* Warning: This is a long, rambly post. Stick with it, I
promise it has a point.
(Or, the importance of a MacGuffin. Loosely defined as the
tangible thing a character wants. It also serves the role of a representation
of the intangible thing a character wants.)
One of my all time favorite movies is (500) Days of Summer.
It's a bittersweet movie featuring a male lead with an incredible, INCREDIBLE
movie soundtrack. So, when I heard about another movie (older) that also had a
male as the central character that also had a bittersweet ending, I was in.
The hero tells a mystery love story. The viewer doesn't know
who he'll end up with, but soon I had a top favorite. This heroine had all the
ear marks of a romance heroine. Or at least my Achilles heel type of
heroine—she doesn't want to fall in love, especially not with the hero.
Anyway, before they really become great friends she tells
him a story about how she's looking for a book. This isn't just any book you
can find at B & N or order off Amazon. (Hell, during the time period of
this story I don't think Amazon existed.) This book has an inscription from her
deceased father. Time moves forward (years) and one day hero finds THE BOOK.
At this point, I'm a puddle on the floor. They could have
ended the movie right there and I'd have known how it would end. The hero had
the MacGuffin. Since the writers hadn't been sleeping on the job the MacGuffin
actually meant something. Since the characters just weren't people serving a
plot or being sacraficed on the altar of plot, the MacGuffin said something.
And because I checked the running time on the movie, and the writers weren't
sleeping on the job, that damn MacGuffin needed at least one more damn beat.
So, like any respectable romance writer faced with a decent
love story I started to scream at the TV, “GIVE HER THE BOOK!” *
The point?
Yes, a MacGuffin means nada without great character. No
parts of your story means anything without great character. It's one of those
things that goes without saying. But, a MacGuffin (with great character) can
cinch the hell out of character arc, it gives the reader something to hang onto
(or in my case a reason to scream), it can even be the way in to create deeper
character.
For me this was a great lesson to be reminded of. I've been
having trouble nailing down my character. All I had to do was ask: What is the
one thing in this world she wants most?
What are some of your favorite MacGuffins? What are ways you
cinch the character arc? What are some of the ways you create a character with
depth?
* Because the writers weren't sleeping on the job, there's a
twist. But, he gave her the damn book.
* I didn't name the movie because this post is one long
spoiler.
3 comments:
YES!!!! I think creating a character with depth for me is all about giving them deeper/complicated emotions.
Being able to do that is the difference between when I'd write. "She was angry" and "Her blood roared in her ears and her fists clenched."
Hey, Jen!
And, yup, you're right. That complicated character is great, but it's when you start adding depth of the emotions they feel that's when the character comes to life.
Post a Comment