Interpersonal connections are highly important to our characters and stories. Without them, actions take place in a void. We are given no reason to care about the secondary characters, or even our main character, if we are not able to glimpse some depth to the relations and connections.
Would Harry Potter be the same if there weren't all these connections and relations? He has his two best friends, but then there's the surrogate family that he becomes a part of and all the acquaintances. Yes, the books can get a little confusing with so many characters coming in and out.
But they would be entirely different if the books were only Harry and Voldemort. Without those connections, there is no sense of risk, stakes, or reward.
Do you ever feel so disconnected that you can't write good connections in your stories? What are some of your favorite relationships/connections in fiction? Some of your least favorite?
As writer's we sort of all write in the little bubbles of the worlds we've created, but I think this is where it's important to remember to reach out to people. The blogosphere and Twitter, FB, all these help to connect you with others, but it's up to you to reach out too.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to remember how important periphery characters are and how much they add to the feel of the story.
ReplyDeletethis is a great topic - and definately food for thought.
ReplyDeletei think friends, family and personal connections are really important - but we have to remember not to cloud the stage with too many characters. that can get messy.