Thread: Diversity in Conflict

Ok. So I'm writing this story, and I finally seem to have a breakthrough with this chapter I've been revising for months now and then I realize something that sort of disturbs me.

The same theme seems to be emerging over and over again, only I don't know if I'd quite describe it as a theme.

Three of my leading characters (and possibly a fourth) all seem to be suffering from the same sort of trauma.

Character A: Has suffered from his father having abandoned him at a young age.

Character B: While at work (stripping btw) lost her fiance and daughter to a house fire

Character C: Witnessed his father die before his eyes on a fishing excursion. Later his mom committed suicide.

Character D (possibly): Has a father that's dying of liver failure.

Now besides the obvious fact that this is a dark and cynical work, am I also suffering from a lack of creativity or am I actually on to something here? I don't want to over-saturate the point to where the reader is pretty much like, "yeah okay, his father died too... surprise!". At the same time, this is what keeps emerging, and I don't want to try and squeeze something together that doesn't quite fit either and instead come off sounding corny and phoney.

Most likely I'm making entirely too big a deal of this, because well that's what I do... but thought I get some input anyhow... thanks.

If it's a theme, then I wouldn't worry too much about it - all characters who experience growth need some sort of issue or problem from which that growth can eventually stem. Seems you've got some good starting-points for each of their journeys right there.

If your characters' personal tragedies are the common bond that brings them all together, then leave your chapter alone.

If you have only given your characters these issues in an attempt to make them more interesting, then I agree that personal baggage can give a character depth but try giving them different kinds of baggage. Three of your four characters have suffered or will suffer a death of a loved one. There are other kinds of loss or disappointment in life. (I have caught myself slipping into a kind of creative laziness and repeating story elements to save the effort of thinking up new ones. If this describes you, you are not alone. We writers have to keep our readers interested and repetition is boring.)

Thanks guys. For the most part I like where the story's going but I think Aaron brings up a good point... I am sort of being lazy. It's probably about time I take a break... the only problem is that it seems I take a break after every chapter or two... I'll write a couple thousand words and then will be stuck again... I envy the ppl that can pound out five or six thousand words a night... sometimes I feel I'm not really cut out for writing. But I'm also too stubborn to stop. Back to the drawing board. Thanks.