Tuesday, October 4, 2011

BadTip PubTip Tuesday #1 - Lead Characters are Passé

Welcome to the first issue of "BadTip PubTip Tuesday."

You want to get published? You want to stay published? Check back every tuesday for groundbreaking advice!

Disclaimer: This is a joke. Don't sue me. 

Lead Characters are Passé

Let's face it, strong lead character are boring and predictable -- they always win.

Who needs the rugged and handsome hero like Dirty Harry or the sharp and badass heroine like Lisbeth Salander from Stieg Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy? Not agents, not publishers and certainly not readers.

Even George Lucas learned the error of his way. In the original Star Wars he had a central protagonist, Luke Skywalker. The story was his. In fact the trilogy was about him. What a stupid move!

Thankfully, a couple of decades (and many soy lattes and Perriers later) uncle Gorge corrected his mistake by releasing the first prequel, the Phantom Menace.

As articulated by Red Letter Media (check out the video below), George made it abundantly clear that you don't need to have a leading character to make billions of dollars.

Quiz: in the Phantom Menace who was the Main Character? ... yeah, I didn't think so. Proof positive! You do not need a leading character.




Badtip Pubtip of the week  Forget about a memorable lead character. The ideal characters in a novel are random, with no real purpose nor direction. Things should happen to them and around them. And if they win or defeat the enemy, it should take the reader entirely by surprise. Readers love to be surprised this way -- it tests their ability to guess at the author's creativity.

Now go and write!

5 comments:

  1. Ha, ha, who needs lead characters? Certainly not The Phantom Menace...

    ReplyDelete
  2. I'm going to tell my opera singer he's out of a job! Wonder what his high school friends are doing these days...

    ReplyDelete
  3. Ava, exactly! We're like twins, you and I :)

    Mark, consider this advanced "heads-up" to make sure you don't get trapped by BAD advice out there. I got your back buddy ;)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Aloha Bluddy :)

    This is in response to the above (and your response to my post where you said you're also not in your 20's;)

    You mean you're not right out of college.... you looked so young and vibrant in that dim, dark room where I could barely make out your features...(CLICK) ohhh...

    However, I must also pass on the courage badge to you, my friend... for the great advice you've sent my way and for having my back as a "baby blogger!"

    I find this so impressive because you actually have a job that is probably pretty darn stressful....

    No VP job is easy, I think.

    Hmm...I will get back to you on that... because once the 2.58 kids become 3.0, then "First Draft" will become VP to the WORD (Vocal Precursor to the Wrath Of Rambling Dad...)

    I never did tell you the names of my kids, did I?

    Arthur First Draft is four

    Ed. Review is nineteen months old

    and...

    Soon Launching is scheduled for January.


    Regards and aloha,

    Mark

    PS... my wife said to remind you that everything above is written in humor, especially the names of our kids.... (it's actually "second draft," not first :)

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi Mark, I have come to learn that the writer's world is a lonely one, but there are many that will help. Many helped me and continue to do so. That's the least I can do. I just hope I can find enough time to be helpful.

    I feel for your wife. My wife also has to live with someone who finds humor in just about everything. Love them names, by the way :)

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...