04-10-2022, 02:02 AM
This guest contribution by the team at Reedsy explores ways to subvert character clichés for a less predictable story.
Here are five easy ways to inject life into familiar character types:
1. Subvert archetypes to avoid character clichés
To subvert your own characters:
Identify a list of character clichés usually associated with their type (e.g. ‘warrior’ equals ‘strong’).
Think of how stock character types (such as “mentors”) have typical behavioural features. Dumbledore or Charlotte the Spider will always be wise and cautious.
Then create a character to fit that mold perfectly… before revealing that, say, their “wisdom” is just stolen from a book of idioms. Subversion such as these add surprise complexity to your characters and story.
2. Parody the clichéd character archetype
Every archetype has a set of recognizable traits. That, naturally, is what makes them archetypal. Subverting them means ignoring expected traits, even though your audience may expect them. To parody them is to exaggerate those traits to their absolute extremes.
3. Deconstruct the archetype
Deconstructing a stock character gives your story emotional depth and style. It does require a lot of critical thought to pull off well. To nail it, try these three steps:
Identify the attributes of a character type — say, the likable and frivolous Comic Relief character.
Explain them in a surprising way — perhaps they’re not just a class clown, but use humor as a coping mechanism.
Reveal something deeper and true about the character and archetype — (e.g. that clowns are often sad behind the joker mask). Make readers wonder if they’ve misjudged the archetype you’re portraying.
4. Lampshade the archetype
lampshading is the technique of countering your reader’s disbelief in a character’s ‘reality’ by acknowledging how blatantly they fit a cliché.
5. Imply the archetype
If a bit player only appears in a scene, they don’t have to be a deep deconstruction of every similar character ever. Instead, you can imply depth, and leave it to the reader to fill in the blanks.
https://www.nownovel.com/blog/subverting...r-cliches/
Character Writing Hub
Here are five easy ways to inject life into familiar character types:
1. Subvert archetypes to avoid character clichés
To subvert your own characters:
Identify a list of character clichés usually associated with their type (e.g. ‘warrior’ equals ‘strong’).
Think of how stock character types (such as “mentors”) have typical behavioural features. Dumbledore or Charlotte the Spider will always be wise and cautious.
Then create a character to fit that mold perfectly… before revealing that, say, their “wisdom” is just stolen from a book of idioms. Subversion such as these add surprise complexity to your characters and story.
2. Parody the clichéd character archetype
Every archetype has a set of recognizable traits. That, naturally, is what makes them archetypal. Subverting them means ignoring expected traits, even though your audience may expect them. To parody them is to exaggerate those traits to their absolute extremes.
3. Deconstruct the archetype
Deconstructing a stock character gives your story emotional depth and style. It does require a lot of critical thought to pull off well. To nail it, try these three steps:
Identify the attributes of a character type — say, the likable and frivolous Comic Relief character.
Explain them in a surprising way — perhaps they’re not just a class clown, but use humor as a coping mechanism.
Reveal something deeper and true about the character and archetype — (e.g. that clowns are often sad behind the joker mask). Make readers wonder if they’ve misjudged the archetype you’re portraying.
4. Lampshade the archetype
lampshading is the technique of countering your reader’s disbelief in a character’s ‘reality’ by acknowledging how blatantly they fit a cliché.
5. Imply the archetype
If a bit player only appears in a scene, they don’t have to be a deep deconstruction of every similar character ever. Instead, you can imply depth, and leave it to the reader to fill in the blanks.
https://www.nownovel.com/blog/subverting...r-cliches/
Character Writing Hub
