A character who does everything right: who says the best things in the best moments, who considers every alternative then makes the correct choice, who puts out all the little fires with his insight and intellect and wit. . . .
What makes for an exciting read?
A character who says things we'd never dream of saying, who makes irrational (or just plain bad) choices, who goes around causing problems instead of fixing them. . . .
It's okay for a character to be insightful and intelligent and witty, but sometimes they need to say and do the wrong thing. And if your character is the kind of thoughtful person who does everything right the first time, he needs to 1) be paired with someone who forces him out of that comfort zone and into drama OR 2) live in a world that does not react kindly to his efforts.
As writers, our job is not to keep our characters safe. It's to toss them challenge after challenge: start the fight, cause the problem, then make things just a *little* harder for them.
As humans, our natures demand we lean toward safety, but "safety" does not make for a compelling reader experience.
Be Brilliant!
~Katie~
