Character Development

People can change. It is important we keep this in mind when we write, and when we go through our daily lives.

My younger siblings were in a play today called Flapper, about --- wait for it --- flappers. The songs were unbelievably long and it wasn't as funny as the show they had put on last year. The costumes were fantastic, though. My sister had on an authentic flapper dress. It was 90 years old and gorgeous! Anyways, back to character development. The main character was the fabulous, famous flapper Polly Pepper. A million gazillion things happened that I couldn't really keep track of, but the point is, amidst all the action, Polly never changed. She was the all-around perfect girl when she walked on the stage, and when she walked off, there was still not a single flaw in her character. Everything went right for her. She got everything she wanted. She was happy and content for every single moment of the show. It was pathetic.

In our own personal lives, we change. And we're usually not Polly Pepper perfect. I can attest to it. A couple of years ago, I was left out and facing things on my own. I blamed myself for other people's problems and developed poor self-esteem. I struggled with my self image for years, until I finally opened myself up to God's grace at my annual work camp. And with that, my life began to change.

I quit putting myself down and dropped all the insults. I started dressing in a way that made me feel happy, which meant dressing up most days and feeling good. Best of all, I was able to deepen friendships with people who encouraged me to be a better person rather than drag me down. I changed, and it was a great change. Last night, sitting around a campfire with some of the best people in the world (they know who they are --- see, they're raising their hands!), I realized things were finally coming full circle. I am leaving for the same camp tomorrow and I am going to arrive there a different person. I am someone who is happy with who I am, who now knows what it's like to have people support me and love me for who I am, and what it's like to feel good when I look in the mirror. I didn't do that myself --- it was all God --- so I spent a lot of time thanking Him today.

Characters undergo changes like mine all the time, although some changes aren't for the better. But in many stories, a character changes to recognize a flaw, become a better person, etc. They can't start off perfect and remain that way for the whole story. Nor can they be a horrible person and remain equally nasty at the end. Character changes and character development are important aspects of every story.

Start by examining the major changes in your personal character. Maybe you can identify a change that you and your character have in common. But whatever you do, don't be like Polly Pepper.

WRITING UPDATE: Again, nothing. I will get to write tomorrow during the huge car ride to camp. That is, if I don't sleep the whole time. That campfire I mentioned? Yeah, it was a sleep-over complete with 2 full hours of sleep. That's what I like to call the rise of the living dead. Zombie apocalypse?

READING UPDATE: Just finished Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. The story world was fantastic and I adored the concept. The characters were alright, although some were vague and flat. I hope there is a sequel mainly because I feel the conflict didn't resolve well enough at the end. If you plan to read it, be forewarned: there is some language in it. However, if you're looking for something original, it's a very fascinating book with a good storyline. I am now 9 pages into The Scarlet Pimpernel. So far, it's yummy. Of course, nothing's happened, but I have high hopes.

Like I said, I am leaving for camp tomorrow. Wish me luck! Back in a week. Hoping to sneak in a post before my next camp.