Author Life Musings: Book Characters Have It Hard

There is a character I really want to start writing about. I have his whole backstory in my head, and I just love it so much I can barely keep it there any longer. I might have to write his backstory and just keep it on my computer because I just can’t stop thinking about him. However, I have noticed that he is my most tragic character yet. It got me thinking about the characters we tend to get attached to. As writers and story creators, we often put our characters through the wringer on a regular basis. Recently, I started wondering why this is so compelling to us as readers, though.

With the release of Maul: Shadow Lord, I was reminded that we love to love those who have suffered needlessly, even if they turn out to be a bad guy. Why is this the case? I am starting to wonder if we just have something within us that drives us to believe in redemption. A part of us that maybe sees characters like Maul as examples that we might be redeemable ourselves. Even if we have never done anything really bad, I think we love the idea that redemption is possible for both ourselves and fictional characters.

For characters who are not villains, but just have it hard every day, I think we find gold there, too. There is something about that person who gives themselves fully to protecting others at the cost of their own safety that draws us to connect with them, even if they are a fictional character in a book. There is a part of us that responds deeply to that kind of courage and love.

So, while it can be hard to write and read about characters who have it hard, I believe there is something special about those who suffer in fiction. They remind us that there are people who love, no matter how bad things get. They remind us to care about others, even if someone chooses a path of darkness. They remind us that we can love without excusing bad behavior or dismissing hurt. They remind us that we are all here together in the same boat, and we all struggle. They remind us to have hope, and hope is something we desperately need, always.