Post History

Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/45530
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/45530
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

No, characters aren't interchangeable. If they are, nobody wants to read it.

The plot happens to the characters, and people read to identify with the characters, as people, and they develop feelings for them (good and bad). Even in a plot-heavy story line, like those used in the current series Elementary (last season airing now; a Sherlock spin), the crime and how it was done is the "plot", but almost unimportant: Fans like that the plot is usually very clever, but what they **remember** about episodes is how the relationships develop: Joan (Dr. Watson) is unhappy living in London, Sherlock is concerned, Marcus stages a private intervention with Captain Gregson over his treatment of Sherlock, Sherlock tries to address some of Joan's complaints about the DI, and the cliffhanger: Captain Gregson gets shot, and might not make it. Next mystery: Who shot Captain Gregson?

Let's see, what was the crime in this episode? I forget, Sherlock solved it somehow. What we are watching is a man with an extraordinary skill that struggles with personal relationships but as a consequence of that values the few he does have all the more.

I'll say it again: Plots happen to **_characters,_** and that is why people are reading the story. In Harry Potter, the magic setting is very clever, the plots are basic mystery, but we are really reading to see how those things affect Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley (and a handful of others).

If you treat your characters like objects or chess pieces, nobody will care about them. When they stop caring what happens next **to your character** they will put the book down. Because it doesn't matter what happens next in the plot, if they aren't rooting for anybody, and aren't frightened for them, or frightened of the villain, then it isn't going to change anything for anybody they care about.

On the other hand, the more characters they DO care about, the less likely they are to put the book down.

I often say here, what keeps readers turning pages is wondering _what happens next._ How the scene will work out, how the chapter will work out, and eventually how the Act or whole book will work out. But the biggest reason they want to know _what happens next_ is because it will have an effect on the _characters._

You do have to have a plot, so something happens to the characters and readers can anticipate things happening to the characters. Complex and clever plots are entertaining; they keep the uncertainty of what happens next to the characters at a high level. Elaborate imaginative settings can be entertaining, they keep the reader wondering what they will see next, and often present fun problems for the characters to deal with.

Without characters to care about, those elements are worthless.

Original score: 0