I want to write a book where the POV character is a guy. Because guys think differently. They'll take the same situation, but make the story completely different.
Unfortunately, every time I start a book with a male POV, my brain shuts down. I lose interest. And eventually, I give up on the book. Even if the concept is cool, even if I think the character has a distinct voice, there's something about those stories that falls flat. So I have two or three unfinished stories that I have no desire to even look at any more. Sad, huh?
So basically, I can't write male characters. At least, not in-depth. Not characters that I have to get close to or fully fall in love with.
Until The Fairy Tale Twist.
Somehow, I managed to create a character I LOVE (Riker) who is going through the same thing Ivy is--he's trapped in a fairy tale. But he has a completely different attitude about it. And because of that, his experience is completely different, including his relationship with his pixie. He's smart, but he's also impulsive (kinda like Ivy) but he's impulsive in a different way. It's not a stubborn, I-do-it-because-I-can kind of impulse. It's more of I-do-what-pops-into-my-head-because-that's-how-I-do-things kind of thing.
Do you have trouble with characters of the opposite gender? Which are your favorite? Have you read a book recently where the author failed to capture that gender?
Showing posts with label characters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label characters. Show all posts
November 27, 2012
October 2, 2012
Cinderella and Ivy Thorn: How my favorite characters came to be
Coming up with a character is a different experience every time. If you've been following this blog for a long time, you know that Ivy was actually born here, in blog form.
I've told this story before, but basically, Ivy was born when I realized my writing voice was boring, but the way I talk in a casual environment is a lot more fun. So I wanted to bring that out. Ivy Thorn is spunky and sarcastic and basically, she says all those things I'd normally be afraid to say myself (plus the things that just pop out of my mouth before I can stop myself). Ivy is the mouthy side of my personality, with a few tweaks.
Ivy and I are both military brats, but moving around didn't bother me as much as it bothers her. I drew on my teenage girl-experiences to try to create her relationship with her mom (which, I know, is shameful at times). I tried to draw out all that inexplicable frustration I had at her age.
Ivy hates being told what to do. I probably drew more on my own six-year-old experiences for that. :) I was that kid that did the opposite of what I was told, just to show that I could. (Yes, I was a holy terror.)
But Ivy and I don't make the same decisions, given the same situation. She's more impulsive, where I'm more curious. I'd want to understand the ins and outs of a new situation, but Ivy is more interested in getting out of it (and/or sticking it to the guy making things difficult for her).
One thing I love about Ivy is that she learns and adjusts.If something doesn't work, she tries something else. We'll see a lot of that in book 2, where she's a lot more cautious (seeing as being forward and impulsive made things so difficult for her in book 1). But we can't change who you are. Ivy is still Ivy. She'll manage to get herself in trouble, so no worries.
Then there's Cinderella. Obviously, she came pre-made to some extent. But I made one major change. I've always hated this character for being so spineless. I mean, who just rolls over and accepts servitude? So I made sure MY Cinderella had a higher calling. She was going to be a kick-butt heroine, though just as hard-working, just as lonely, and just as clueless about what was really going on in the palace. She's still lower-middle class, she's still working herself to the bone, but she can throw knives really well.
As I wrote her character, her toughness started to bring out a new weakness--she was distant. She was judgy. And that worked well with Prince Kent's character because he wants to be tough but can't. I seriously love this atch-up because it came so unexpectedly. I mean, I always knew Cinderella would need to wind up with the prince. How could she not? But the WAY they came together was a surprise and just as fun to write as it would be to read (or so I hope).
Ivy and I are both military brats, but moving around didn't bother me as much as it bothers her. I drew on my teenage girl-experiences to try to create her relationship with her mom (which, I know, is shameful at times). I tried to draw out all that inexplicable frustration I had at her age.
Ivy hates being told what to do. I probably drew more on my own six-year-old experiences for that. :) I was that kid that did the opposite of what I was told, just to show that I could. (Yes, I was a holy terror.)
But Ivy and I don't make the same decisions, given the same situation. She's more impulsive, where I'm more curious. I'd want to understand the ins and outs of a new situation, but Ivy is more interested in getting out of it (and/or sticking it to the guy making things difficult for her).
