Duplicity

My editor told me that I should spend some time showing the duplicity of my characters. 

I sat and scratched my head. To me, the word duplicity means misleading others through lies or trickery. Deceitfulness in speech is another little meaning for this nice sounding word. 

My hero/heroine does not do that. She's kind of naive and a bit pure. I can't see her misleading others. HOWEVER - she is hiding lots of things. Hmmmm. Well, I guess I'm ok with that. Though it's not done in a mean or hurtful way. It's for survival's sake. If she tells who she is, the wizards will find her and kill her.

As for the other characters?, Yup.I suppose we all have something that we're hiding.. My little scapegoat, who gets killed quite early in the story, is a pure little soul. He loves music and poetry. Though he's strong physically and knows what he must be about, he still has that tender side to him. No trickery or lies here.

But - the antagonist certainly is full of duplicity. Nasty little woman. We hates her, we does, Precious!

Another definition is having two parts or being part of a double. I like this definition better. My hero/heroine definitely has two parts. It's what carries the story forward. 

I'm working on character development in my notes and trying to make sure I am showing the duplicity of all of the characters. Not that duplicity is evil, though it can be, but that it is part of the human condition. I'm afraid we all hide things, things we think make us look bad, or make us appear weak. Ah! That'll be good for another protagonist, a lesser one. 

So - still in the midst of character development (on a separate document). I know I don't know enough about these folk. I want to know more about them. Not only for my readers' sake but for mine.

Back to the old drawing board, my friends.

Life is work.