Writing Excuses

19.30: A Close Reading on Character: Agency vs. Choices

Jul 28, 2024

Mary Robinette Kowal is a speculative fiction author known for her imaginative storytelling, while C.L. Clark has made waves in the fantasy genre. They discuss the difference between character agency and choices, showcasing how characters can still exhibit depth even with limited agency. Using Mary’s talking cat and C.L.’s work, they explore the complexities of decision-making under constraints. The conversation highlights how nuanced choices can shape a narrative, resulting in compelling character arcs amid challenging scenarios.

23:03

Creator website

Episode guests

C.L. Clark

Mary Robinette Kowal

AI Summary

Highlights

AI Chapters

Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Agency denotes the character's capacity to act, while choices reveal their deeper internal conflicts, enhancing narrative complexity.

Characters facing external constraints can still exhibit depth through their meaningful choices, reflecting personal growth and emotional struggle.

Deep dives

The Concept of Agency and Choices in Character Development

Agency refers to a character's ability to take action, while choices reflect their internal dilemmas. Interesting characters often possess rich interior lives, capable of making meaningful choices despite external constraints. For example, a story might feature a protagonist who feels trapped by their circumstances, such as living under an oppressive regime, yet still navigates their personal desires and moral decisions. This highlights how characters, regardless of their levels of agency, can be compelling through their choices and emotional depth.

Embrace Matching, Not Searching

01:52

Navigating the Fragile Journey of Self-Discovery

02:01

Intro

2min

Navigating Character Agency and Choices in Storytelling

2min

Exploring Character Agency

10min

Choices and Agency in Character Development

4min

Navigating Choices: Character Development and Agency

9min

Cultivating Creativity and Character Choices

4min

We have a theory that we want to work through on today’s episode: agency is the ability to take action, whereas choices are more about the interior life of the character. We use Mary Robinette’s talking cat, try-fail cycles, and C.L. Clark’s Your Eyes, My Beacon: Being an Account of Several Misadventures and How I Found My Way Home in order to examine this theory and its underpinnings.

Thing of the Week: Marginalia by Mary Robinette Kowal (Uncanny Magazine)

Homework: Create a scene in which your character has very little agency, but still must make a choice. Do your best to make that choice still feel critical.

Liner Notes:

Fluent pet buttons - Elsie the talking cat

“We Are the Mountain: A Look at the Inactive Protagonist” by Vida Cruz

Sign up for our newsletter:

https://writingexcuses.com

Credits: Your hosts for this episode were DongWon Song and Erin Roberts. Our guest was Arkady Martine. It was produced by Emma Reynolds, recorded by Marshall Carr, Jr., and mastered by Alex Jackson.

Join Our Writing Community!

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/writing-excuses2130/exclusive-content

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy