Okay, the Holden thing. Let’s get into that.But first, some context: When I’m not writing about teens battling robots, or kids flying, I sometimes teach writing here in my home city of New York. One of the things I try to drive home in these classes is a strength of prose fiction – the inner life of character. This is especially obvious when compared to other storytelling mediums such as film and video games. The intimacy of reading words on a page allows the writer the chance to explore a character’s thoughts and feelings in a nuanced, textured way that images on a screen will never be able to convey.But there’s a danger to this. It’s possible, even tempting to get so caught up in the inner workings of a character that the writer can lose sight of another crucial writing truth: character is action. The road to Hell is paved with the best intentions, but the choices a person makes in life defines who they really are. And I’ll let you in on a little secret - in the end, ReMade is all about the choices folks.In episode 14, “The Slow Fade”, Holden makes a doozy of a choice. I think (I hope) that readers will be somewhat divided on Holden’s decision, or at least how he goes about it. We writers in the room have argued it during retreats, with emotions running high on both sides (or was that simply the glut of coffee and bagels talking?)For the record, I’m not taking a side. You might think that because I’ve written so much of him I’m Team Holden but that’s not necessarily true. Or maybe it is. It’s kind of irrelevant either way, because for me what matters is the humanity of these characters, and that means embracing the moments of failure as well as the moments of nobility. My job is to wind these characters up and see what happens. You readers get to be the judge.So what do you think about Holden’s choice? How revealing was it, and what’s it say about him in the end?Was it a noble act? A betrayal? A little of both?I hope you stay tuned, because more answers are coming. And more interesting than that, the choices that go along with them.
