Creating Complex Characters in the Editing Process
by Mary Kole | Former literary agent, now a freelance editor, writing teacher, and IP/story developer for major publishers and creators.
As an editor, I love discussing the editing process, including the construction of complex characters and how they engage with various plots and stories. Here, I want to discuss character buy-in. Figuring out when to place this important moment is something writers often find during the editing process.
Teasing Out Character Engagement During the Editing Process
The question of buy-in especially applies in fantasy, action, paranormal and sometimes even romance stories, where the reader must suspend disbelief or get comfortable with a lot of worldbuilding. For example, Percy Jackson had no idea of his destiny as a demi-god until he became fully immersed in his adventure. The editing process brings out the premise of the story, especially as writers have their characters grapple with events like the inciting incident, which turns your character’s normal into a new abnormal that they must deal with.
The editing process is where a lot of appealing fiction elements are sequenced in an order that makes for maximum emotional impact. The editing process has a lot in common with a baker creating a layer cake. Writers need to start with a solid base, then layer on plot development, relationships that don’t remain static, and story stakes.
But you must make sure each layer is solid before starting the next one—otherwise you risk your cake crumbling between one opinion and another. That’s not complex character development; that’s inconsistency, and is something you need to address during the editing process. Watch out for readers who say you don’t have believable characters—that means you have to work on your protagonist’s emotional logic.
The Editing Process and Character Behavior
For example, if the protagonist needs to trust Character A, but Character A discloses the protagonist’s secret to the antagonist, this puts the protagonist in a bind because they feel betrayed. But they also need Character A’s help on their journey. There are several linear and logical steps that need to be teased out during the editing process.
If the protagonist changes attitudes about Character A suddenly, you leave a lot of room for conflict on the table. Instead, the character should proceed by weighing the pros and cons, and ultimately deciding whether the benefits outweigh the risks, or not.
This shows complexity in decision-making which paints them in an interesting light—establishing trust between the protagonist and the reader while still leaving questions below the surface about whether the character made the right choice.
Now imagine that, in Chapter One, the protagonist opts to trust Character A. However, in Chapter Two, they reject A’s phone calls, showing a lack of trust. Then in Chapter Three, they return to A to ask for advice, as if nothing had changed. Yet in Chapter Four they shun A at a party and declare that they will navigate their situation alone.
This continual back and forth sends readers for a loop, and reads as inconsistent. When you’re doing your editing process, make sure you identify each change of heart and give the character motivation with clear logic, so readers can follow what your character is thinking. Flip-flopping behavior (especially without any emotional logic) from a protagonist can be disorienting. The editing process smooths out character consistency so the reader can find the protagonist and their decisions believable.
Refining and Applying Your Editing Process
The main issue here is that flip-flopping isn’t an action—taking one step forward and one step back does not benefit the plot or the relationships that various characters have with one another. Instead, smooth out the turning points during your editing process. For instance, the protagonist can fully trust Character A, but after being betrayed, they can change their minds as a reaction. If they ever want to interact with Character A again, they must consider whether dealing with A’s duplicitous nature is worth it.
The protagonist’s commitment to their own choices is vital. Without it, they change their mind without investing in anything. If they don’t care, readers won’t, either. The editing process can make sure the plot and character development work hand in hand, with strong reasons for the character actions that end up determining your plot.
Some writers think that flip-flopping implies complexity, and in some ways, makes a character “interesting” (whatever that means). But this type of behavior doesn't really further the story in the long run—it’s shallow at best, and confusing at worst. Without an editing process, writers end up making these characterization mistakes. They’re hard to spot because writers often have different versions of a protagonist and their decisions in mind all at once.
Ask an editor or beta reader to follow your character’s engagement with the plot, buy-in, and logic as part of the editing process. If they can’t, you have more work to do.
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