LITERARY SYMMETRY

One thing I truly love is literary symmetry. As you’re reading a book and myriad characters are introduced, all having independent experiences, you begin to wonder why you need to know that John went to the pub after dinner. Nor do you feel it pertinent to know that he has a girl on the side. After all, the story is about Mary and her family, John is merely an acquaintance. It seems as though you are being fed this information for no other reason than to add another dimension to John as a character. And that’s all well and good.

However, we all know there must be more to it. But what?                      

As you continue to read you discover Mary’s son is in a wheelchair, and has been for only a short time. Soon you come to find out that he was injured on the same night that John went to the pub. Yes, that’s right. John hit him with his car while driving home from the pub.

Furthermore, John’s love interest is Mary’s daughter. The premise of John’s extracurricular activities suddenly makes sense.

This is a poor example, but for the purpose of making my point, it will do just fine.

So, what is my point?

It is simply this: literary symmetry creates a dynamic between characters and events which might otherwise be purposeless and bland. It can be satisfying for the author as much as the reader.

To create this symmetry I sometimes use a visual aid. I don’t know what you would call it, but let’s call it a character tree. I first used it to explain a story to my cousin (yes, the same cousin with whom I discuss my characters and their personalities), when I found how much more it could be.

I begin with pen and paper, because I can’t think about my characters and plot while trying to decipher One Note or Power Point. They are evil, I tell you.

Anyway, once I know who everyone is, I can see which characters are just hanging around the edges, offering no great contribution to the plot. Now I can create connections for them with the major players in my story.

The example below is part of one I have made. If you look at Amanda you will notice she is Brad’s sister, Danny’s lover, and Louis’s girlfriend. Before I started this process she was nothing more than Brad’s sister and a possible suspect for murder. By connecting her to Danny (my MC) and Louis, I have given her a much larger role and added symmetry to my plot. Similarly Holly was merely a receptionist at Brad’s and Danny’s place of work. By making her friends with James (Brad’s boyfriend) I have given James access to the other side of Brad’s life, and the investigation, while giving Holly’s place in my story much more meaning.

I am being a little vague about the exact reasons for these connections because I don’t want to give too much away, as this is my character tree for Before I Wake.

Using this tool gives me a greater view of my characters, allowing me to create the symmetry between them, thus symmetry in my plot. In this way it also helps weed out plot holes.

 

I don’t know about you, maybe you are more logical about your stories than I. But myself, I have this strange little quirk. An idea will hit me, any time of the night or day, and I think it’s genius. It’s not always genius, let me tell you. Most of the time I only end up sending my story into a spiral of incoherence.

So, once I have my characters drawn into my character tree, while I am creating the connections between them –that all-important symmetry– I notice an amazing thing happening: all those unanswered questions I had about how John and Mary’s daughter met (sorry, I’m back on my terrible John and Mary analogy), and why their relationship is important to my readers, they answer themselves. All the little if’s, but’s and maybe’s you have about your plot become clear.

The connections between the characters are, after all, the backbone of the plot. No matter the genre (except maybe Sci Fi), your characters are what your readers care about, what keeps them reading. So, perfect your characters and their relationships, perfect your story.

Some of you may have other ways of doing the things I mention. If you do please share, I’m always looking for new tools and strategies for my writing. But if you are struggling with anything, be it simple character relationships, plot holes, literary symmetry, and anything in between, give it try.

What’s the worst that can happen?