More on side characters

Cri-kee (from Disney's Mulan)
Khan (from Disney's Mulan)
Abu (from Disney's Aladdin)
Fang (from Harry Potter)
Footstool (from Disney's Beauty and the Beast)
Lucifer (from Disney's Cinderella)


Okay, what two things do these characters all have in common?  (Besides the obvious, that they're fictional.)

They're animals and they don't speak.

But they're memorable.

Why?

Because they have a personality.  They may have more personality than would be typical for an animal.  They may even have atypical personality period.  (Horses don't really make all that noise.  They're fairly quiet animals.  Don't go into a stable expecting all the horses in there to start calling to you just because you walked in.)

Each of these animal sidekicks has a personality all their own.  If you think about each one, assuming you've seen these movies or (in the case of Fang) read the books, you'll be able to call to mind these characters.

It's because they're not just flat animals put in to fill the space and make it seem like you took the time to create a world.

I can think of far fewer examples from actual literature.  But the most prevalent one that comes to mind is  Faithful from Tamora Pierce's Song of the Lioness quartet.  Faithful is the main character, Alanna's, pet cat.  But there's more to Faithful than meets the eye.  (Aside from the strange eye color.)  Faithful has a lot of personality.  He's vain, loyal, and a real lifesaver.  And he's a cat.

Another example is Cloud from Tamora Pierce's The Immortals quartet.  Cloud is Daine's horse.  And that horse has some major personality.  She's obstinate, blunt, and loving.  She's Daine's best friend throughout and always faithful companion.  Even when Daine felt less than herself.

So...

Have you ever put much thought into the animal companions of your characters (if they exist)?  Or do they just sit there like lumps on a log with the only purpose being to throw in some non-human life in hopes it rounds out the world around your characters?

Me?  I did in one of my previous projects.  It was a fantasy and there were animals all around, from the horses they rode to get from point A to B, to the dragons and mystic creatures whom my characters encountered.  (And lots in between.)  I love infusing personality into animals because I think a lot of people tend to underestimate just how much an animal can really contribute to our lives and to the lives of our characters.

Did I miss your favorite animal sidekick/secondary character?  Tell me who it is, why you love them, and why I should read the book/see the movie.  (No erotic, no R-rated movies, please.  Or if you recommend it, at least tell us that it's in that vein so I can avoid it.)

Are you a creative person?

Because, apparently, I'm not.  Despite what I may believe.  Or what others may believe about me.

I'm taking a 2D design class this semester.  My instructor gave us this thing yesterday.  It's an excerpt from Training and Development Journal from 1989.  This guy, David H. Lyman, ran these workshops in Maine for photographers and other "creative" types.  He came up with this list of traits for creative people.

Lyman's List of Creative Traits

Creative people:

1. give themselves permission to be different.  They accept their "differentness."

2. are playful.  They do not take anything too seriously--not even serious things.

3. do not play by the rules.  They enjoy being outlaws, breaking rules, and thumbing their noses at conformity.

4. are adventurous.  They love to travel, to see new things, and to explore the world around them and the inner world of their minds and hearts.

5. have trouble being accurate, punctual, and proper.

6. are funny. They have a sense of humor.  They make fun, have fun, and are fun to be around.

7. are spontaneous.  They take direction from each day's events and from the work they do.

8. are independent.  They have an ability to work alone and stand alone in their convictions and desires.

9. are sensitive to art and beauty.

10. are enthusiastic, idealistic, and responsive.

11. are bold.  They act with confidence and single-mindedness.

12. see things where others do not.

13. take action.

14. push beyond, around, or through the wall.  Every problem is an opportunity.

15. are driven; they are passionate.

16. are not content with the obvious, the mundane, the mediocre, and the cliche.

17. know when and how to let go.

18. are patient.

19. do not mind being lost or feeling ambiguous.

OK, so I've got 4, 8, 9, maybe 10, definitely 12 when it comes to some random things, but none of the rest.

But I'm okay with that.  Because I don't necessarily think that you have to be every single thing on this list to consider yourself a creative person.  I'm punctual to a fault.  But that's just who I am.  I'm not the most patient person in the world, but I don't care.

I've definitely felt lost these last few months without any real direction in my life.  Things have begun to return to normal now.  I can see the appeal in becoming a "professional student."

Q4U: Which traits do you have on this list?  What's the one on there you most wish you did have?  What's the one you most wish you didn't have?

Be Careful or You Will End Up in My Novel

Got that on a t-shirt for Christmas this year.  It's pretty great.  I laughed when I opened it.

But it's also great advice.  Not just for those around us.  (Well, we don't want them getting the memo, do we?)  But for us.

We have to pay attention to the outside world, as scary as that may sound.

You seriously cannot make some things up.  And it's these stories, these little quirks and personality traits that we pull from real life that make our characters pop off the page.  These are what make our characters come alive and make them compelling for the reader.

A book can be perfectly executed, but if the characters and story aren't compelling, it falls flat.

So, we have to pay attention and try not to warn people to be careful lest they wind up in our novels.

Of course, we do have to change details enough so that those around us don't realize where we pulled those small details from.

Have a good day, everyone!