Why Characters are More Important Than Plot

Good characters are always more important than a good plot.

Don’t believe me? The Dark Knight. The plot was pretty much non-existent. But nobody cared because of Heath Ledger’s Joker and the incredible dynamic between Joker and Batman.

Or what about Les Miserables? I’m serious. Does anyone really care about the French Revolution backdrop or the 130 pages or so of Waterloo warfare? No. It’s the unbelievable story of redemption and obsession as seen through the eyes of Valjean and Javert.

Wizard of Oz? Dorothy, Tin Man, Scarecrow, Lion. ‘Nuff said.

And many people stopped caring after the first Matrix, but Agent Smith is my favorite villain of all time, so he essentially supports the trilogy in my eyes.

Because solid characters are essential and can carry a story no matter the plot or genre. Of course there has to be some sort of movement with the characters, but it’s the characters that make any plot worthwhile. Even the best action sequences in a movie are meaningless if the audience doesn’t connect with the character/characters. Love stories are good only if the characters make it work. Good science fiction has relatable characters. Horror, drama, mystery—all need solid characters. Even mysteries can be forgettable as long as the characters are not.

Evidence? The BBC’s Sherlock Holmes. The episodes often contain yawn-worthy mystery plots, but watching the brilliant Holmes and the charismatic Watson wrestle through them is as entertaining as anything out there.

Readers can forgive ho hum plots and less than stunning twists, so long as the characters are well written. While I work hard on creating better plots, I want to take time to develop my characters and give my readers someone to cheer for and cry over (or hate). So until I can bring my plots out of mediocrity, my characters are going to have bear the weight of the scrupulous reader.