Holly Black stopped by to add her input on our discussion of Compassion and White Cat, so we thought we'd highlight that for anyone who missed it! Holly says:"It is so interesting to hear people talk about my characters like they're people you know -- it's one of the things that I think writers like best, because most of the time we're alone with these characters for long stretches of time. They become real to us and we have strong feelings about them - but we're the only people who do - so when we meet readers who want to talk about them, it makes us feel less crazy.
"The thing I have been continuously surprised by is the compassion that readers have for Barron. He's a troubled and troubling guy, but many feel sorry for him in a way that I don't!"
Thanks, Holly! White Cat readers: Thoughts? Have you ever felt compassion for a character who wasn't necessarily "good"?
8 comments:
I find that I usually like the characters that are troubled, even if they're evil too. I don't know if it's because I feel sorry for them, but I think characters like that have more depth.
I agree totally with that quote. I don't really have readers yet, but I love love love it when family and friends talk about my characters. It feels amazing.
Letting others read a story you've written is like introducing them to your significant others or your children: you've created these characters, so they are near and dear to your heart, and it's difficult to let them go out into the world!
I agree with Holly; I love it when a beta reader of mine can tell me right off the bat that (my character) wouldn't do that! Someone 'getting' my characters gives me the warm fuzzies:D
Thank you so much for highlighting Holly's quote, Melissa!
My next book, "family," features a deeply flawed character who makes some very bad choices. But I have compassion for her because she's reacting to a set of life circumstances over which she had no control, and because she truly she feels that she is worthless. It will be interesting to see how readers react to her!
I love a flawed character, too, as long as some part of them is relatable. And usually, the flaw part is!
Don't great authors have strains of good even in evil characters? This keeps them from being flat. And that then is what we can latch onto.
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