Sticky Situations

“A lot of the cats I grew up with in the South Bronx found themselves in sticky situations.”
–Wesley Snipes

What makes a character interesting?
A sticky situation.

It’s not just the fight scene, with lots of action, but the aftermath, the explanation, the facing of consequences that makes a situation sticky, and that make the scene stick. It not only moves the plot forward but develops the character, the most interesting part of any story.

Each character has values, priorities that often shift with circumstances, and a philosophy of life. If those parts of the character don’t conflict, it doesn’t  matter how many fights happen, how many star ships rescue or destroy each other, or how many casualties are racked up on either side. It’s just action, body fluids, splatter, not conflict.

If there’s no dilemma, no soul-search, no “if it’s going to be, it’s up to me,” the scene won’t stick. The reader won’t stick either, because the effort of reading is just too much for no emotional payoff.  What does  the choice cost the character?

There’s never an easy, quick or cheap solution, or if there is, it’s been tried and found wanting, as have plans B, C, and D, with equally ineffective results. Each attempt reach the goal happily drags the character deeper and deeper into the sticky with the exact demons, fears, and ex-sidekicks desired most deeply to be avoided.

Be it mud, treacle, manners, or treaties, hand your character the sticky end of the situation.