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kathy_hurley March 21 2009, 23:59:03 UTC
I've always thought the balance between writing exciting action and being true to the characters' emotions was tough to get right, but very important. Part of what makes me connect to a character is the emotion. If I can't feel or at least begin to understand what a character is feeling, then I have a hard time connecting. If I can't connect to the character, then I don't care how exciting the action of the book is--I'll put it down and probably not pick it up again. In my own urban fantasy, the action of the book is the result of emotional decisions my main character made many lifetimes ago, which she must resolve in the present day in order to save many lives--including her own. It's about atonement, love, and sacrifice. It's about that moment when you know you must stop running and face the past, because there is so much more at stake than just yourself. So...I don't think I'd have a plot without the emotional content; it's integral to the action and I couldn't leave it out if I tried. I think the key is to make sure the character is someone you can still admire and want to be friends with, even when the emotional road gets rocky. And I always want the character to make the right decision in the end, even if she had a hard time getting there. I once realized that what drew me to most of my favorite characters was their inner strength--their willingness to face the big bad whatever-it-is and keep going even when they'd rather curl up under a warm blanket and pretend the Bad Thing never happened.

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