Category Archives: Reflections

© 2013 Raymond Alexander Kukkee   [caption id="attachment_1134" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Cowboys on Horses, Remington, Frederic, 1861-1909.[/caption]   "Great characters are more likely to be main characters"   C is for Characters.  It seems as writers we are always attempting to generate new, exciting, and informative material for articles, stories and yes, even for  novels like The Fires of Waterland. I feel obligated to  mention that, because the story line in FOW is built upon characters and the specific characteristics of characters. Why is 'Fletcher Carnival Williams' named as he is?  You'll find out. He's a character. Character-building can be a challenge.  If we're lucky, it comes naturally;  if not, it can be a struggle to create characters that speak to the reader. Individuals, to be memorable characters, must surreptitiously  or otherwise work their way into the mind of the reader-and stay there. That tall girl with an eye-patch  will remain in the mind; her bland band of generic wall-flower friends gossiping at the doorway will not. Content depends upon characters; clarity and a good story line  demand the establishment of characters offering a  brand to be remembered. Well-created characters offer something distinguishable from others. Their individual characteristics may be  quirky, or they may practice an unusual habit. They may have a contrary appearance, sport something  weird, even perhaps in-your-face and  rare,  and unique. They are different, unlike their associates, identifiable --but above all, they must be memorable. Why is that necessary?  To cut to the chase, you want to make all  content  exciting and memorable. To wit,  John Smith and  Bill Brown as a pair of dusty horseback riding fools out west  would hardly be memorable characters in a posse of thirty men, but Thistlefoot John Smith and  Bill 'Rosie-nose' Brown would likely occupy the mind of the reader far beyond their initial introduction. Great characters are more likely to be main characters, lead the posse, capture the bandits and save fair maidens in runaway wagons. "Let's try and catch up to Thistlefoot and Rosie-nose,  boys!"   That's why C is for Characters.    Is that Incoming I hear?