as a leader, they have foibles and don’t always make the best decisions. That’s what keeps it interesting.
As for me, I prefer to be left alone to do my own thing, but I always end up in charge. Seems people mill around until someone volunteers to lead, and it’s always me who’s the first to break and take command. I hate the extra work, but I figure if I can make things go smoothly then we’re all out of there quicker.
I write the quiet follower-type who learns to grow strong throughout the novel so he can face the challenge.
I’m an observer myself (great distinction!) Not a follower or a leader, though I’m capable of doing both without discomfort.
I think a quiet protagonist plays well against a strong secondary character who is a leader but wants to go the wrong direction. The protagonist’s gentle heart is his strength, and in a sense, that makes him the leader.
(I write literary fiction, not mystery; that might make me the odd woman out on this question.)
:)
Not sure if you’re familiar with The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, by Stephen R. Donaldson (fantasy series, 8 books long, two to go), but the first two trilogies featured a protagonist who was NOT active, did NOT believe in the world in which he found himself, and did NOT lead. Yet he’s one of the most amazing and intriguing characters I’ve ever read.
What I mean to say is, it goes both ways. Leaders are interestig for their strength of character. Those who don’t lead are interesting for their weakness. It’s all in the elegance of the portrayal.
I like my characters to be flawed, and I write many different types – silent observers, charismatic leaders, those desiring attention but not sure the proper way to acquire it. The world is full of different people and I want my books to be as well!
It’s also fun to write people so different from one’s self. I am a leader, a natural hostess. It is a great exercise to write characters who reflect my own image, and those who don’t.
Michele
SouthernCityMysteries
I think I gravitate toward writing reluctant leaders. Pretty ordinary people who are thrust into the leadership role, where their mettle finally gets tested.
In real life, I’m mostly an observer.
Great question!
In one ms, my main character started out as a follower, but grew throughout to turn into more of a leader. She becomes much happier along the way too.
Oh, this is funny and so fitting for me, Elizabeth. I was volunteering at an art fair at my son’s school this past weekend, and I found that I really enjoyed being a person working together with others, not the leader. In fact, I’d been on the organizing committee for this event, and I dropped out weeks ago, mostly because of other time commitments but also partly because I don’t always want to be telling other people what to do. Especially adults.
I’m a leader type, I think. It makes sense to me that writing about leaders provides far more action in the narrative than characters sitting on the sidelines and observing do.
Yet it probably is the “reluctant leaders” who are the most likable as protagonists and with whom readers most identify. Great post!
I do enjoy writing leaders, though I’ve had a protagonist who was weaker and became stronger through the course of the story. But I find it more satisfying to create characters who are leaders. Very interesting post. Loved your comment about how you don’t like to lead or to follow–just to observe.
My protagonists have been leaders, by and large. I don’t write many followers unless he or she would appear in a minor role as a witness or something of that order. If all they do is follow, how would they contribute to the story? I do write a lot of independent characters, though.
Teresa–That would really provide some good conflict, for sure! Hope someone pegs you for leadership soon! You’d be good at it.
Margot–Joel is definitely a leader, and an effective one. I’m glad there’s someone else who’d just like adults to take charge of their own selves and not always need a leader. :)
Corra–I like the idea of a quiet character who has inner strength and learns to approach the world in a proactive way.
Simon–I’ve heard several people praise that series and I’m glad you brought it up. I couldn’t think of a series with a weak protagonist–but the portrayal in that series sounds very interesting. I think it’s all up to the writer’s skills. I *have* read books before that featured a weaker protagonist (can’t recall them now, though) and I ended up being frustrated with them (odd, since I’m not take-charge, myself.) But a skillful writer could clearly make the character fascinating. I’d never call Gandhi weak, but he approached leadership in an alternate way.
Lorel–Oh, I do know what you mean. If I’m the best leader in the group (which, unfortunately, seems to happen sometimes), then I will take charge. Milling around frustrates me, too…but mostly because I’m acting from impatience, not from a desire to lead.
Since my series follows so many characters, there’s a mixture of both, including observers. And those people are fun, too. No, I don’t kill them off, but I stick them in a situation where they HAVE to do something and then watch them panic.
And leading adults IS like leading children! My husband and I are in charge of our singles ministry at church, and it’s like wrangling cats when we take them anywhere.
I write all types, but the protagonist(s) have to lead, as Carol said.