One thing I love about Ivy is that she learns and adjusts.If something doesn't work, she tries something else. We'll see a lot of that in book 2, where she's a lot more cautious (seeing as being forward and impulsive made things so difficult for her in book 1). But we can't change who you are. Ivy is still Ivy. She'll manage to get herself in trouble, so no worries.
Then there's Cinderella. Obviously, she came pre-made to some extent. But I made one major change. I've always hated this character for being so spineless. I mean, who just rolls over and accepts servitude? So I made sure MY Cinderella had a higher calling. She was going to be a kick-butt heroine, though just as hard-working, just as lonely, and just as clueless about what was really going on in the palace. She's still lower-middle class, she's still working herself to the bone, but she can throw knives really well.
As I wrote her character, her toughness started to bring out a new weakness--she was distant. She was judgy. And that worked well with Prince Kent's character because he wants to be tough but can't. I seriously love this atch-up because it came so unexpectedly. I mean, I always knew Cinderella would need to wind up with the prince. How could she not? But the WAY they came together was a surprise and just as fun to write as it would be to read (or so I hope).
January 18, 2012
I Wish I Were as Cool as my Characters (Blog Tour #4)
Okay, when I found out I was going to be on Julie A. Lindsey's blog, I was ecstatic. Julie is hilarious and always has something to say on twitter to make me smile. Her blog is refreshing, and her book Death by Chocolate is about to come out (if I'm not mistaken).
Julie let me do a guest post that I lovingly call: I’m Not a Cool Person, but I Write About them in Books (or: I Wish I Were as Cool as my Characters).
Julie let me do a guest post that I lovingly call: I’m Not a Cool Person, but I Write About them in Books (or: I Wish I Were as Cool as my Characters).
Read the rest of this post at Julie Lindsey's blog, and enter for a chance to win a free copy of The Fairy Tale Trap.A lot of people think that authors write characters based on what the author wishes they could be. Well let me clear things up a bit: That’s completely true.At least, it’s true for me. Sure, Ivy has her faults. She’s stubborn and impulsive. She gets herself into all kinds of trouble and tends to be a loner. But Ivy is cool. So my guest post today will be all about why Ivy is cooler than I am.First, I’m the nerdy type. Not the shy, awkward kind of nerdy. The goofy, foot-in-the-mouth type of nerdy. I say things without thinking, then an hour later I realize that what I said wasn’t as funny as I thought. In fact, it could have been flat-out offensive.Ivy, on the other hand, says offensive things on purpose and wishes she had written them down to use again later.
September 4, 2011
Write Better Dialogue
I've had stories come to me (via Musefire-like inspiration) in two ways.
1) A really cool situation and/or plot twist comes to mind
2) A really cool character comes to mind
If the character comes first, usually it'll be in dialogue form. Lines of dialogue form in my brain like I'm having a thought about what I want to eat for lunch.
But if I start with a premise, it's harder to develop characters that are real. And dialogue is part of that.
So of course, I did some digging.
10 Creative Techniques for Creating Character-Specific Dialogue come from Emlyn Chand and compiles a list of ways to personalize a character's dialogue, from specific vocabulary choices to catch phrases.
Have you ever read over your work and said something like My Dialogue Sucks? The Creative Penn comes to the rescue by reminding us of the Functions of Dialogue and showing us how to keep the reader from getting bored or distracted.
How to Write Effective Dialogue in Your Novel talks about the ever-important beats: small units that have an action and a reaction. I personally found it was easier to craft good beats while writing longhand. But that's another post.
1) A really cool situation and/or plot twist comes to mind
2) A really cool character comes to mind
If the character comes first, usually it'll be in dialogue form. Lines of dialogue form in my brain like I'm having a thought about what I want to eat for lunch.
But if I start with a premise, it's harder to develop characters that are real. And dialogue is part of that.
So of course, I did some digging.
10 Creative Techniques for Creating Character-Specific Dialogue come from Emlyn Chand and compiles a list of ways to personalize a character's dialogue, from specific vocabulary choices to catch phrases.
