Crisis of Character

[phoenixwings]

Hi everyone,

One of my main characters (there are three of them) has been bitten by a zombie.

I have thought about replacing her with a brand new, fresh character but have come to realise that the character I had in mind might be better being viewed from outside the frame. My friend suggested that maybe she is still part of the plot, just as a sub type zombie/ human and said that it was possible as it was fantasy and anything could happen but I am questioning this.

What do you guys think? Could it work? How would you do it if you were facing this possibility?

Thanks in advance.

 

[T.Allen.Smith]

As long as her condition adheres to the laws inherent in the story, you're fine. However, you need to be consistent. If every other bitten person winds up zombified, this character should probably follow suit.

Yes, you may be able to come up with some clever reasoning that may work to explain her difference. Yet, I'd advise caution. You don't want the scenario to appear contrived. If it were me, I'd follow the laws of my world that ever other character has to live under.

 

[Feo Takahari]

Hi everyone,

One of my main characters (there are three of them) has been bitten by a zombie.

I have thought about replacing her with a brand new, fresh character but have come to realise that the character I had in mind might be better being viewed from outside the frame. My friend suggested that maybe she is still part of the plot, just as a sub type zombie/ human and said that it was possible as it was fantasy and anything could happen but I am questioning this.

What do you guys think? Could it work? How would you do it if you were facing this possibility?

Thanks in advance.

I note that you're speaking of this as definite--she HAS been bitten by a zombie. Remember that you are the all-powerful deity of your setting, and should this not work out, you can turn back time and have her not be bitten at all. (If I don't write an outline before starting a story, I often get stuck and have to undo things. Sometimes I have to undo even if I do write an outline.)

 

[shangrila]

Like TAS said, so long as it adheres to the laws of the universe you've created it should be fine. But if she's the only zombie that's not really a zombie (i.e. she has brains, rather than wanting them) without a proper explanation then it could end up being lame.

Though, you could include her in the story but as a literal zombie. A similar example is in the Halo novel The Flood, where one of the main characters gets turned into a zombie like creature, though he's alive enough inside to know what he's doing even if he has no control. Then, as the story continues, his zombie body turns up and you also get a look inside his head while his body is doing all these horrible things. Maybe not the best example, but it might be something worth looking into.