When writing a short story do you develop the characters first or the plot?

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   nataliemarie71posted 14 years ago

   When writing a short story do you develop the characters first or the plot?

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   cyekin_37posted 14 years ago

   When I do write a short story, I tend to develop what is going to happen, then I create the characters that fit the part I'd want them to play in the story
   
   It all tends to flow well after everything falls into place. The fun part is to name the characters you've created

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   foumenljposted 14 years ago

   Interesting question. I think it depends of several factors. I'll briefly focus on the plot at first but I'll make sure that I develop the characters in the same time.

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   AdeleCosgroveBrayposted 14 years ago

   There's no right and wrong way to approach this - each wrtier has to experiment (by writing regularly) to discover what works for them.
   
   With me, any story can be inspired by a character or a plot idea, or even a mood or some snippet of convesation I've overheard.

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   MickSposted 14 years ago

   A short story really only needs one in depth character, maybe a sidekick as well, slightly less rounded, any other characters, and there shouldn't be many, are only there to carry the story along, they don't need much work.
   You can have a great character pop into your head and you work out a story to fit the character.  Or it can work out the other way, a great plot, and think, mmm, now, who is going to tell that story, it doesn't really matter which way you proceed.

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   yoshi97posted 14 years ago

   This is a difficult question, as I do a little bit of both. Allow me to explain ...
   
   Sometimes I come up with an interesting character and hold onto them until I find a plot they can partake in, but more often than not it's the plot that comes first.
   
   The best answer to this question is that the plot should come first, as it is far more difficult to write a plot around a character than it is to write a character around a plot. The exception to this rule is a continuing series, as the character is then already developed and the new plot is created to draw upon the strengths and weaknesses of this character,
   
   Once you have your plot drawn up you will need a main character ... a hero of types, so to speak. To make your story read well, your character needs strengths and weaknesses that will make their task difficult - but not impossible.
   
   Remember ... every character has strengths and weaknesses, just like us, and those need to weave into the plot in such a way that the story often establishes the character through his or her needs.
   
   Again, you can develop the character first, but be prepared for a bumpy ride as it's a lot of work to revolve a story around a character. And yet, J.K Rowling does this aptly well in the Harry Potter series. However, in the first book of the series, the plot created Harry.
   
   So my answer to you is to create your plot and then when you finish that ... create a character that your plot will challenge until the end.
   
   I hope that helps.

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   wingedcentaurposted 14 years ago

   Good Day nataliemarie71
   
   My approach is to try to establish rhythm, the flow of words. I tend to view any work of fiction I approach as an ocean from which all "life" of a particular narrative will spring. You know how all life sprang from the sea?
   
   This is the approach I have found "works" for me. I used to struggle of questions just like the one you posed. But this is why it is so important to be a prolific reader, to be successful as a fiction writer. By reading you learn, you begin to figure out the methods and techniques that you like and don't like.
   
   I am inspired, stylistically, by John Grisham, Mario Puzo (he is the most elegant stylist), Elmore Leonard, Philip K. Dick, Richard Wright, and Philip Roth. Armed with this, I tend to just sit down in front of the computer and start typing and see what comes up.
   
   I find that whatever I write quickly is always better than anything I take too much time with, second guessing myself, and all the rest of it. I don't use outlines or anything like that. I'm not saying outlines aren't helpful. It depends on the individual.
   
   My approach is to say: If I struggle to write it, you, the reader, will struggle to read it. Personally, I can forgive a lot if the writer is a good prose stylist. I am tempted to say that good style actually negates the possibility of certain weaknesses arise.
   
   Anyway, for me, its not a question of 'characters' or 'plot' first. I just start with an idea.

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