Do your characters argue with you?

 

Are you in control of your story?

 

In The Hobbit, Tolkien observed that "things that are good to have and days that are good to spend are soon told about, and not much to listen to; while things that are uncomfortable, palpitating, and even gruesome, may make a good tale, and take a deal of telling anyway." 

In other words, if there is no conflict, there is no story. So the characters can expect to have problems which get ever more difficult, they must face their fears and see their ambitions endlessly thwarted. No wonder they sometimes shut off and refuse to act as the author wishes.

Writers all experience the phenomenon of a character taking over the story and dictating what he or she will do and most certainly will not do. It takes time, a lot of thought and some bargaining between author and characters, to get things moving again. The revised plot rings truer and is more satisfying for all concerned. 

So an argument with the characters is a sign that they are ready to walk off the page; and as every writer knows, that is the best thing that can happen in any story. 

[ Photo of my workbook for The Rake's Challenge. There are four rakes in that tale, 

two of them brothers. ]

The Rake's Challenge

Prinny and his Pavilion #MarinePavilion

On 12th August, 1783, George Augustus Frederick, Prince of Wales, celebrated his 21st birthday.

Shortly after this date he arrived in Brighton for an eleven day visit to his uncle, the infamous Duke of Cumberland. The pair threw themselves into an endless round of entertainment, all spiced with lavish amounts of food and spirits.

The Prince liked Brighton so much that he returned again and again. In Brighton his lifestyle consisted of gambling, boxing, riding, horse racing, cricket, balls, theatre visits, banquets and love affairs. At first he rented a farmhouse and eventually bought it. This building was situated at the end of the main road from London to Brighton, ideally placed to create a stunning impression on all visitors to the town.

It became known as the Marine Pavilion. Initially, the Prince added to his new home in the French Neo-Classical style.


     

As with all his interests, however, he constantly changed his tastes. Thus, the Pavilion underwent further enlargements and modifications. By 1802 there was a new banqueting room and a confectionery room. [The Prince kept three confectioners on his domestic staff!]

In 1801 the prince received a gift of some oriental wallpaper. From that point he had the Pavilion redecorated in a range of oriental styles, featuring Indian and Chinese elements. This was accompanied by further remodelling of the exterior to the highly exotic appearance it has today.



By the time the Pavilion looked like this, 

George IV looked like this...

                          

The Prince Regent and his Pavilion feature in The Rake's Challenge, 

the story of a seaside holiday that nearly went horribly wrong.

The Rake's Challenge