Have you ever read over your work and said something like My Dialogue Sucks? The Creative Penn comes to the rescue by reminding us of the Functions of Dialogue and showing us how to keep the reader from getting bored or distracted.
How to Write Effective Dialogue in Your Novel talks about the ever-important beats: small units that have an action and a reaction. I personally found it was easier to craft good beats while writing longhand. But that's another post.
May 19, 2011
Pennwriters: Character Driven Stories
I'm (finally) home from Pennwriters! Can I just say: I love this conference. You can smile at anyone and start a conversation because you know you have something in common with them: You're both crazy.
But that's another post.
My adventures at Pennwriters started on Thursday, a three-hour workshop with CJ Lyons. Not only is she a national bestseller, CJ has insight into how she got there. Her classes don't disappoint and this workshop was no exception.
The class was based on her e-book No Rules, Just Write: Crafting the Character Driven Novel. I can guarantee you I'll be reading this book. The class was so helpful!
Here are some highlights:
Your main character should have an outer goal (the main conflict of the novel) that's concrete and easily defined. This is what he wants.
He should also have a weakness or flawed way of thinking, some way in which he needs to grow over the course of the novel. This is what he needs (although he probably doesn't know that he needs it).
So, what does your character keep doing that's holding him back? Maybe he's quiet and reserved because in the past, getting attention has always led to bad things in his life.
Maybe she distances herself from people because she's afraid of being vulnerable (or, she's afraid of getting hurt if she made herself vulnerable).
What is it that your main character really fears? Abandonment? Poverty? Not being in control?
And what does your character do to avoid it?
Once you have that, you can use it to motivate his actions as he works toward his outer goal. (Cool, huh?)
CJ used techniques like this to explain the three-act structure in a way I've never seen before. I've read about it dozens of times. It's always seemed like more of a checklist to me. Set up the character. Bring him into the conflict. Make things worse. Have him lose hope. He triumphs. Blah, blah blah.
This was different.
This made sense. And when I broke my WIP into the right pieces, I saw rich conflict that I didn't even known was there. Now I know what to emphasize. Ivy is going to be so much more compelling and real.
After this workshop, I was a little torn. On one hand, I was excited that I'd learned so much and that I knew how to tear my book apart to make it better.
On the other hand, now I have to tear my book apart to make it better.
But that's another post.
My adventures at Pennwriters started on Thursday, a three-hour workshop with CJ Lyons. Not only is she a national bestseller, CJ has insight into how she got there. Her classes don't disappoint and this workshop was no exception.
The class was based on her e-book No Rules, Just Write: Crafting the Character Driven Novel. I can guarantee you I'll be reading this book. The class was so helpful!
Here are some highlights:
Your main character should have an outer goal (the main conflict of the novel) that's concrete and easily defined. This is what he wants.
He should also have a weakness or flawed way of thinking, some way in which he needs to grow over the course of the novel. This is what he needs (although he probably doesn't know that he needs it).
So, what does your character keep doing that's holding him back? Maybe he's quiet and reserved because in the past, getting attention has always led to bad things in his life.
Maybe she distances herself from people because she's afraid of being vulnerable (or, she's afraid of getting hurt if she made herself vulnerable).
What is it that your main character really fears? Abandonment? Poverty? Not being in control?
And what does your character do to avoid it?
Once you have that, you can use it to motivate his actions as he works toward his outer goal. (Cool, huh?)
CJ used techniques like this to explain the three-act structure in a way I've never seen before. I've read about it dozens of times. It's always seemed like more of a checklist to me. Set up the character. Bring him into the conflict. Make things worse. Have him lose hope. He triumphs. Blah, blah blah.
This was different.
This made sense. And when I broke my WIP into the right pieces, I saw rich conflict that I didn't even known was there. Now I know what to emphasize. Ivy is going to be so much more compelling and real.
After this workshop, I was a little torn. On one hand, I was excited that I'd learned so much and that I knew how to tear my book apart to make it better.
On the other hand, now I have to tear my book apart to make it better.
May 8, 2011
Re-Post: More Crackin' on Character Building
By the way, if you're not an avid reader of this blog and you need help with your characters, I have more than a dozen posts on the subject.
