does anyone else have problems keeping their characters in line?

I occasionally find that a character goes off on a tangent away from where I intended they to go. I'll be typing and I suddenly discover they are doing things or saying things i hadn't intended.

Just yesterday, I was writing a cuckold story where the wife and her lover-to-be were having dinner, where the wife told the soon-to-be cuckold what was going to happen that night.

I had it set with the cuckold would watch, and then be sent home after he watched the first cuckolding. Suddenly the soon-to-be cuckold say "Nah I don't think so." and just walked out.

Now I have to decide if I'm going to let him get away with it.

In the past, I've had to go back and rewrite the character, sometimes add stuff, delete stuff, and essentially kill off the character. Other times I end up letting them get away with the insubordination.

My question I guess, is this a unique problem for KeylimePi? Do I need to be more dominant? Should I let them get away with it?

KeylimePi

Certainly, sometimes a story that I am writing goes in a different direction than where I originally intended.

I have characters developing in a way that I did not originally envisage.

I still like to think that I am in control as the author, but maybe you have a point, and the characters take over the story and take it where they want it to go.

Dialogue is important in my stories and sometimes a character might say something that they did not seem capable of earlier in the story.

I have said it before, some of my favorite stories were written by the characters themselves. I stand back and let them go. Typically, I run into issues when I try to fight them. Don't fight them.

If you are set on a particular path or idea but your character doesn't want anything to do with it, save it for the next story.

One story that I love started out as what I call a wank piece (A story just meant to be sexy for the reader to get off), but the main character had other plans and he completely stole it from me.

It's okay to give control to the characters.

When I first started writing I had a character who was supposed to be sexually naive and was being gently educated by another character. I can't remember what they were about to do but as I was planning the scene in my head the first character clearly said, "I'm not doing that!"

I was quite freaked out by it at the time.

It’s a real problem, keeping your characters in line.

I base all my characters on people I know. That way, I just have to think, “How would X behave in this situation?” As long as the overall personality of the character is presented to the reader early, it keeps the character broadly on point. But if they’re straying a little, that probably means the story is a good one. 😉

Yes and it's a wonderful problem to have.

Many times I'd write outlines, but when it came to the actual draft, things would go left. In my mind I'd be like "this isn't how I outlined this, but screw it" and it would end up better.

My characters almost always take charge of my stories and so far it’s worked out pretty well for me. If I make them wait too long they get a little pushy in my brain.

My main character tries taking charge, but I'm currently reining him back from his first love otherwise the whole plot falls apart. The series would be over at chapter one if he could have what he wants.

I find that my characters develop a life of their own and often take the story in a direction I had not thought about. They are all very confident & sexually adventurous.

I have trouble keeping my characters from dozing off.

if that's the case, you need something to keep them busy. I'm sure they could do here on lush.

A few days ago I had a character get tired of how long it was taking to get her out and walking around here and be admired, and she hitchhiked on a story I was submitting. I didn't even notice until a couple of helpful commenters let me know, embarrassing for me. she reminded me of my daughter going where she wasn't wanted.

Quote by NishasWorld
But if they’re straying a little, that probably means the story is a good one. 😉

I like how you put that. I’ve also found that some of my best stories have involved characters or plotlines deviating from my original intent. When they stray, there is usually a good reason for it.

While I would say I am nothing more than a novice writer whose preference is to write long novel-based stories where all the characters evolve. But to help me...

For all my main characters I wrote a one-page biography to give a character depth, including what their character traits and general background. It is something to refer to. Nothing more.

I also use a spreadsheet with story arcs built into it. These are for the chapter, the book and a general one covering the series of books. This is so I know to get the story to point C I have to go via point B. Something like that.

Then I just write. Sometimes I let my characters take control but when that happens I know exactly where I am ending up, even if it takes longer to get there.

Quote by kistinspencil

I have trouble keeping my characters from dozing off.

Lol, you can't doze off in a micro. Seriously though, you get more character into a hundred words than anyone I know.

I'm a bit of a Madame Lash with my characters ... I think because I generally write the ending very early in the drafting so I know what I'm aiming at. I do a lot of competitions so the word limits focuses the mind on getting from the start to the finish without going off script.

I experience character independence in just about everything I write. The characters evolve as they interact with other characters. On rare occasions they start down a path I don't want them on and they just keep going. To mitigate that some I develop character maps as each character enters the story. The map starts out pretty basic with just the stats. As the character develops, the story does as well.

About the only time I'll discard a story is if it ends up down such a dark path I don't like it anymore. I get that bad things happen, but I prefer to write fun stories with protagonists that are admirable.

I typically write what jumps out of my dirty mind. I get an idea and don't bother to write an outline. I start writing and see where it takes me. I realize that isn't disciplined writing, but I'm not Stephen King either, so there is that.

Do my fictional characters get out of line? All the time. Do I let them? Absolutely. I do not want a carbon copy of anyone alive. I might wish them dead when I get stuck, but that is my own fault. Some of them, the really filthy ones, I envy them. Then again, they do like to explore the dark recesses of my very dirty mind.

As a writer, you don't just observe your characters from a distance, passing judgement on their behavior as being 'in line' or 'out of line.' You need to empathically enter deep within their minds, and see the world you've written for them through their eyes, and understand the psychological motivations that move them through the action of your story. If you find the behavior of your characters is mysterious or even alarming, then you probably don't know them well enough, and they're going to come off as mere place-holders participating in whatever scenario you've thrown them into, rather than actual people having an actual experience.

People are very multi-faceted, and I think that when we write we put tiny pieces of ourselves (or perhaps someone we know well) into every character. My characters (which are often me, my husband, and RL friends, so far) frequently say and do things we've actually said and done. Other times, they say and do things we wish we'd said or done. Occasionally, one of them will do something I'd probably never think of or get involved in myself, but I cheer them on and enjoy their experiences vicariously, always wondering how I might have reacted to the same scenario.

So yes, they do take on a life of their own, and sometimes I feel like I'm just along for the ride. But it can be a very fun and erotic ride, so I just hang on and go with it! I was very surprised when I started writing here about the way that happened. Still am, sometimes!

In dialogue especially! They just start saying the weirdest shit, and it's way more interesting than what I'd have them say.

The Slut most definitely!

https://www.lushstories.com/stories/bisexual/slut-final-part