What follows is a writing exercise from Neil Gaiman’s Master Class, which is an amazingly, detailed, and well thought out course.
Part one of the exercise is answering a few questions that help construct and define a fictional character. In part two the purpose is to lead the reader in a different direction than that which they expected to be led. The concept he was trying to teach was called confluence. I learned that sometimes the reader doesn’t get what they expect, or want.
This is something that I as a reader struggle with. Even though a book is immutable being already written, like a golf ball which is already struck, I lean and gesture about willing a different ending to what is already determined from the start.
Characters get what they need not what they want. Not what the reader wants.
Part I – Character Details
A man lying on a hill looking through a rifle scope
He is a 25-year-old young man named Jorge Fuentez.
Jorge takes after his very caucasian mother. He is 5’-10” tall and 180 lbs. He has dirty blond hair, blue eyes, and a fair complexion. He is strong and muscular, but not overly built. He is fast and nimble. He has the physique of a cross-fitter.
A CRKT folding pocket knife is slipped and clipped inside his front right pocket. In his front left pocket he as a brown handkerchief.
Jorge loves the outdoors, hiking hunting and fishing. He plays the guitar and likes the occasional cigar with friends.
He hates being judged and is easily aggravated if he feels the eyes of others on him.
Himself, his physique and what others think about him matter to him more than anything in the world.
Part II – Surprise?
“Damn it!” Jorge swore under his breath. “Where the fuck did that impact?” he mumbled to himself.
Twenty-five year old Jorge Fuentez was lying on his belly sighting through his rifle’s scope. He scanned his target and the ground around it looking for a sign to indicate where his bullet had impacted. The enemy knew he was out there. Jorge had shot and had missed and the guy had gone to ground. Funny enough, when he hit the deck he dropped the launcher he was about to fire. If Jorge couldn’t get a clean shot, he would either fire at the weapon or more likely call in a strike and be done with it.
His target remained, unmoving after taking cover behind some large rocks. Jorge scanned the earth in front looking for a sign, anything to give him an idea of how to adjust. He was about 600 meters away and the guy was concealed in a wadi.
“Farsight, SITREP.” The call came through to Jorge’s earpiece. He responded.
“One man, attempting to fire on COP Janston with shoulder-mounted launcher, location wadi 1 click due south of the COP, IVO TRP 4-alpha, break.” Jorge released then pressed the radio’s transmit key. “Fired one round at target 2 minutes ago and he took cover. Over.’
“Roger. Confirm your location, over.”
“Located at last reported position maintaining concealment, over.”
“Farsight – Alpha actual.” The COP commanding officer CPT Baker broke in. “I want you to be our eyes and ears on this one. Report any status changes and act as forward observer, break. We’ll put lead-on-target on your confirmation. This is danger close. How copy over?”
“Roger Alpha actual. Standing by.”
Moments later a new voice came on the net. “Shot, over.”
The same voice. “Splash, out.”
Several seconds later a high explosive round impacted and exploded 100 meters short of the enemy.”
Jorge keyed his mike. “Splash, adjust fire, add 100 meters, out.”
