Character or Story?

I’m often asked which comes first in my writing, an idea of the main character or an idea for the story. This question comes, I think, with a sort of hidden agenda on the part of the new writer—wanting to know which is the right way for a writer to begin. But that’s the thing about writing, there’s rarely just one right way.

While I—along with legions of other writers—have always said ‘it’s all about character’ that doesn’t necessary mean you have to begin your writing process by having a main character in mind.

It’s often the case that a time period, a historical event, a life event, or even a place will spark your interest in developing a story. Let’s say you’re interested in things that happened in the 60s, so you’re drawn to stories that take place then—well, that’s how you begin. Perhaps you’ve seen other films set in the 60s like The Graduate, Alfie, Rosemary’s Baby, Breakfast at Tiffany’s and there’s something about that decade that just draws you. So you might begin by imagining storylines set in the 60s… or you might begin by imagining a person who lives in the 60s. Either way is OK, either way can get you to a story that you want to write about. One question to ask yourself is whether you can come up with a story we haven’t seen before—or a character we haven’t seen before. If you want to write about a womanizing swinger you need to make sure he’s different than the title character in Alfie because that’s been done.

Let’s take your 60s movie a step further. What if you’re not interested in the 60s per se, but you’re interested in how people and the world were affected by man landing on the moon? There’s a big event that anyone living at that time would vividly recall today—48 years later! That means your initial writing interest, too, is based on this one historical event. First step? Read, or watch, everything you can about the event and how people were affected by it. At this point, it’s not about watching other films, it’s about studying the history of that event. Once you’ve read newspaper reports and watched video reports/documentaries on the event, only then should you turn to films about the moon landing and what led up to it. The Right Stuff, for example, is a terrific film about that time period. Though made in the 80s it’s about the 60s, so search for films that profile the people who had something to do with that event. Maybe that’s where you’ll find your main character, somewhere in this research phase.

But let’s say your 60s interest takes you in a different direction—perhaps you’re fascinated by Richard Nixon—the one president in modern times who was forced out of office. The film Nixon has been done, so you need to be sure you have a new take on him or plan to focus on an event in his life that we haven’t seen explored before from the unique angle you have in mind.

Or your 60s movie could be inspired by a place—maybe Central Park in New York and what it was like in the 60s has always interested you. You heard that it was a magnet for protest and change in the 60s, and that sparks your interest. Again, you begin with research and imagine… what? A story that takes place in the park? Or a 60s character who is drawn to the park or has something happen to them there?

It doesn’t matter whether you start with story or character. It matters that you start, and in starting you’ll find your way to the screenplay you want to write.

Copyright © Diane Lake

12Mar17

Email Diane a question to Diane@DianeLake.com