Though there is one aspect of the plot, which might be there before the characters: The ending. I always knew exactly where I want a story to end (after all, one needs a basic idea, otherwise you have no idea what kind of characters you need).
A big yes to this, although for me probably for different reasons - if I don't have an ending in mind, a goal for the story to reach, then the story is a pain to write. There has to be an ending in sight, even if the story ends up veering mostly away from that ending. But I still need those characters in place to help me figure out that ending.
But another although, it depends on the story, because sometimes I've thought up stories where I had both the characters and an ending in mind, sometimes at the same time.
The thing about any story is that you can bet it's going to deviate from your original plot. And, yes, mostly because of the characters. I love outlining to bits but I also have to leave enough room to allow for that change. Even in fanfiction I have no solid idea of how the characters will influence a scene until I get to that scene, so the story needs to be malleable enough to let things play out how they want to.
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chiming
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Date: 2012-03-10 08:25 pm (UTC)From:A big yes to this, although for me probably for different reasons - if I don't have an ending in mind, a goal for the story to reach, then the story is a pain to write. There has to be an ending in sight, even if the story ends up veering mostly away from that ending. But I still need those characters in place to help me figure out that ending.
But another although, it depends on the story, because sometimes I've thought up stories where I had both the characters and an ending in mind, sometimes at the same time.
The thing about any story is that you can bet it's going to deviate from your original plot. And, yes, mostly because of the characters. I love outlining to bits but I also have to leave enough room to allow for that change. Even in fanfiction I have no solid idea of how the characters will influence a scene until I get to that scene, so the story needs to be malleable enough to let things play out how they want to.