Backstory and the Moral Compass

I've talked about backstory before and how a character's past will inform their motives (why they do what they do) as well as their attitudes (how they respond to the people and events around them), but their past also plays a huge role in shaping their moral compass (or moral code). 

What is a moral compass? 

This is the code (or guiding principles) by which your character lives (the code which explains their motives and attitudes). 

A character will use their moral compass to determine what is right and what is wrong and how they will behave in certain situations.

Though stealing is considered wrong, Character A has no problem robbing from the rich to give to the poor. 

Though killing is considered wrong, Character B has no qualms about avenging the death of a loved one.

Though they may be a pacifist, Character C might draw the line when someone weaker is being bullied, stepping in to take care of the situation.

Why?

Well, let's look into their past. 

Maybe Character A watched a corrupt billionaire run a company into the ground, ruining her father's livelihood and depleting his retirement savings/pension. So when she stumbles across a hole in the operating software of this billionaire's new company, she sees a chance to make things right. Would she steal if it were any other situation? Probably not, but according to her moral compass, stealing is okay if the victim deserves it.

Maybe Character B lost a parent to a dark lord. When the dark lord returns, he seizes his opportunity. He's no murderer, but how could he pass up the chance to finally even the score?

Maybe Character C was severely bullied growing up. When he sees a kid being terrorized in an alley, he decides to step in. He doesn't go around beating people up for no reason, but his moral compass is set to help those who can't help themselves. 

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There are reasons why we do the things we do. Sometimes we operate consciously, sometimes it's unconscious, but it always makes sense in relation to our past experiences. 

The same applies to our characters: their behavior should make sense in relation to who they are and what they've been through, whether or not those events are fully explored on the page. (Some parts of the backstory are just for the author, after all.) 

This isn't to say that a character can't act in opposition to their core values; in fact, this is a great way to show some contradiction and depth. 

What if Character A sets out to take everything from that billionaire, but, at the last minute, has a change of heart?

What if your character is vehemently opposed to lying, but witnesses something she is forced to downplay or keep a secret?

What if your character's moral compass swings toward selfishness as a form of self-preservation when he stumbles across a dog in need of a home? 

No matter what your character decides to do in any given situation--whether they are acting in accordance with their moral compass or not and whether this is part of the arc that will change them or otherwise--the behavior still needs to make sense based on what we know about them.

Your character's backstory will shape their moral compass. 

Know their history, their values, and why they do what they do, but be sure to leave a little room for them to surprise you.

Be Brilliant!

~Katie~

Characters Worth Rooting For

The best characters. . . .

are dealt a catalyst

The catalyst is what starts the story. Taking the character's history into account, it is the one event or piece of information that propels them forward or sets the story in motion.

The catalyst acts as the "call to action" so that the character can fulfill their destiny.

that challenges their moral compass

The moral compass is the set of beliefs or the code that will guide your character. This sets the tone and expectations for how your character will behave as well as the boundaries they will not cross.

Post-catalyst, they must now protect or avenge, discover the truth, or join the fight.

and causes them to undergo a transformation.

At the end of the story, your character should not be the same person they were when it began. They have handled obstacle after obstacle--endured hardships, made choices, and sacrificed for the greater good.

Ergo:

The best characters are dealt a catalyst that challenges their moral compass and causes them to undergo a transformation.

Photo by Kate photo from Pexels

And the stakes?

The consequences should be exorbitant. The character's failure should be the *worst* possible option for them based on their history or what we've learned about them along the way.

*This* is what makes a character worth rooting for.

Be Brilliant!

~Katie~

On Themes

"To produce a mighty book, you must choose a mighty theme." 

--Herman Melville

And weren't Melville's themes in Moby Dick the mightiest?

Fate vs. Free Will, Man vs. Nature, Revenge. . . .

But what, exactly, is a theme and why do our novels need them?

In fiction, a theme addresses the big questions about life. 

Can love really conquer all?

Do we have free will?

Why is suffering part of the human condition?

Does absolute power corrupt absolutely?

The answers to these questions are what your story will address. They are the theme, or the central idea you are trying to convey. 

The theme, of course, is not the plot. The plot is the events of your story or how it unfolds, your map from beginning to the end. The theme, however, is still its own kind of road map, as it will influence each of the decisions your characters make as your story progresses. 

Some popular themes include:

Love, Good vs. Evil, Survival, Corruption, Revenge, Greed, Sacrifice, Isolation, and Beauty

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Some examples:

Pride and Prejudice: love and marriage, class systems, family

The Harry Potter series: good vs. evil, friendship, courage

Wuthering Heights: love, revenge, solitude

The Hunger Games: oppression, rebellion, family, love, survival

There are hundreds of potential themes--central beliefs or messages you could impart to the reader--and we're not limited to only one.  

So how do you locate the themes within your story? 

To nail a story's themes, it's worth sitting down and considering the answers to the following questions:

What is your story about?

What is the meaning behind it?

How will your character change?

What is the lesson? 

What are you trying to say about life and the human condition?

As a writer of romances (among other topics) my answer to the Big Question is that yes, love really can conquer all. This theme runs fairly predominantly throughout each of my stories. This message is not stated outright but is evident as the plot unfurls--as my characters work their way toward each other, culminating in a happily ever after. No matter their age, each of my stories ends with the idea that this particular couple will beat the odds--that they are the "forever" kind of couple. 

And while I do begin my stories with the general theme of love in mind, I don't recommend analyzing themes to an excessive degree before words are on the page. If you go into a novel with a litany of themes to address, the story may sound forced or awkward and your writing "preachy."

It's better to draft your novel first then figure out which themes have emerged during an early read-through. You may just surprise yourself. :)

Once they're located, build on your themes in revisions, strengthening them where appropriate and cutting or revising the scenes that don't align with your message. Be subtle, but keep them mighty. 

Be Brilliant!

~Katie~

Six Story Questions

Who are your main characters?

What do they want more than anything else in the world?

Why do they want this?

How are they going to go about getting it?

Who or what is going to try to stop them?

What will happen if they don't get it?

If you can answer these six questions, you'll have a skeleton outline for your story. Everything else will branch out of your responses to these key questions. Once the character's desire and their motivations are nailed down, the "how" and "who is going to stop them?" will generate the plot. 

As a storyteller, it's your job to increase the conflict and raise the stakes until the climax is reached (after which you will provide us with a nice resolution), but each new scene will (or should) point back to the desire and make perfect sense based on the character's motivation. 

Photo by Ibolya Toldi from Pexels

So . . . once the desire and motivation are in play, all you have to do is figure out who or what will work against your character and brainstorm all the various problems they can cause. Once a character is on their "quest," the first part of the story largely consists of them going about getting it in all the wrong ways. As they begin to figure it out (whatever "it" is), the opposition's effort will increase, naturally raising the stakes.  

What are these "wrong ways" and what does the opposition look like?

Now your skeleton outline is starting fill out. . . . 

Be Brilliant!

~Katie~