The writing is a little sporadic these days, but it’s coming along. I’ve broken out of my most recent block, and progress is coming along on WAFH…or at least it was, when I didn’t have a temp job sucking up most of my time during the day.
Still, can’t complain about work–and even though all the job interviews from a couple weeks ago seem to have lead nowhere, I’ve got a few new opportunities opening up that seem promising. More on those later.
One of the more challenging aspects of WAFH is writing the main female protagonist, Mira Najmi. Mira is something of a shy pushover, who gradually learns to stand up for herself and make her own independent decisions.
Because of this, I find it difficult to write from her point of view. When she isn’t letting people walk all over her, she’s either homesick and depressed or following others without making any real decisions for herself. And yet, in order for her growth arc to work, this is the point at which she needs to start out; her gradual change into a strong and independent woman is a major part of the book.
In short, how do I make a shy, self-effacing protagonist sympathetic and interesting while remaining true to her character?
(Before I go further, I should note that Mira does have strengths. She has a caring, nurturing personality, and is sensitive to the needs of others. She often notices the little things that go right over the male protagonist’s head. Besides that, she’s basically a good person, with a pure heart and an aversion to causing hurt or injury. Oh, and she’s stunningly beautiful–though in some ways, that’s more of a handicap than a strength.)
Thus far, my strategy has been to delve into her internal monologue when in her viewpoint and try to make her underlying motivations clear. I suspect it goes beyond that, though. The best thing I can probably do is make her relatable to the audience–to make her shy in ways that make the readers feel like she’s one of them.
But that’s difficult for me, because I’m not a very shy person and I don’t generally relate well with people who are. So how can I get a better understanding of what it’s like? Do you guys have anything that you can share with me that would help me to understand? Any tips or techniques for writing similar characters?
(image taken from http://webpages.scu.edu/ftp/lgrove/resign%20splashpage.htm)
Great conversations to be had here, with women, esp. your peers. IMO
Being shy myself, I think the interior monologue is a great idea. That said, we shy people aren’t always shy: if we feel comfortable in a given situation (often because we know everyone involved, or because we know one person very well and there are only a few people around), we will tend to open up. Don’t think you must always, always keep her quiet.
Also, when she’s deciding not to say anything (which is most of the time), she’s probably thinking about the fact that she has no standing to speak. She may be worried that she’ll sound stupid, or that she’ll judged harshly (as in, be completely ostracized).
If you’re daring, Joe, feel free to look up a comic called “Koko ni Iru yo” (aka “I am Here”), which stars this sort of protagonist. It’s not a very long series, but it shows rather poignantly the struggles some young people face when all they wish is for someone to notice them.
I think the aspect of a shy personality can be an easy way to build sympathy for a character, which makes it easier for readers to like a protagonist. I think the trick is to just make the character shy without being pathetic.
Hey Joe, I’ve never read your blog before but I saw this post on Facebook… as a naturally shy person, I figured I’d check it out. I think you’ve already got some good tips. I’d definitely just go talk to some friends that are shy, and I absolutely agree with Benjamin that she doesn’t have to always be a wallflower. A lot of shy people will stand up for themselves when pushed (even though they’d often rather not have any attention at all) and can be fun and entertaining with close friends. Definitely keep in mind that fear of humiliation and the need to be accepted are often the root causes of shyness.
I had the exact same problem with one of my protagonists. I guess the best you could do is make her competent, even if she is getting stepped on all the time. Give her things she’s good at. You win sympathy for Mira just by feeling sorry for her (Like Jon Snow in A Game of Thrones), but that’s not something you can ride for long.
It’s hard, but you’ll pull it off. If not, your alpha readers can help. Good luck!
I agree with Mary–fear of humiliation is a huge factor. Fear of making an awkward situation is also a key.
Probably the best shy/awkward character I’ve ever read is Kip from The Black Prism by Brent Weeks (it’s also one of the best books I’ve read lately, also). Kip is a fat kid who is super unsure of himself, and whenever he gets the courage to act or speak up, he bumbles it by tripping, breaking something, or saying something terribly stupid or offensive, so he tends to shut up. But by the end of the book, he’s been so frustrated by his inadequacy to help out and do the right thing that he undergoes a big transformation in terms of being bold and independent.