Thank you for this, Alison. This is similar to the way that I tend to approach my fiction writing. My protagonists tend to have a problem gnawing at them: an ethical problem; an emotional problem; an unfulfilled need. They make choices, often poor choices, in response. There is a build-up of tension as the consequences of their choices proliferate, become increasingly unsustainable. This may bring them into conflict with other characters, and/or with their self-understanding. There is a crisis, a denouement or moment of insight. There's rarely an external antagonist to drive the action, partly because I think that 'villains' are vanishingly rare in real life. There will be characters with different standpoints, different agendas, of course.
The forgiveness aspect is eye-opening. I’ve been thinking about Happy-endings in stories. When a bad person has a happy ending it can feel wrong. Forgiveness would provide closure.
I love Katherine Paterson. Jacob Have I Loved is one of my favorite novels. I read Gilly Hopkins last year and liked it too. Still haven't read Bridge to Terabithia. I'm not much of a fantasy person.
Sep 15, 2022·edited Sep 17, 2022Liked by Alison Acheson
Forgiveness as a conflict model is a revelation!!!!!!! Without it the character will remain stuck and the story becomes a tragedy. Hamlet or Romeo & Juliet anyone? Such a helpful concept
Thank you for this, Alison. This is similar to the way that I tend to approach my fiction writing. My protagonists tend to have a problem gnawing at them: an ethical problem; an emotional problem; an unfulfilled need. They make choices, often poor choices, in response. There is a build-up of tension as the consequences of their choices proliferate, become increasingly unsustainable. This may bring them into conflict with other characters, and/or with their self-understanding. There is a crisis, a denouement or moment of insight. There's rarely an external antagonist to drive the action, partly because I think that 'villains' are vanishingly rare in real life. There will be characters with different standpoints, different agendas, of course.
The forgiveness aspect is eye-opening. I’ve been thinking about Happy-endings in stories. When a bad person has a happy ending it can feel wrong. Forgiveness would provide closure.
I'm stuck on one of my drafts and I think forgiveness is the key to it. I will ponder this more. Thanks
I love Katherine Paterson. Jacob Have I Loved is one of my favorite novels. I read Gilly Hopkins last year and liked it too. Still haven't read Bridge to Terabithia. I'm not much of a fantasy person.
Forgiveness as a conflict model is a revelation!!!!!!! Without it the character will remain stuck and the story becomes a tragedy. Hamlet or Romeo & Juliet anyone? Such a helpful concept