I’m definitely a leader sort. Not always a ‘beloved’ one, though! Must be all those years of parenting and teaching.
I write reluctant leaders. They are invited to lead and feel inadequate but they do rise to the challenge – eventually. That’s what works for me because I want my protagonists to grow in the novel and as cops how are they going to do that? by taking on more and more…
Unless the protagonist is just reacting all the time (usually found in action driven novels) I think protagonists have to have some sort of leadership ability, or at the very least they need to be making independent decisions about their own actions. Protagonists that follow all the time would be difficult to become really interested in.
Yes I write leaders and followers. I’m a natural leader type personality so it comes pretty easy. Interesting subject though, Elizabeth. As usual (wink)
Marvin D Wilson
Michele–It’s almost like acting in a play, isn’t it? We get to try on different roles.
Diane–Oh, you’re mean to your observers! Panic is definitely the word. I’ll take a leadership role only if my impatience with current leadership or lack of any leadership makes me do it. And I would definitely panic.
Alan–I like that. There seems to be a consensus in favor of that type of character. I think I write bossy women. So funny…I wouldn’t have thought that would be my thing. I wonder if many writers are observers. I was a wretched employee when I worked at a bank: I was unhappy as a manager and I was unhappy being told what to do!
Jemi–Now that’s interesting…a character whose assumption of a leadership role directed in a happier character. I like that.
Martha–You sound like me! I don’t mind responsibility, but I don’t want to be in charge of delegating, etc. Instead I’ll do it all myself so I don’t have to lead or organize anyone else! I think you’re right that reluctant leaders are probably characters that readers would identify most with.
Jan–I think of police as leaders, but I can see how some of them might reluctantly assume that role.
Carolina–I think a story where the protagonist learns to take charge would be really satisfying. I enjoy reading about character growth.
Carol–That’s what I wonder, too. I have read some women’s fiction (a term I’m not crazy about, but you know the type books), where the women were going through a midlife and were just victims of their fate. They just seemed sort of whiny to me and I became frustrated when they didn’t take charge of their lives. Can’t remember the books now. I didn’t finish them, so I don’t know if the women overcame their paralysis to make a personal change.
Terry–I’ve got the bossy mom thing down-pat, but that’s about as far as my leadership skills go. :)
Marvin–I can imagine that about you! Sounds like a good fit.
At least one of my protagonists is always a leader, whether reluctant or by nature. Because we need to have conflict in our stories, having both protagonists be leaders usually works out great. On the other hand, creating two opposite personality types works well too.
Think about real life, like at work, where you have some leaders and some followers. Where does all the angst come from? Either two people battling it out for that lone spot at the top of the hill or two people frustrated as hell because the other just doesn’t GET it.
In real life, we find fewer leaders than followers. I also suspect that we have far more reluctant leaders than we realize–and they’re probably the true heroes.
I could see how a follower or wanderer would make a good protagonist. She’s much more likely to get into things or meet up with unusual people. She’d have adventures and narrow escapes. Oh, the things she could get into and see.
Helen
Straight From Hel
I am an accidental leader. I write all kinds of people. I am not a joiner, like you, I prefer to observe and I horde my time, so I can write. No clubs, no classes, no organizations, just me and my Mac and the familiar clickety clack of the keyboard.
In real life I’m an observer, and while I like people, I don’t necessarily need people to have a good time. Though my favorite passtime is to watch people and come up with a story as to what kind of life they have, what their occupation is, etc. If I think about it, I guess my main character is usually a leader, but then there are times I let them be observers carried along on the story.
Linda–You are spot on. In my mysteries, that’s a frequent conflict, even if it’s a minor organization at a church–leaders want to lead and will rub each other the wrong way.
And you’re right about the unsung, reluctant heroes. I think there are many of them out there. And that they’d make fantastic protagonists.
Cassandra–I think so, too…but Simon had me wondering if it might be successfully done in a series. I know you read fantasy: what do you think about the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant?
Helen–Or be a cult member. :0) Sorry, imagination went wild.
Elizabeth–That would be a *great* name for a book: The Accidental Leader. :)
I’m not a joiner…but I’m wondering if I should try to join a local writing organization. More on that tomorrow. I’m waffling.
I don’t think I would be comfortable writing anyone who is not an adult, responsible for him/herself.
On a dare, I may be able to pull off a leader, but a follower will be rather difficult for me to do without being condescending.