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September 08, 2006
Nice Guys (and Gals) Don't Finish
I love being part of the children's book community. My colleagues are warm, funny and generous folks. And my writing students constantly delight and surprise me. On the whole, children's book creators are plain old nice folks.
Which is a problem. Especially for writers. I was reminded of this recently while critiquing a manuscript. The writer had engaging characters, a fresh voice and an intriguing story premise. All good, right? To a point, yes. But this writer is a long-time elementary teacher with a heart of solid platinum. She adores kids; she wants the best for kids; she's dedicated her life to helping them.
There's the rub. Her concern and dedication are beyond admirable in her life as a teacher. In her life as a writer, they are a millstone around her neck. My tenderhearted student has a hard time -- as do many writers -- letting her characters suffer. Yet suffering, overcoming obstacles, is the stuff of story.
Sometimes, we sabotage our stories by sending in a wise old grandparent or Wise Old Apple Tree or wise old animal to solve everything for the main character -- deus ex machina in a bunny suit, if you will. Sometimes, it's more a matter of backpedaling as fast as we can away from any hint of pain or sacrifice. Sometimes, we cop out on the whole issue of conflict resolution with that phrase that makes editors twitch: "But it was only a dream."
Here is my advice. The minute you plant your derriere in your writing chair, cease to be Miss Nelson. Ingest a healthy dose of Viola Swamp, Aunt Fidget Wonkham-Strong and Cruella deVille and place your trembling fingers on the keyboard. When the smoke clears, pound away. Pile the woes on little Will; tons of trouble for Tami Sue; maximimize the number of obstacles Max and Molly encounter. The moment you step away from the chair, you can resume being the kind of person who helps little old ladies across the street and buys Campfire Mints every February. But while you are writing, be hard-hearted. Because in letting your main character fall to the depths, you give them space to climb. And your reader wants to be right there with them, every single step down and every single step back up again. Don't deprive your character and your reader the inalienable right to face tough times because that's part of what being human is all about.
Posted by kirby at September 8, 2006 01:31 PM
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