Munday: Surprises
Tell us about a time your characters surprised you. Maybe you thought for sure they'd react a certain way to a certain situation, or that a plot would happen in such and such a fashion... and it just didn't. What came out ended up making you go 'huh!' or 'whaa?' or 'Wait no you're making me have to change the entire novel!!' but either way, you weren't prepared for what your characters said or did.
This has happened before in my fanfic plenty of times (one notable case from an old universe was a background character suddenly deciding she wanted to be a main character's girlfriend). Focusing on Victor and Lucy -- well, I think so far Lucy's the one who's given me the most surprises. Mostly because I hadn't fully fleshed her out when I brought her around here. I had the basics of her personality and life down, but as she grew as a character, her and her world threw me a few twists. Some examples:
I can't think of any surprises Victor's thrown my way off the top of my head -- he and Secundus have been pretty nice about going the way I wanted them to go. Though maybe I could put his general science geekery here. I'd always intended for him to be an entomology geek, but he seems to have a love of ALL science I didn't intend. Probably comes from being friends with so many Touched. I'm not complaining.
This has happened before in my fanfic plenty of times (one notable case from an old universe was a background character suddenly deciding she wanted to be a main character's girlfriend). Focusing on Victor and Lucy -- well, I think so far Lucy's the one who's given me the most surprises. Mostly because I hadn't fully fleshed her out when I brought her around here. I had the basics of her personality and life down, but as she grew as a character, her and her world threw me a few twists. Some examples:
- Her family being interfaith -- I'd intended for her to be Jewish, but while answering a character info survey, I put her down as celebrating Christmas. When I went to resolve the issue, making one parent Christian and the other Jewish felt more right than going just one way or the other.
- Her friendship with Trevor -- well, Trevor period. I think I've mentioned this before -- Trevor just popped up in one of my drabbles one day, and stuck around, evolving quickly into Lucy's best friend.
- Her wanting to be an actress -- when I started out with Lucy, I thought she'd be a musician. That's why she has the college degree she does. Her love of acting just kind of hit me upside the head one day. Though it really does fit the personality she's developed.
- Her temper and ability to hold a grudge -- I always planned for her to be my "happy" muse. But the fact that she's still pissed off about the Cameron thing. . .yeah, I'm guessing that if you hurt her, you're going to be hearing about it for a loooong time.
I can't think of any surprises Victor's thrown my way off the top of my head -- he and Secundus have been pretty nice about going the way I wanted them to go. Though maybe I could put his general science geekery here. I'd always intended for him to be an entomology geek, but he seems to have a love of ALL science I didn't intend. Probably comes from being friends with so many Touched. I'm not complaining.