Nanowrimo rambling

[winter]

*sighs* I need to rant about my Nanowrimo novel somewhere. There'll be more of it here throughout November.


On the whole, my Nanowrimo project is going rather well. I have the characters and the plot. I have the major turning points and a denouement from hell. I even have a semi-decent title ("Shattered Faces").

So why is it causing me so much aggravation?

I guess it's creative pains. Might even result in a better end product. But right now several fictional people are severely pissing me off.

I love bad guys. I always start with the villains. I can write good villains, and I know it. But the ones in "Shattered Faces" are driving me nuts.

First, we have the Suit. I know his personality; I know he loves his kids and I know he's ordered dozens of people killed. What I don't know is what the bloody hell he looks like, or what his name is. No age, no history, no race, no nothing. A damned cypher.

Then, there's the Russians. Who are pretty cooperative details-wise, but my meat's a different thing. I can't for the life of me make them more than stereotypes >_< I know there's more than that to them, I know the enforcer type had a whole life-changing experience in Chechnya, but he's covering up perfectly with a dumb Russian gangster act.

And finally, Brian. Oh gods, Brian. Here, a bit of background is needed. You see, I wanted a bit of local color, a neighborhood tough guy who's being paid to keep an eye on the locals so that they don't make trouble for the elite clientele of a certain club in a rough part of town. The archetype I went ahead with was "wolf" - loyal to his pack, death to enemies, somewhat simplistic in his thinking but arriving at surprisingly shrewd conclusions. I even wrote Brian a very she-wolf girlfriend as a cameo.

And then the bloody git went literary on me. Literally. He walked out of the blue and started talking to my main character about Victorian adventure novels. He dropped literary allusions I needed to look up. In short, not what I planned. And then he clammed up. I can't even tell his damned age, not to mention his past. I've a funny feeling he's working for some forces behind the scenes. And this is triple-disturbing, since the last time I checked there wasn't anyone behind the scenes.

So, there. Anybody got any ideas on how to beat absolutely infuriatingly independent original characters into submission?

Comments

[muzivitch.livejournal.com]

You know, I tried beating mine into submission, but failed rather miserably at it.

There's reason that particular notebook hasn't been opened for over a year and a half.

Other than that, I might suggest letting them take control, and then attacking when they have their guard down.