The Kilted Writer

I recently got into a discussion with a fellow writer about stories with multiple layers, subplots, etc. One of the movies we discussed was Independence Day . It had been a while since I'd seen the movie, so I could only make general observations. I couldn't even remember the characters' names - just the actors'. After the discussion, I decided to watch the movie again and do a mind/body/spirit analysis. One of the things I realized in re-watching the movie was how wrong I had been about the main plot - specifically, the "main character." Cinematically, the main character is Capt. Steve Hiller, played by Will Smith. He has all the great lines, is involved in all the action, and has a dominating presence on the screen. The main character of the story, however, is not Capt Steve Hiller. The story is really about David Levinson, played by Jeff Goldblum. David Levinson is a part of every major plot point and is the character who undergoes the great...

The ideas that run through Isaac Asimov's collection of short stories, "I, Robot," were put together to make a movie of the same name, starring Will Smith. Like most science fiction, the differences between the mind, body, and spirit characters are stark. Also like most science fiction, the mind, body, and spirit characters in "I, Robot" work together to solve a problem (many times, the problem has to do with saving the world or universe). Contrast that with works like "The Three Musketeers," where the mind, body, and spirit characters work to change another character. When you write mind, body, and spirit characters, remember that there may be some expectation in the genre in which you write. "I,Robot," was released in 2004. Some of the material here might be considered "spoiler" to some, especially in the body character section, which I have saved for last. You've been informed. The Spirit Character: Del Spoo...