Do you prefer the characters control the plot or the plot control the characters?

Question

So far the fantasy novel that I have been writing has been entirely controlled by the characters. Whatever they want to do I just let them do. Like it feels natural just to let them explore the environment that I have created for THEM. But I also don't want them to have too much control.
I will be adding several twists and conflicts for them to test themselves against.
But once again they will be controlling the outcome.

Everything feels so natural now and while the plot is pretty good
the characters seem to outshine my plot and im a bit worried.


Thanks for your advice.

Answer 1

I think you should have a good mixture of both. If the characters have too much control over the plot, it takes away from the conflict. Likewise, if too much happens that is beyond the characters' control the plot itself becomes staid and boring.



The trick is to create a formula where every so often game-changing events DO happen, and your characters are forced to deal with the aftermath of these events. Great examples would be in Harry Potter, when Voldemort is resurrected, in Lord of the Rings when Gandalf dies and the Fellowship is disbanded, or in Star Wars when Luke discovers that Darth Vader is his father.



In all of these circumstances, the characters are forced to come up with new goals and plans to deal with these issues. Your characters should, likewise, have moments like these that change their goals and their plans, while still giving them a little bit of control in these decisions.

Answer 2

Characters that control the plot is the only way to do it.



All plots should be character driven; it's a sign of a good story. A plot driven story indicates that the characters are wafer thin and aren't worth my time. Twilight for example, is plot driven as opposed to character driven. Harry Potter is character driven as opposed to plot driven.



Plot is primarily the cause and effect relationship of the events within a story. The difference then becomes the degree to which the character’s motives, desires and personalities influence that cause and effect chain. While cardboard characters will by default result in a plot-driven story (after all, they fail to affect the events of the story in any meaningful way)

Answer 3

I think the plot should motivate them to do whatever the plot is about. For example my character Delilah is a cursed magician in a family of thieves. Naturally she wants to get out of the family business (but obviously can't because....well it is the family business) and so she does whatever....anyway I think its a mixture of both. The characters are THE voice.But the plot is also theirs and yours. So you have control of both. If your characters are outshining the plot, tone it down a little...

Answer 4

The plot should push them in a certain direction, force them to do certain things or go places, but you still need the characters to react to the events. Generally, the plot should dictate what problems they face--the characters should dictate how they resolve those problems.

Answer 5

In my story, my characters are controlled by the plot. They are forced to do things and to make tough decisions.