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  Character versus Plot based fiction

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  If you had to choose between good characters and a good plot which would it be? Yes, I understand that all stories have some of each. I am curious to see how many people can or will make this choice. If push comes to shove, try giving a percentage in order of preference.

  Scott Moon started this discussion 8 months ago. ( reply | permalink )

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  mark s 

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  Character...interplay and growth.

  posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

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  Shakatany (edited)

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  It's nice to have both but definitely good characterizations. Make the characters come alive and I'll follow them anywhere even if the plot is barely there or nonsensical; long involved plots with cardboard characters leave me feeling blah.

  posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

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  Vidreven 

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  I'm paying attention to the plot while I'm reading, characters are secondary. I love SF because of the ideas books explore. A SF book is good if it can make me think.

  posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

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  Benjamin N 

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  My gut says plot, but as I think about it I hate how sci-fi tends to focus heavily on plot.
  Characters tend to get me (a logic wins over emotion kind of guy) emotionally involved. The more attached a person is to a character/s, the more attached to the story they will be.

  posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

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  bogiewine 

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  I agree with Benjamin N. I have to get emotionally drawn in by the characters first and foremost, combine that with a great plot and I'm sold!

  posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

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  Scott Moon (edited)

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  Good stuff. I suppose this might have been a good poll, but I don't know how to do one and I am hot & cold on answering those things myself.

  Now, who is your favorite author who exemplifies character or plot? Best book example?

  posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

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  Benjamin N (edited)

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  Authors: Martin, Abercrombie, and Rothfus immediately come to mind.
  Books (in order of authors): A Storm of Swords, The Heroes, and The Name of the Wind

  posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

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  Scott Moon 

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  Seriously dig Martin and Rothfus, but I have not read Abercrombie. Is that bad? What should I start with?

  posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

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  jkdavies 

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  Abercrombie does both characters and plot - I would start with The Blade Itself and get hooked from there...

  On the original topic, I think I would have to go with 50:50 :) I think of Iain Banks and his Culture books, even though the characters were not likeable, they were instantly characters (Horza, The Chairmaker etc); the plot is what makes me go and read something over again.

  posted 8 months ago. ( permalink )

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  Skiznot 

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  Is Story and Plot the same thing? Have you ever read a book but then felt like you didn't read a story? I'm asking more questions instead of answering but I've been thinking about "story" which I guess is both plot and characters. I'm reading Reality Dysfunction right now which is bogging me down. I do like it but there is a multitude of characters and plots so sometimes it just feels like an exercise in world building. Often I feel characters in hard science fictions are a list of qualities rather than a solid character so I guess characters are a little bit more important than plot. Now this doesn't mean I have to like character, they just have to be compelling in some way. Sometimes wanted a character to get his/her due punishment can be just as compelling as wanting a character you like to survive.

  posted 7 months ago. ( permalink )

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  Skiznot 

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  The best balance of Character and Plot that I've found in Science Fiction usually comes from John Varley; for fantasy I would say Guy Gavriel Kay. These are both authors who tend to do single book stories, not trilogies or quadrillogies or duadecca-illogies.

  I think the more serial a story is, the more important good characters are. A mildly interesting character with a good plot can do ok for one book but 6 books, the character has too be much more compelling. Looking forward to reading some of the authors mentioned her that I haven't yet.

  posted 7 months ago. ( permalink )

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  steamboatlion 

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  Both are essential to a good novel.

  The characters should serve the plot. They are there to carry the story along and give it meaning. Otherwise the plot is just a series of pointless events.

  At the same time the plot should serve the characters. The events in the story should help the characters develop, to take them on a journey of which the reader feels a part.

  It's hard to do both simultaneously but that is what I am aiming for in my writing!

  posted 7 months ago. ( permalink )

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