Two things have occurred today that I felt needed a post. One is pride and the other is just odd:
I think I just wrote one of the most powerful scenes in Curse of the Dark Wind. It’s a Fizzle scene, but two other characters appear in it that simply stole the show. So much mystery, anguish, and rawness in them.
I’m seeing a looming main character might be entirely different than what I originally intended. I always wondered how this one would come out because the player joined the game a little before it died. The character was essential, so a personality and path hadn’t evolved very far. So, I had no idea where I would go when this game-changer stepped into the story during Sleeper of the Wildwood Fugue. A few cameos to get a feel, but nothing standard until now.
This character has jumped from utter confident badass to wise advisor to timid apologist in the appearances since The Compass Key. There’s more to it that I don’t want to spoil, but the physical appearance is set for the book I start writing in February. Yet, I can’t pin this one down and it seems to work. I know this character is broken. I’m talking ‘dear god, how is *gender* remotely sane’, so I don’t know if this works. Can a character be good if they jump from confident to timid at the drop of a hat? Threatened this one can beat you with your own lungs, but raise your voice and they cower? This is something to grow out of and locks in a personal subplot that I had yet to truly uncover, but I wonder if there’s a massive risk for starting like this.
Legends of Windemere 
I’d say stay true to the character and take the risk. =D If you can make the promise to the reader that they’ll find out why she’s this way and that they’ll get to see her grow then it should all be forgiven. =D
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Well, the reasons are going to be revealed rather quickly. One will appear within a few paragraphs of her waking up. My main concern is that she’ll come off as random and sloppy.
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The type of character with dramatic personality changes can be a very rich story line. I’m thinking of those the character loves and those he /she fears. I would bet when a loved one yells the cower factor sets in. When afraid or angry the fight response kicks in and hense the lungless life for the one who caused the problem. I think you can pull it off nicely
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That’s one of the hurdles. This character doesn’t have any loved ones. Part of her evolution is making friends for the first time in her life.
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You can build a backstory of love lost (or even mistreatment) which would be a powerful motivation for a dual personality. No friends but still has secret feelings for people and the reader finds out the one’s she cowers from are those who she would want to be friends with given a chance. (think big dog behavior)
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Oh, I have her backstory and it’s a big one. Kind of a love lost and a lot of mistreatment. Mostly psychological messing up. To say she has a dark past is a bit of an understatement.
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You have an honest reason to develop the character the way you want to then.
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hence and lung less. I am typo challenged today.
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I’ve had enough autocorrect comedy in my life to read through those typos.
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