There are many examples of stories of characters who live double lives in fiction. The most common is when a teenager who is a good-two-shoes secretly sneaks out to attend crazy parties without their parent's knowledge. There's also a common example in dramas where a spouse has two families at the same time, whom they need to please and make sure one family doesn't find out about the other. So, if you wish to write this type of intense dynamic, here's how you can do it.
Before you focus on the intense dynamic, it's useful to firstly explore both sides of this "double life". It should be done as strongly as possible, giving the character an understandable motivation to why they would keep interacting and inevitably be on both sides. You may do this by showing both pros and cons of each side, giving also an emotional impact to these scenarios.
There should be strong foundations introduced and explored throughout the story. It can also be used as a hook to keep readers engaged and questioning how the character handles these situations, will they lie? How will they cover up their tracks? Perhaps a reader will hope the character gets caught or gets away with what they're doing. This will depend on the intention and motivations given to the said character.
INNER CONFLICTS AND FEELINGS
Living double lives, especially if the character is hiding one from the other, naturally leads to internal conflicts and complex emotions. There's a chance for deeper feelings, fears, and such conflicts to be explored with the said character. Ask yourself the following questions to help you work out these feelings as well as character motivations:
- Why are they doing it?
- What's their (end) goal?
- Has this situation been forced upon them or have they chosen to live this way?
These answered questions should give a general idea of what to do and how to develop this character. Especially, when it comes to more intense situations and internal, as well as internal, conflicts.
BALANCING BOTH SIDES
There should be a balance between the two sides. Balance in this context would mean writing as much about one side as you do the other one. It will mainly depend on the kind of plot that's being written. This type of balancing doesn't have to exist if you chose to focus on, or bring attention to one side more than the other.
Showing the character's struggle and how they're handling their predicament, it depends on each writer. It can be amplified by showing (not telling) how much one side brings out the best in character or simply puts them in a good mood, while the other one is giving them motivation to keep going or shapes them in a better way. The same goes for negative remarks and aspects - again going back to pros and cons of each side. It can be fun to explore these dynamics while showing one side as much as the other.
A SMALL EXAMPLE FROM MY STORY
There's no better way to show you an example from one of my stories. This one is in the rewrites to fix certain grammar mistakes and rework some world building. Essentially, for the sake of this example, the focus will be on the two characters Jethro and Doak who are hiding their relationship from Jethro's father Sylvan. Here's the paragraph from it as the tension is building up between all three of them.
Being in this mansion like in prison, with his room as the only escape he ever had from the reality he was put in, Doak kept his head low, thinking of the boy he's fallen in love with. It was soon his turn to read out loud, and so he did, "The passing storms brought misery upon my people, but I cannot understand the joy, the sun has shown us, between those lights the dark secret we shared-"
He stopped himself, shivering. Sylvan gave him the strict look. Doak tried to correct his mistake by saying, "I read the wrong part, I apologize-"
Sylan's eyes grew sharper as his voice sternly demanded, "Jethro, read the right part!"
In front of Doak's face, a blur appears, the room seemed so tiny and so dark, it made him close his eyes in regret, while Jethro looks at the book and starts saying more than reading,
"The passionate kiss we shared... Under that oak of yours... I still must tell you, I love you the most!"
"Stop with this nonsense!" Father shouted at both of them and harshly questioned, "What's with you two, huh?"
Jethro immediately came up with an answer, "We are excited about the ball you're holding tomorrow, father."
"Oh yes..." Sylvan agreed, leaning back in his seat, he wondered, "It would explain a lot. Doak, dear, are you excited too?"
"Yes! Of course!" Doak lied, feeling a bit of disconnection while looking back at Jethro. The other boy was acting normal, as if he knew nothing about what he was told. It hurt Doak more than he managed to show, but still dismissed it.
Doak's eyes fell back at Sylvan who warned them both, "Very well then. Just don't let the excitement get into your heads!"
"We won't, father..." Jethro said with a reassuring voice, continuing to read the book out loud as he was told.
This story is showing Jeritho's and Doak's relationship and the focus is given to Jeritho as he's balancing both his love life and keeping up with his family life. Their side is shown more than Sylvan's side. The story is focused on Jethro's emotions and how he's handling his secret love life. It was one of the first stories I've written in English, but still I hope it gives you a clearer picture of the emotional tension and some tips given to you.
By: Nili
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