When the Protagonist Won't Let You Inside Their Head
Five ways to close the gap when your lead character is several steps removed from you.
Scene-by-scene we record the comings and goings of the imaginary friends stomping, scuttling and tip-toeing around inside our head. Whether you be a plotter zeroing in on the scene for today’s attention, or a Pantser letting the mind wander and lead — we all take that journey inside our imagination and allow our fingers to tap away at the keyboard to paint the vivid adventures we have conjured.
In most cases, this journey involves a clearly defined cast of antagonists, protagonists and supporting characters. The lead role, of course, is the protagonist with whom the reader should identify. When you have a firm grasp of who that protagonist is, what their motives are and how they interact with others and circumstances — the words can flow smoothly. Your muse will lead you to where the story should go. Sometimes, that is not the case.
Of course, we can go through the typical character profile exercise: describing appearances, giving background, identifying wants and needs, listing obstacles both internal and external. This should provide a sound basis for the most part, but occasionally you may encounter a character that will not let you inside their head. You are left writing unconvincing dialogue and inconsistent plot variations.
This usually occurs when the protagonist is several steps removed from the author’s perspective. Whether it be a historical, cultural, gendered or age separation — such gaps can lead to chasms opening between you and your lead character and leaves you sitting at the keyboard not knowing what to write or writing material that will need revision.
Here are five approaches to help bridge that gap.
Stop writing and start reading
Pick up a memoir of someone similar to your character — set in the same era, location and class. A first-hand account of what that person experienced is invaluable input for guiding your character through your plot points.
Research
Determining the zeitgeist of the demographic and era provides a framework for your character’s thoughts and dialogue. Due to historical or political events, what was the general mood of the populace? Optimistic or pessimistic? Were certain prejudices commonly expressed? Let your character assume those characteristics if appropriate.
Meditate
Before sitting down to write, take time to close your eyes in a quiet space, let go of your own thoughts and step into your character. Put them on like a jacket and feel what it is like to be them. Place your character in the scene you plan to write and ask questions about their mood, surroundings, fears and desires. Ask what they have just done before the scene. What must they do immediately after this scene that isn’t accounted for in the text? Flesh out the scene in your mind beyond the start and finish of the words on the page.
Write extraneous scenes
Give the character a task such as writing a letter to another character, a phone call conversation, or a typical duty they would perform in their day. You may have no intention of putting these words in the finished book, but the process will give you a deeper connection to how they behave.
Rest or exercise
Sometimes, no matter what you do, the creative juices are not flowing favorably. A forty-five-minute brisk walk, a nap if you are tired, or a meal if you are hungry, will do wonders to get the brain firing on all synapses once again.
Have you had a problem writing about a certain character? What did you do to fix the issue? As a reader, have you read a book and thought the author doesn’t seem to know their lead? What gave it away?