Every morning after an hour of quiet time with the Lord, my husband and I will work out in our home gym—it’s a fancy name for that portion of our garage that houses an elliptical, treadmill, and some free weights. I admit I need a distraction while running on the treadmill or doing squats because I get easily bored. For this reason, we’ve streamed several different television series over the years, both character-driven and plot-driven.
You’ve most likely heard the great debate between the two. From the moment I stepped into my first writer’s conference, this has been a topic worth exploring. I would love to say all my novels have a healthy balance of the two, but I’d then have to confess and repent. I lean heavily on character-driven stories. I think it’s because my heart is to encourage believers (and non-believers) of the hope available amid tragedy through the love of Christ, and because of that love, we can then encourage others. This isn’t possible in fiction or life without character growth.
But who doesn’t love a strong plot? Without it, the story meanders along with lots of internal monologue and touchy-feely conversations through which the reader can see that change is happening. Yawn.
I love well-written character-driven stories, but I also enjoy plot-driven novels, as well. I picked up my first Kinsey Millhone book (A is for Alibi) by Sue Grafton at a library when I was pregnant with my daughter. And I was hooked. A voracious reader, with no budget to purchase books, I scoured libraries for more. I remember seeing Ms. Grafton on a talk show lamenting the decision to write this series because she was then committed to one for each letter of the alphabet. Sadly, she passed away before she could write the final Z book, so there are only twenty-five.
If you’re unfamiliar with the series, Kinsey Millhone is a former police officer in the fictional town of Santa Teresa, California, which Grafton based on Santa Barbara. After leaving the force, Kinsey became a private detective. Every book in the series is a new case. Although the character of Kinsey is interesting, she does not change throughout the series. Definitely what I would consider a plot-driven novel. The challenge for Ms. Grafton was to keep the books timely since Kinsey didn’t age during the three-plus decades they were written. In 1982, there was no such thing as a cell phone. By 2017 (when Grafton passed away), no one used landlines anymore. And let’s not even get started on the growth of computer technology. Like I said, challenging.
When my husband and I are driving long distances, we listen to audiobooks we pick up through our library app. Call us cheap, but it’s how we roll. In our search for the perfect driving novel, we discovered the Andy Carpenter Series written by David Rosenfelt. This is another plot-driven series with a reluctant attorney-at-law in the lead role. Andy inherited millions from his father and claims to be retired, but clients continually drop into his lap. Of course, they’re always innocent, and he spends the required pages solving the murder so he can get them off.
Throughout the thirty-two books (so far) he starred in, he did not experience internal growth. He got married and adopted a boy who was orphaned, but he is still the same from book one to book thirty-two. One of the reasons I love this series is because of the narrator, Grover Garland. He’s fantastic. I don’t think I’d enjoy the books so much otherwise. In fact, David Rosenfelt began another series (K-Team) with a different audiobook narrator, and it didn’t hold our attention.
I have yet to read a multi-book series with the same character in which there is great internal growth. Maybe this is why most fiction series marketed for women are made up of several books with different lead roles. I would be bored starring any of my characters for more than one novel. But if I wrote mysteries in which the plot was the driving force, that would be another thing entirely. However, I don’t see that as my calling. Although I enjoy a good thriller, I’m geared toward the internal growth of people than the action. A little of both would be best. This is one reason I try to infuse a mystery component in all my books. We aren’t talking big, bad James Patterson-type suspense. But enough to keep the reader thinking.
So, let me circle back to the beginning of this article. While most men (including my husband) prefer to watch television shows and movies teeming with plot-driven action and adventure (right now, we’re watching NCIS for the second time around), Chris has fallen prey to the attraction of good character-driven family dramas. There is something to be said for people growing over time. One of our favorites was Everwood. One show I believe did a great job of blending both plot and character is Alien, starring Jennifer Garner.
But just like books have changed with the times, so have television series. I hope I’m not dating myself by admitting I grew up watching The Waltons and Little House on the Prairie, each of which aired for nine years. It’s hard not to see character development when we literally watch them grow up on the air. It was wholesome family television at its best.
But whether you’re a fan of mysteries, thrillers, action/adventure, romance, contemporary, or historical fiction, there are books for everyone. The age-old debate of plot versus character will continue long past the day I’m dancing with Jesus. However, I desire to continually learn the craft, entertain my readers, and inspire hope in a dark world. What more could a writer ask?