But, if you've read all that and are thirsty for more, here you go!
It's all about the villain, right? I've posted about villains before, but this article was fantastic: Beyond Bastards, Bullies, and Bad Girls breaks down just what an antagonist is, why an antagonist is not necessarily a villain, and how to make their roles pivotal and complex.
Taking it down a notch, here's an article on the basics of Character Development. Maybe you think you need to know more about your character, but are unsure of which questions to ask. This can help.
I've written about this one before and how it helped me, but I gotta share it again. Mary at Kidlit posted on Character-Driven Plots and has a phenomenal list of questions to ask your characters. Seriously. Go. Now.
Do you love your main character? Why? Author Becky Levine shares Why She Loves Her Main Character. I thought this was just so inspiring. This is how I want to feel/write my characters.
But, if you've read all that and are thirsty for more, here you go!
It's all about the villain, right? I've posted about villains before, but this article was fantastic: Beyond Bastards, Bullies, and Bad Girls breaks down just what an antagonist is, why an antagonist is not necessarily a villain, and how to make their roles pivotal and complex.
Taking it down a notch, here's an article on the basics of Character Development. Maybe you think you need to know more about your character, but are unsure of which questions to ask. This can help.
I've written about this one before and how it helped me, but I gotta share it again. Mary at Kidlit posted on Character-Driven Plots and has a phenomenal list of questions to ask your characters. Seriously. Go. Now.
Do you love your main character? Why? Author Becky Levine shares Why She Loves Her Main Character. I thought this was just so inspiring. This is how I want to feel/write my characters.
May 5, 2011
RePost: Let's Get Crackin' : Character Building
Big topic, I know. But I have so many links and goodies, I'm busting at the seams. So let's get to it!
First off, if you want to build good characters, you HAVE to read everything you can from the blog Plot to Punctuation. This blog has a number of series on character development, all of which are worth reading all the way through. But, here are my favorites:
How to Revise Your Character's Attitudes: consider complexity and consistency when creating your character's beliefs and attitudes. Includes a few methods and techniques for getting to know your characters and why they behave/believe the way they do.
Great Characters are Like Origami: A step-by-step on how to create believable, authentic characters from the ground up.
The Five Stages of Grief: The latest series on this blog. Fiction is all about having your character's world come crashing down. So, how should your character react to crises? These posts have the answer.
How to Revise Your Character's Mannerisms: this is something I struggle with. We all have our own ways of moving, our habits, our ticks, our quirks. Here's how to make your characters' mannerisms consistent and believable.
Why You Sholud Steal Your Character's Shoes: Why heroic, perfect characters are boring, and how to fix it.
Whew! That's probably enough for today. (A BIG thanks to P2P editor!)
First off, if you want to build good characters, you HAVE to read everything you can from the blog Plot to Punctuation. This blog has a number of series on character development, all of which are worth reading all the way through. But, here are my favorites:
How to Revise Your Character's Attitudes: consider complexity and consistency when creating your character's beliefs and attitudes. Includes a few methods and techniques for getting to know your characters and why they behave/believe the way they do.
Great Characters are Like Origami: A step-by-step on how to create believable, authentic characters from the ground up.
The Five Stages of Grief: The latest series on this blog. Fiction is all about having your character's world come crashing down. So, how should your character react to crises? These posts have the answer.
How to Revise Your Character's Mannerisms: this is something I struggle with. We all have our own ways of moving, our habits, our ticks, our quirks. Here's how to make your characters' mannerisms consistent and believable.
Why You Sholud Steal Your Character's Shoes: Why heroic, perfect characters are boring, and how to fix it.
Whew! That's probably enough for today. (A BIG thanks to P2P editor!)
May 2, 2011
How to Create Better Characters
Yes, of course I have more on characters. (Because what writer doesn't need better characters?)
Miriam Forster did a 6-part series on character building, but my favorite is the Edward/Bella dilemma. How much better would the Twilight series be if it were told from the POV of a character that struggles with larger-than-life problems?
Arguably one of the best posts by The Great Nathan Bransford: What Do Your Characters Want?
