The Enduring Power of Character: Lessons from Jenny Colgan's Literary Landscape

This conversation with author Jenny Colgan reveals a profound truth often overlooked in creative pursuits and beyond: the paramount importance of character. While plot and external validation can capture attention, it is the deep, resonant development of characters that truly captivates, sustains engagement, and ultimately defines lasting impact. Colgan’s insights, drawn from her extensive career and curated literary selections, highlight how prioritizing character-driven narratives creates a powerful, almost magnetic pull for readers and audiences. Those who grasp this principle--whether they are aspiring writers, seasoned creators, or simply consumers of culture--gain a significant advantage in understanding what truly connects with people on a fundamental level, moving beyond fleeting trends to enduring appeal. This exploration offers a masterclass in cultivating authenticity and depth, showing how it builds worlds that readers don't just visit, but inhabit.

The Character-First Imperative: Beyond Plot's Fleeting Grasp

The narrative landscape, whether in literature, film, or television, often presents a false dichotomy between compelling plot and engaging characters. Jenny Colgan, a prolific author herself, argues forcefully for the primacy of character, suggesting that while a strong plot can carry a reader through, it is the depth and relatability of characters that fosters true, lasting connection. This isn't merely an aesthetic preference; it's a fundamental insight into human psychology and narrative design, with significant downstream implications for creators and audiences alike.

Colgan illustrates this point by contrasting authors like Dan Brown, whose work she finds enjoyable but largely plot-driven, with the immersive power of character-focused storytelling. The implication is clear: plot provides the journey, but characters provide the destination, the reason for the journey itself. When characters are realized with authenticity, their struggles, triumphs, and internal worlds become the engine of the narrative, making the plot secondary to the experience of knowing them. This distinction is crucial for anyone aiming to create work that resonates beyond immediate gratification.

"You can have a wonderful plot but boring characters, and you might get through it. I mean, Dan Brown, I'm perfectly happy to read Dan Brown, but it's all plot, no characters. If you love a character, plot is not as important."

This emphasis on character is not limited to fiction. Colgan’s choices, including the film Shakespeare in Love and the television series The West Wing, all showcase this principle. Shakespeare in Love, she notes, is a "writer's film" precisely because it understands the creative struggle and the human drama behind the art. Similarly, The West Wing, despite its complex political machinations, grounds its enduring appeal in the deeply drawn, often flawed, yet ultimately compelling individuals who populate its world. The show’s ability to make even discussions of "soybean farmers in West Rural Idaho" engaging stems from the audience's investment in the characters navigating these issues.

The danger, as Colgan implies, lies in prioritizing the mechanics of plot or the spectacle of concept over the foundational work of character development. This is a trap many fall into, seeking the quick win of an intricate plot twist or a high-concept premise, only to find their work lacks the emotional weight to sustain interest. The long-term advantage, then, lies in the patient, often difficult work of building characters that feel real--characters whose inner lives drive the external action, not the other way around. This requires a willingness to explore the "why" behind actions, the emotional underpinnings that make a character’s journey meaningful.

The Delayed Payoff of Authentic Voice

Colgan’s own career trajectory, from aspiring comedian to prolific author, underscores the idea that finding one's authentic voice, particularly in how children are portrayed, is a significant undertaking with a delayed but profound payoff. Her observation that children in fiction often fail to ring true--being written through an adult lens rather than from a child's perspective--highlights a common pitfall. The "wah wah wah" of the adult narrator’s interpretation, rather than the child’s immediate, self-centered reality, can alienate readers.

"Children, but, you know, being late for stuff or, you know, what the parents are doing or if their mom's all right, you know, it's not a thing in, you know, normal children. They live in a world completely separate to us, and the only thing they care about is whatever is going on in front of them."

This commitment to authentic portrayal, though perhaps less immediately flashy than a clever plot device, builds a foundation of trust with the reader. It suggests a writer who has done the hard work of observation and empathy, not just of plot construction. The advantage gained here is subtle but powerful: readers who feel accurately represented, or who are given a genuine window into a world they don't fully understand (like the inner life of a child), are more likely to become loyal, engaged fans. This is a competitive advantage built not on speed or novelty, but on depth and truth. Conventional wisdom might suggest focusing on broad, relatable themes, but Colgan’s perspective implies that the truest relatability often comes from the specific, the nuanced, and the meticulously observed.

The Systemic Impact of Character-Driven Storytelling

The podcast I'm Not a Monster, which Colgan champions, offers a stark example of how character, even in the face of horrific circumstances, can be central to understanding complex societal issues. The series delves into the story of Shamima Begum, exploring her journey and the choices that led her to Syria. Colgan emphasizes the podcast’s meticulous approach, its willingness to "take its time very carefully to talk, it's exhaustive, to talk to everyone," and crucially, to gain access to Begum herself. This exhaustive, character-focused investigation allows for a nuanced understanding that headlines and brief news reports cannot provide.

The podcast’s success, according to Colgan, lies in its ability to present a complex, sensitive subject with care and delicacy, avoiding sensationalism while still holding individuals accountable. This approach demonstrates a systemic understanding: by focusing on the individual’s narrative within a larger context, the podcast illuminates broader societal failures and the human cost of geopolitical events. The "delayed payoff" here is not just for the listener who gains a deeper understanding, but for the journalism itself, which, by resisting the urge for easy answers or immediate conclusions, builds a more robust and truthful account.

"It presents everything very clearly. You know, without wanting to get into every other nationality that had women in those camps that were in a position to retrieve them did so, and we did not. Uh, and I don't think that is a particularly shining mark on our, you know, democracy."

The implication is that by investing time and resources into understanding individual stories, we gain a more accurate picture of the systems at play. This contrasts with approaches that rely on broad generalizations or political expediency. The advantage of this deep-dive, character-centric journalism is its capacity to foster genuine empathy and critical thinking, qualities that are increasingly rare and valuable in a world saturated with simplified narratives.

Key Action Items

• Prioritize Character Over Plot: When developing any creative project, dedicate the majority of your effort to understanding and fleshing out your characters' motivations, backstories, and internal lives. This is an immediate action with long-term benefits for engagement.
• Embrace Authentic Voice, Especially with Children: If writing about children, commit to portraying their perspective authentically, focusing on their immediate concerns and distinct worldview. This requires dedicated observation and potentially more research than initially anticipated.
• Invest in Deep-Dive Research: For complex topics, resist the urge for superficial coverage. Commit to thorough research that includes multiple perspectives and, where possible, direct engagement with individuals involved. This is a longer-term investment that yields richer, more impactful results.
• Seek Nuance in Complex Issues: When tackling sensitive subjects, aim for detailed, sensitive, and multi-faceted storytelling, avoiding sensationalism or easy answers. This approach builds credibility and fosters genuine understanding.
• Develop Characters That Drive the Narrative: Ensure your characters' actions and decisions are the primary drivers of the plot, rather than relying on external events to move the story forward. This requires upfront character work but leads to more organic and compelling narratives.
• Re-watch/Re-read for Deeper Understanding: Commit to revisiting works you admire, not just for enjoyment, but to analyze the craft behind their success, particularly in character development and thematic resonance. This is an ongoing practice for continuous learning.
• Champion Quality Journalism and Storytelling: Actively seek out and support long-form, character-driven journalism and narrative fiction that prioritizes depth and authenticity over brevity and sensationalism. This builds a more informed and empathetic audience over time.