What comes first: Character or Plot

[CharlesEBrown]

Plaracter. Or Chlot.

 

[Jerynboe]

Premise. The core concept that I want to explore. Then I make characters that will do that, then I figure out what the plot will be, then I retrofit the characters to fit that plot.

 

[writerwolf359]

I think of both at the same time (along with the setting), although I start with an overarching idea for the plot first (what’s the end goal?).

 

[rileykifer]

Sometimes I get inspiration for a character first, sometimes a plot first. But I never put pen to paper until I have a vague idea of both in my head.

 

[Envylope]

Character. And I did finish a story this way @Corty :enchanpout:

 

[Corty]

Character. And I did finish a story this way @Corty :enchanpout:

You are the exception to the rule.

Also, you delete books. That's almost the same.

 

[Envylope]

You are the exception to the rule.

Also, you delete books. That's almost the same.

I'm an exception!

 

[LazyScript]

Neither. I usually come up with an idea for a cool world for a story to take place in first. Then I'll think of some characters to live in that world, and then a story for them to be part of.

Generally I always think of the setting first, then characters and plot both at once.

Woah, setting? I did not think about that.

That's cool.

In the end, all stories start with a single idea, after all. Whether it be plot, character, or setting, it might not really matter.

Plot, but my characters, especially the main character tends to suffer for it which is a huge problem. I want to write the story a specific way because the plot demands it, but that also means I can't write with the spunky MC voice that everyone seems to love.

I get that.

There are times I want a plot line so badly that I force my characters to fit the mold. It's tough to find balance to both.

Alternatively, because of the emphasis on plot, I worry that I'm not building my character enough for the reader to actually empathize or understand them. Like, I obviously get them because they're my creations, but it's not easy knowing if the main character is properly fleshed out without that outside perspective.

 

[FRWriter]

Neither is required when your story depends on smut.

 

[TinaMigarlo]

character and plot are weird. its great to have that big complex awesome plot, but then it makes it harder to execute. Its easy for the great plot to be bigger than your character, if that makes any sense. I was amazed the first time I wasn't even making a new book. I was just doing a writing exercise, so I grabbed a box standard plot to play with the exercise. Next thing I knew, I liked it and the thing started writing itself. Became one of my works I liked best. So a tired basic plot but with characters I already knew well... characters and everything else worked wonders. A character without the dialogue, or dialogue without the character... that's a no go in my estimation. I suppose characters are technically more important, because slice of life is a "thing" now. That's zero plot, all character and dialogue. Maybe the question should be character or dialogue. But then the answer is "both".

 

[L1aei]

Chicken or the egg? Well, neither if both are going to pop into existence within a dense, dark void of space.