Baring the soul

I will say, it is much more difficult working on fiction. Taking an imaginary character and trying to bring him to life is something that takes a lot of effort.

One thing I learned which I really like doing is using Faulkner's "stream of consciousness" approach. Now, to be fair, I cannot play as loose with the rules of grammar as Faulkner, but using the concept has already allowed me to take the lead character in a direction I had not planned.

A flaw shows up, a major flaw, in the second chapter. There is no great figure in literature who wields his way through life without flaws. The journey is not worth reading about if everything is "hunky-dory" in the life of the lead. Sure, maybe there could be strife all around and his character is created by being the only sturdy character involved. But I think the most incredible literary figures were flawed in one way or another.

I want to take my shot at creating a character whose flaws not only define him, but help define ourselves. I am not sure yet that the character will overcome. Sometimes, good people simply cannot live a "Hollywood" ending.

This is best exemplified in Paul Bowles' exceptional piece of literary art "The Sheltering Sky."