Embracing the Dark in Our Characters by Darlene Beck Jacobson

Anger.  Sadness.  Deceit.  Jealousy.  Fear.  There are so many things that make our characters seem dark and maybe even hard to like.  It is only recently that I'm beginning to embrace these darker emotions for my characters.  My first instinct in writing always seems to be to protect my characters from severe harm and keep them out of trouble.  They are my  fictional children afterall, and what parent wants to see their child get into such things.

Yet, just like our real children, we can't protect them from all evil and darkness.  More growth occurs when a character experiences ALL levels of emotion.  And I am learning to enjoy the journey of taking my characters from these low, troubled, dark places to find the light they need in their lives.