Writing against type
I'm writing a fic right now that's somewhat challenging in its characterization, and it got me thinking: how do you tackle characters dealing with emotions or reacting to situations they've never come close to encountering in canon? Or them consciously choosing to change who they are as a person?
For me, my fic is a Riverdale/Archie Comics fic for the FP Jones/Kevin Keller pairing called "Second Time Around." It has FP Jones, a rough and tough gang leader in canon, now trying to step up in his role as a newly single parent, as well as trying act more like a gentleman in order to convince Kevin Keller to stay with him. It can get difficult, because the situation in itself requires FP to change from how he is in canon into someone who's more gentle and caring, so it can very easily stretch the willing suspension of disbelief.
And now I'm curious! How do you, as a writer, believably keep a character as themselves while writing about them acting differently than how they are in canon, or willingly choosing to act unlike themselves?
For me, my fic is a Riverdale/Archie Comics fic for the FP Jones/Kevin Keller pairing called "Second Time Around." It has FP Jones, a rough and tough gang leader in canon, now trying to step up in his role as a newly single parent, as well as trying act more like a gentleman in order to convince Kevin Keller to stay with him. It can get difficult, because the situation in itself requires FP to change from how he is in canon into someone who's more gentle and caring, so it can very easily stretch the willing suspension of disbelief.
And now I'm curious! How do you, as a writer, believably keep a character as themselves while writing about them acting differently than how they are in canon, or willingly choosing to act unlike themselves?