Saturday, June 8, 2013

Problems with Amos Fuddle

I am adoring Kizzy Relicum, Codswallop's little sister. She is ridiculous and so much fun! However, I'm not particularly stoked about her showing up, because I now have a lot of research to do about gypsies. With Codswallop, I could get away with not really knowing anything about the culture. Now that I have Kizzy, who was actually raised as a gypsy, I have to really know my stuff.

Ah well, that is why the internet was invented, right? Yup. Google was invented specifically for writers. Bet you didn't know that, did you?

Anyway, today I need to not be worrying about gypsies. Instead, I need to be working on editing The Witch's Key. Or, more specifically, getting to know one of my characters so I can fix the scenes in which he plays a part.

This character is Amos Fuddle, though his name may change. Anne Perry at the LDStorymakers conference recommended changing a character's name if you were having difficulty getting to know them. I do love the name Fuddle, so I'm going to try just changing his first name for now. Maybe that's all he needs.

Somehow, I doubt it. This character is giving me no end of grief. And not the way Codswallop did. Codswallop was in my head, mucking about and causing problems. I could talk to him. And, even though these conversations weren't very useful, I knew he was there and I could get an idea of his personality and, as has been shown, eventually get him to talk... enough to write an entire novel about him.

Fuddle's different. Fuddle... isn't there. There is no voice in my head. He did show up for a character chat once! ...Rolanda turned him into a slug. He spent most of the character chat just oozing slime over things. Stodder did make her turn him back, but then he was too scared to say anything.

When I try to get into Fuddle's head, it's like there's nothing there. I thought maybe it was because Fuddle didn't really exist. Maybe this character doesn't belong in the story. Perhaps I could just cut him -- after all, he's nothing more than Stodder's lackey.

But Stodder needs a lackey. And Rolanda can't do the job. I need someone to make fiery speeches -- Rolanda doesn't have enough influence, and Stodder's too elegant for that sort of job. He's more the type to sit where everyone can see him, adding weight to the argument just by being there. Getting crowds riled up isn't really Stodder's cup of tea. And now I have Stodder in my head, going off on the different kinds of tea and which are his favorite... dude, what is your problem??

I did have an idea that Fuddle doesn't really exist, but rather is a human facsimile, nothing more than magically animated flesh. I don't think this is true, but rather an accurate metaphor (would that be a metaphor? I'm going to go with 'yes.') Fuddle seems empty-headed because he is nothing more than what Stodder pours into him. Maybe? Something like that?

When I was finding pictures for my characters, the only thing I found for Fuddle was a picture of what he doesn't look like. I frequently call him 'Stodder' by accident. If I let him hang out in my head for any time, Rolanda turns him into a mollusk.

But I CAN get to know him! I have character sheets, and I know how to use them. I will get to know Fuddle, even if I have to threaten him. I know Rolanda would curse him if I asked... no, actually, she wouldn't. sigh Maybe I can bribe Morgana -- though she ran off with the money I paid her to deck Codswallop!

My characters. *shakes head*


♥/Kat!e

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