Friday, December 17, 2010

Fiction Friday: PLOT OR CHARACTER (a "hoppin'" question)

Book Blogger Hop

Hopping along this holiday season with Crazy-for-Books' Book Blogger Hop.  The topic this week, straight from Geek on the Brink, is (drumroll please)...

What do you consider the most important in a story: the plot or the characters?


This is a great question.  I feel that character is at the center of every novel.  This is not to say that I don't want a good story but, for me, an excellent story means that the main character behaves in an authentic way at every turn.  Each twist of the plot comes from a choice the character makes and I need to believe completely in that choice--that this is the action s/he would take at that moment--to continue to be drawn forward into the story.

Agree?  Disagree?  Feel like joining along in the hop?  Lots of places to click above or comment below.

Happy Friday!

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

I agree with you. And I love what you say about characters making choices, I like when what happens rings true, like I could totally see those characters doing such and such thing.

Happy book blogger hop

Karen Strong said...

I'm a plot chick, but I'm really starting to be convinced that character is the center of the novel. It's the characters that should move the plot forward.

I'll have to check out the other blogs. :)

Howard Sherman said...

This might be the best Book Blogger Hop question I've seen to date.

So what's the answer? Plot! Hop over to my blog and let me tell you how a good plot rescued bad characters from bad book oblivion.

Howard Sherman
http://www.howardsherman.net

Alissa said...

Yes! Wesselhoeft's writing IS gorgeous.

Also, glad someone else agrees the characters are important. Most seem to be choosing the plot.

Have a fabulous weekend!

pussreboots said...

I agree. I am more forgiving of a wacky plot than I am of poorly formed characters. I prefer characters over plot. But both are important. Happy Blog Hop.

Anonymous said...

Both are important for me. Visiting from the hop. Happy weekend.
Reading,Reading&Life

Elizabeth said...

Lots of good answers to this week's tough question.

Hopping by from the blog hop.

Stop by my blog to see my answer to this week's question.

Also check out a design site I found...pretty neat home decorating ideas...it is in the right side panel on my blog.


http://silversolara.blogspot.com

Happy Holidays!!

Unknown said...

Hopping by to return the visit and follow! I tried to add your book on Goodreads, but it's not showing up yet. :-) I'll keep my eyes open for AUDITION!

Stasia said...

Thanks to all for stopping by for the hop this week. Thought it was a great question and I'm interested to note the variety in the answers. Regarding AUDITION, it pubs in October. Hadn't thought about the Goodreads thing--I'll look into when it'll be listed there. Hope everyone's having a hoppin' weekend! - Stasia

Molly/Cece said...

I am going to hop in late. I can't wait for your novel to come out (BTW), Stasia. New pic in sidebar is also fab. On last odd note, Wesselhoeft's writing is sublime.

I think different novels have different centers. I like plot driven and character driven stories and in the best of both worlds a great plot and some great characters show up. So if I have to pick, well, I pick character. On plot, I do get annoyed if a great character has a bunch of cool brothers and doesn't end up getting in fight with one of them in the whole book, and I think if all the antagonists are turned into mutant dogs in the last act that this plot choice is off-putting. But I will forgive this kind of stuff if I like the characters well enough. On the other hand let's say if the giant ship sinks at the end of the story and vapid gal and her silly lover are dunked into the icy ocean, and I'm rooting for the ship at the end because it had more personality, or if some silly mining operation on some planet leads to a strange hook up between a giant blue gal and a tiny little guy and there's a whole lot of eco-terror going on...and I'm looking at my cell phone, wondering how long this sparkly-dressed-up-but-no-where-to-go multimillion dollar cgi fest is going to last? Well, characterization is important! Mr. Cameron, could you please hire someone who can write. Please. You make pretty pictures but ya need to throw some dollars at a writer...(I am available:)

Stasia said...

Heeheehee! Molly, you rock!

Nic @ Irresistible Reads said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog early. I am now a follower.

I agree with you answer about character being the most important aspect :)

bibliophiliac said...

I'm a tardy hopper! Character is most important to me. Glad to have discovered your blog!

Stasia said...

Hi, Nic and bibliophiliac. Thanks for hopping by. Go, team character!