A rule of writing

[winter]

Put your characters in situations that rip them apart. And rip them apart some more.

- Sherry Thomas, On fundamental rules of writing

I think this is something that I've internalised over the past year or so. The downside is, I have a lot of traumatised characters.

(On the other hand, I think this is why I adore movies like Equilibrium and Once Upon A Time In Mexico so much. Set up a successful character. Rip them apart utterly. And twist pins in the wounds until the diamond core emerges and smacks you in the face with a pair of pistols.)

Comments

I don't think that........

[dracschick.livejournal.com]

you should write something just to challenge yourself (seems like writer is telling other writers to write angsty and that, if they do, they'll meet the challenge). For me, writing a very disturbing sequence isn't the most difficult thing that challenges me as a writer and makes me work on being a better writer. Personally, for me, it's humor. I'm trying to work on that:)

Re: I don't think that........

[winter]

I think it's more of a question of putting characters in situations where they are challenged - might as well be putting an angsty character in a situation that makes him laugh :) Right now I have a bloodthirsty warlord in mushy luuuuv, and it's tearing him apart nicely...