Keeping Them in the Dark

Part II of "Bad Stuff Happens..."

Photo by chmyphotography on Unsplash

Recently I posted about not being nice to your characters. At least one reader pointed out that it’s not always about being “mean” to the people in our stories.

After I post, I ponder the subject further; all is so inter-connected. I’ve also been working closely on the second draft of a client’s novel, and that too, is bringing to mind so much of the process for writers for whom so much is new. One particular piece that keeps coming to mind is how, in spite of all we writers know about our characters and their stories, the character him or herself does not… until they do. So maybe it’s not so much being “mean” to a character as it is keeping him or her “in the dark.” Even as you, writer, might know exactly what’s going on.