Be Aware of the Great Battles

Today I want to focus on kindness. What is kindness to me? It's tenderhearted concern, to be sympathetic and understanding. I've been thinking about a Philo of Alexandria quote again: Be kind, for most everyone you meet is fighting a great battle. I think about this almost daily. It's important terms of story telling. I've learned to see that all my characters, the good (of course) and the bad (not as intuitive), are fighting great battles. As I turn my mind's eye toward concern and sympathy, my characters grow and expand. The cardboard cutouts disappear and multi-faceted jewels replace them.

This isn't the hero talk. Generally heroes are likable. Bad guys, not so much. I do think that the bad guys need the most kindness. If you don't try to understand what is motivating them, if you don't try to see the mosaic of good within their evil-slanted psyche, then they end up seeming fake, one note. It will weaken your story. So today, think about an antagonist in your story, what mercy could come his or her way? Why is the character bent on harm? What thorn is in his or her side to cause such pain? What good things do he or she want? Yes, the darker the character, the more difficult it is for the audience to understand. Cut in strands of light to make your darkest characters more human.

Hope this thought helps you as you move forward with creative works. Seize the day, folks.

I call this doodle, "Fire".




A quote for the week:

The evil that is in the world almost always comes of ignorance, and good intentions may do as much harm as malevolence if they lack understanding. Albert Camus

Golden Advice -- Conflict resolution

I'm back with more golden advice this week. I'm busy this week so this entry will be really short. This week, the golden rule -- to do unto to others as you would have them do to you -- is analogous to conflict resolution. The journey to resolution begins with your main character and how they are damaged.

In novels, missing the mark is important. You must crack that hero, send in flaws, and befuddle him or her with contradictions. I think it so important that we understand what makes our characters weak. How are they sinners? What are their fatal flaws?

If you understand this, your book is already better. An effective hero's journey for the main character involves that character becoming self aware of personal flaws. Then the main character must learn to respond to those around in him in light of the self discovery. Developing a empathic character is important. Creating a character who must change is absolutely necessary for meaningful stories.

I hope these little thoughts get you moving with your story. See you next week.

Here is the doodle for the week: "Window"



The Roots of Violence: Wealth without work, Pleasure without conscience, Knowledge without character, Commerce without morality, Science without humanity, Worship without sacrifice, Politics without principles. Mahatma Gandhi