Next article, we’ll dive into the other characters. For this post, I wanted to go back to the two (mostly) fleshed out characters and bring a critical eye to them. Things editors or writing buddies might point out. Things like…
"Their backgrounds are really similar. Both tragic and involving the death of loved ones. Seems a little matchy-match to me."
If it’s a real editor speaking, take the notes and adjust things as you see fit. Or calmly explain your thoughts behind it and make suggestions for capturing that same feel in different ways. [Hint: if you can’t think of anything actually stronger than your initial instincts and impressions… provide weaker options and hope the strongest thought wins out].
Now, if the person doing the talking here is your "inner editor" creeping up to fill your head up with logic and negative self-image issues… then bitchslap him/her back into the holding pen and get back to writing.
For the two characters of The Ubataurrik and Marq, I actually wanted them to have similar backgrounds. I wanted to show how similar tragedies spawn different personalities… complementary souls to become a buddy comedy team. The following is the first impressions of the characters rattling through my head.
Yes, both had loved ones dies by the other race. The Ubataurrik had his loved one killed by humans. Marq had his loved ones killed by monsters. But the tragedy changed them both in different ways.
The Ubataurrik protected the faer-folk in the enchanted glade in the woods. He came from a position of responsibility. Protector. Guardian. That’s serious business. When he failed, he gave up on shouldering responsibility. His mind began refusing to take on any form of responsibility. He overreacted and became wild and carefree like the ones he used to protect. No responsibilities… no future guilt from failure.
Marq was a kid. Carefree and enjoying his time as a kid. Growing up with no real responsibility… help mom and dad… be a kid. He took on more responsibility than what was requested of him. Not due to pride or duty… but because it was fun. Work isn’t work if you enjoy it. When the monsters killed his family, he overreacted in the sense of taking on responsibility for all the harm monsters cause from that day forward. If he doesn’t catch them and they make someone else suffer like this, then it’s his fault because he didn’t do his job. He didn’t stop them. He’s the protector now… the self-appointed guardian to keep humanity safe from all of these monsters.
They started out as opposites and through tragic suffering… became opposites once more. But deep down, they still have similarities. The Ubataurrik will never be free of the guardian inside of him and Marq still has youth buried in his heart somewhere. And maybe a little forced togetherness will help drag the best out of both of them.
