Fraternal Rivalry for the Lead

7 April 2010 | Filed Under Characters, Script Frenzy 

Prince Charming is supposed to be the main character, but Prince Wright is quickly shoving him out of the way. He is demanding to be the lead, and it’s hard to resist him. I always had a soft spot for younger brothers in royal families.

It’s a common complaint of writers, having characters come into a life of their own and taking your story in directions you didn’t expect. I wonder if non-writers can understand our plight, or if they think we’re completely insane.

It’s definitely a strange experience. You try to plan the character’s dialogue and actions, but no matter how you phrase it in your brain, your hands write it differently. It’s almost as if the characters are reaching into the motor functions of your brain and making you write what they want.

Since Too Many Princesses is a play, it’s easy to see my characters on stage, which means it’s child’s play to imagine Wright trying to upstage his brother. I wouldn’t be surprised if this devolves into a literal fight to stand in the beam of a spotlight. Must remind myself to keep fourth wall breaking to a minimum!

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    Hi, I'm Jenn, new grad student and old YA fantasy writer. I've long dreamed of being a novelist, and I bet you have too. I hope you find my blog helpful, inspiring, and maybe just a little bit fun. (But not too much fun. Writing is serious business, you know.)

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