Matty Dalrymple talks with Tiffany Yates Martin about CREATING CHARACTER MOTIVATION: THE FALLACY OF MAGICAL KNOWING, including an explanation of what "magical knowing" is, what leads a writer to fall back on it, and the signs that you're relying on it; the importance of understanding the character's overarching goal and of laying in brushstrokes of both context and specifics; the challenge of finding balance; the power of dissecting your own story and the value of outside eyes; and the pitfalls of "magical ignorance."
If one of those topics piques your interest, you can easily jump to that section of the interview by clicking on the flagged timestamps below.
0:00 What is "magical knowing"?
02:30 What leads to magical knowing
02:51 The pitfall of assigning objective value to a character's want
03:46 Show your work
04:04 The signs that you're relying on magical knowing
04:28 The power of outside eyes + dissecting your own story
11:22 What is the character's overarching goal?
14:50 The pitfalls of "magical ignorance"
16:51 Laying in brushstrokes of context
18:09 The challenge of finding balance
20:58 The importance of specifics
Show notes (including transcript) at www.theindyauthor.com/236---c...
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Tiffany Yates Martin has spent nearly thirty years as an editor in the publishing industry, working with major publishers and New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling and award-winning authors as well as indie and newer writers. She is the founder of FoxPrint Editorial and author of INTUITIVE EDITING: A CREATIVE AND PRACTICAL GUIDE TO REVISING YOUR WRITING. She is a regular contributor to Writer’s Digest, Jane Friedman, and Writer Unboxed, and a frequent presenter and keynote speaker for writers’ organizations around the country. Under her pen name, Phoebe Fox, she is the author of six novels.
Matty Dalrymple is the author of the Lizzy Ballard Thrillers, beginning with ROCK PAPER SCISSORS; the Ann Kinnear Suspense Novels, beginning with THE SENSE OF DEATH; and the Ann Kinnear Suspense Shorts. She is a member of International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime. Matty also writes, speaks, and consults on the writing craft and the publishing voyage, and shares what she’s learned on THE INDY AUTHOR PODCAST. She has written books on the business of short fiction and podcasting for authors; her articles have appeared in "Writer’s Digest" magazine. She is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors.
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In this episode of The Indy Author Podcast, Tiffany Yates Martin, an experienced editor and author, discusses the concept of "magical knowing" in writing and its implications for character development. Tiffany explains that magical knowing is a narrative shortcut where characters suddenly understand or realize something without the narrative groundwork that logically leads to that knowledge. This can occur in any genre, from detective stories to romances, and often stems from an author’s desire not to over-explain or from their intimate knowledge of the story, which may not fully translate to the reader.
Tiffany emphasizes the importance of showing how characters come to their thoughts, feelings, or realizations, likening it to showing one's work in a math problem. She suggests that authors should avoid leaps in logic and instead provide specific, detailed groundwork that allows the reader to understand and believe in the character's journey. This includes exploring the character's motivations, desires, and the personal stakes involved in their actions and decisions.
The discussion moves into the necessity of external and internal motivations for characters, highlighting the need for clear, believable reasons behind their actions. For example, in a detective story, rather than having the detective simply "know" who the culprit is, the narrative should provide tangible clues and reasoning that lead to this conclusion.
Matty discusses her experiences and challenges with magical knowing in her own writing, exploring how she has worked to identify and rectify it in her manuscripts. Tiffany highlights the role of external feedback, such as beta readers, critique partners, and editors, in identifying areas where the narrative may rely too heavily on magical knowing.
Additionally, the conversation covers the concept of "magical ignorance," where characters are inexplicably unaware of something obvious to the reader. Tiffany advises that authors should carefully lay out the reasons why a character may have certain blind spots or misunderstandings, thereby preventing the narrative from appearing contrived or forced.