Is it OK if I have a grumpy character who shows grumpiness in his dialogue and his other traits through his thoughts?ONLINE EXCLUSIVE
Published:
January 19, 2012
Q: A character in my novel is grumpy. Yes, he has other traits and he’s not one-dimensional, but when you get right down to it, he’s not pleasant to be around. I’m worried about his dialogue. He’s always shouting at someone or saying something unkind. His other traits come through his thoughts, mostly. Is that okay?
A: A character who is outwardly grumpy, but inwardly mild, forlorn or remorseful (or something else entirely) sounds compelling. There’s a disconnect between his inner experience and his outer appearance and that makes me wonder: What’s happening for this character? What’s getting lost, modified or missed in translation?
That being said, you write that he’s always shouting or saying something unkind. And that makes me wonder about the development of this character. Without having seen your manuscript, I can’t say for sure whether this is warranted or not, but let me give you some points to consider.
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