Everyone Needs a "Kalinda"

First off, if you don’t watch The Good Wife, then you’ll probably not know what I’m talking about.

Secondly, if you don’t watch it, why on earth not??! The Good Wife is like, the best show on earth, for goodness’ sake! Ahem…*reins self back in*

To give a thumbnail sketch, The Good Wife is a drama series set in a Chicago law firm of Lockheart Gardner, and Kalinda Sharma is an investigator for the firm. But she is oh-so-much-more than just an investigator. Kalinda’s stock phrase, “I’ll take care of it”, is usually uttered in a little more than a whisper. And boy does she!
From discovering that one of the consultant’s ex-wives who’s looking to run for the senate seat used to sleep with Osama’s cousin (cue supersized hilarity), to rescuing the daughter of The Good Wife, Alicia Florrick, from a baptism her parents didn’t approve, Kalinda is a must-have-would-give-an-arm-and-a-leg-for accessory in everyone’s life.

Especially as we hurtle towards Christmas (less than a week away, ack!) I find myself wishing I had my own personal Kalinda. Believe me, this is the time of year when it seems everything that can go wrong, does. In the past week, I’ve had to deal with a work appraisal, organising an almost 10-year old birthday party, organise a family trip for next summer (had to do it or lose out on a good deal), deal with extended family issues whilst organising care packages for said family, attend school Christmas plays (note the plural), and take extra care of my mother-in-law who was missing her son as much as I was missing my DH who was away on a business trip.

Believe me, there were days I didn’t want to get out of bed, let alone take care of my kids and get myself to the day job and back again. As for the writing, it didn’t even get a look in.

So I’m here, at the day job, wishing the work would magically take care of itself, all the shopping get done by itself, the turkey magically appear in my freezer… But especially that my Kalinda would managed to get the eds to respond to my CPs who've been waiting for answers from various editors for months and months, and in one case a *year* on a partial...

Ah, what the hell… *closes eyes and makes a wish for very own Kalinda*

In case Santa’s too late with my Kalinda and I get buried under my rubble of insaneness, I just want to wish you love and a peaceful holiday season. If you have a moment though, I’d love to know what you would do with your own personal Kalinda?

Creating multi-dimensional characters

I've been dipping back into one of my favorite writing craft books - Story by Robert McKee, to explore once again the elements of building character. If a character isn't developed fully, they are flat and uninteresting. But by following carefully Mr McKee's advice, a character can become three-dimensional and truely fascinating.
Mr McKee's excellent book is geared toward screen-writing, but the principles espoused in it, are also of huge relevance to writers of fiction, and every time I dip back in, I find my interest sparked, and my knowledge enhanced.
Firstly, he talks about the difference between Characterization and True Character. Characterization is what we observe of the character. Their age, physical appearance, job, traits, style of speech, personality, attitudes, and the world in which they live.
True Character is deeper, it is what lies beneath the mask of Characterization. What is this character really like, and how can we portray it on the page?
Mr McKee says:
'True Character can only be expressed through choice in dilemma. How the person chooses to act under pressure is who he is-the greater the pressure, the truer and deeper the choice to character.'
Even when Characterization and True Character are fully explored, the character is not multi-dimensional. In order to create a fully rounded character, more elements must be present. Mr McKee defines it thus:
Dimension means contradiction: either within deep character (guilt-ridden ambition) or between characterization and deep character (a charming thief). These contradictions must be consistent. It doesn't add dimension to portray a guy as nice throughout a film, then in one scene have him kick a cat.
Okay, I'm beginning to get it. Now, to investigate further, I'm going to think about a character that I find fascinating in a TV show, to see if they are truly multi-dimensional. I've decided to use the character of Kalinda in The Good Wife.
Characterization: Young, good looking and street smart, intelligent, works for law firm, bi-sexual.
True character: Caring, thorough in discovering information.
Dimension: A friend to Alicia Florrick, yet secretive. Gentle, yet tough. Loyal to her job, yet prepared to compromise her principles and jump ship. Seductive but manipulative.
So immediately I've noticed four contradictions in the way that Kalinda is. She isn't designed as the protagonist in The Good Wife, but instead as a secondary character. But  her multi-dimensional character builds fascination into her every appearance.
Mr McKee explains that every character in a story has a job to do. The protagonist is the central character, and every other character within the story is there to highlight an aspect of the layers of dimension within the protagonist. Observing this formula with the character of Kalinda, we see through her reactions to situations and people throughout the series. Each person she interacts with reveals another aspect of her character. Makes the contradictions within her personality clear.
If a story contains too many characters who are multi-dimensional, then the reader doesn't know who should hold their interest. So by necessity, 'bit-players' should be less complex, and should be in the story to reveal more to the reader about the central character/characters. Or perhaps just be there to act as a foil for the central characters, one that they can open up to in conversation or over the telephone.
'Story' is a great resource for writers!