Carter A. Waterman, Jr., the protagonist in "A Hunger", is 16 and 17 years old when a bulk of the first half of the book takes place. At times, I've thought this a handicap. Could a teenager think along these lines (because let's face it, I'm not purposely trying to think younger myself, just letting it flow out)? My "creative consultant", who for now we'll refer to only as Marie, says it works - Carter's views can be condescending and immature.
But would aging him two years give me more flexibility? Should he be a more independent entity? That, I suppose, is the question I struggle with. I find myself thinking, Jeez, if his car sets on fire in Maine, that'll create some 'splaining he has to do back home. Fine, but Carter talking his way out of every little detail with his mom isn't necessarily something I care to write.
Sure, this could serve as a comic backstory or another arc I hadn't envisioned originally. It could round the charcters of his parents who, so far, we don't really see. BUT, would those things only distract from what it is I'm trying to tell, from the story arc and the questions I'm asking of myself through Carter and his explorations?
Similar to 'should he be aged', my chosen (so far) time setting can give me fits. 1993 and 1994 are the years we're dealing with. This has forced me to think of cell phones and the internet in 1994 terms. Good for me, intellectually maybe, rather than defaulting to what is 'now'. But is it spending time and efforts for a good reason? Why did I choose those years? Those are the years in which I was 16 and 17...
Also, I have interludes between chapters in which Carter is an adult (31 years old in 2008, if that matters) reflecting in the present on the situation and, ultimately, how events of 1994 have affected his adult life.
The beauty of novels - the decision is mine, as are all such creative decisions. But deciding what makes the most sense, what will work for the audience is a tall task. At least, it seems tall to me. All this planning - it doesn't fit my normal procedure. I prefer to sit, read the last chapter, and take off at a run. I have little idea where the ramblings may take me each day, beyond a very sketch plan. The uncertainty (which I have a hard time with in real life) is the aspect of writing I enjoy most.
In the end, I hope it leads to prose that real readers can also enjoy...
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