Wednesday, June 10, 2009

How Important Are Parents?

Every literary character has or has had a mom and a dad.

They can be cool and supportive like in Looking for Alaska. Or they can be negligent and mean, like in Matilda. They may even be absent, as they are in Harry Potter.

Whether absent or present, parents add depth to the central character. It would be tough to write a book about an extraordinary kid with ordinary parents. On the flip side, Matilda and Mr. Potter included, it's easier to write about an ordinary kid with extraordinary parents.

In the first draft of my MS, I didn't flush out the folks. They were one-dimensional, predictable, flat.

Now that I've added their intentions and motivation, my main character has grown. What he says and does is more understandable and believable. His actions are justified. He is deep.

How important are parents in books? As important, or even more, than they are in reality.


Suzanne Young said...

In my books I've had cool, hip parents. Alcoholic parents. And the supportive, parenty-parents. Each really shapes my MC, whether in positive or negative ways.

So even though when I'm reading, I sometimes skim scenes with parents--sorry! I just skip to the make-outs!--I think they're important to be in the book.

Jennie Englund said...

Wow--you have the parent thing all figured out.

I'm such a late bloomer.

Maybe you have some make-out scene tips, too?