Miriam Forster did a 6-part series on character building, but my favorite is the Edward/Bella dilemma. How much better would the Twilight series be if it were told from the POV of a character that struggles with larger-than-life problems?
Arguably one of the best posts by The Great Nathan Bransford: What Do Your Characters Want?
April 29, 2011
More on Creating Great Characters
While trying to find out how to make a character sympathetic, I found a few good more character-building goodies.
Inner Dialogue is vital. K. M. Weiland has 5 Ways to Write Character Thoughts Worth More Than a Penny.
Beth Hill says The Psychology of Character shows us that every time a character makes a choice, he’s revealing who he is.
What do Frodo and the evolved Superman have in common? You can relate to both of them. How to Make a Great Leading Character by Seth Frederiksen.
Inner Dialogue is vital. K. M. Weiland has 5 Ways to Write Character Thoughts Worth More Than a Penny.
Beth Hill says The Psychology of Character shows us that every time a character makes a choice, he’s revealing who he is.
What do Frodo and the evolved Superman have in common? You can relate to both of them. How to Make a Great Leading Character by Seth Frederiksen.
April 26, 2011
Creating Sympathetic Characters
Even though your characters seems to do everything right, you hate them. Or your beta readers hate them. What went wrong?
Two things: your character must be interesting and your character needs to be sympathetic. Whether he's a good guy or a bad guy, he should have those two qualities.
So how do you make a character more sympathetic?
Mary Lynn Mercer at Why Stories Work posted a thorough answer in The True Nature of Sympathetic Characters. She also covers a few things to avoid like a character that whines.
Darci Pattison posted a couple of really great ones: 9 Traits of Sympathetic Characters and then you can use those traits to Make Your Character More Sympathetic.
Every hero needs his fatal flaw. Apparently, there are nine types. I didn't know this, but it's pretty cool. Laurie Campbell's Creating Your Hero's Fatal Flaw
And finally, J. Timothy King gives 3 Steps to Sympathy that makes inappropriate behavior okay.
Two things: your character must be interesting and your character needs to be sympathetic. Whether he's a good guy or a bad guy, he should have those two qualities.
So how do you make a character more sympathetic?
Mary Lynn Mercer at Why Stories Work posted a thorough answer in The True Nature of Sympathetic Characters. She also covers a few things to avoid like a character that whines.
Darci Pattison posted a couple of really great ones: 9 Traits of Sympathetic Characters and then you can use those traits to Make Your Character More Sympathetic.
Every hero needs his fatal flaw. Apparently, there are nine types. I didn't know this, but it's pretty cool. Laurie Campbell's Creating Your Hero's Fatal Flaw
And finally, J. Timothy King gives 3 Steps to Sympathy that makes inappropriate behavior okay.
March 18, 2011
Repost: How to Get Great Ideas and What to Do With Them
Each of us has a creative side. You wouldn't be reading this if you didn't. It's that little voice in the back of your head that throws out ideas. I call mine my Muse and I've talked about her before. (Yes, my Muse is a she.)
I was thinking about what makes my Muse "sing". Typically, if your creative voice is on, your cognitive, logical voice has to be turned off. If you're familiar with right-brain, left-brain research, this is exactly what I'm talking about. Your left brain has to take a back seat if your right brain is going to have any say. (Sometimes transition is pretty quick. There are exercises you can do to help with this.)
So how do you hand the microphone to your Muse? How do you turn off the left brain?
By doing something mundane, everyday, or mind-numbing. Sounds fun, right?
My Muse hates to be bored, so when the left-brain turns off, she steps forward and tries to make things interesting. (This is why TV usually isn't a great way for me to brainstorm. My Muse is already entertained.)
So if I need some good ideas, I have to do something like fold laundry, go for a walk, rake leaves, stare at a blank computer screen, or try to fall asleep. (Unsuccessfully. Usually. I do get some awesome dreams on occasion.)
It's darn inconvenient, but I get my best ideas as I'm drifting off to sleep. (A great reason to keep a notebook handy on my nightstand.) For example, last night I was trying to sleep while my husband was reading with the light on. And a voice came into my head. Not a literal voice, just words that had personality. And the personality wasn't mine. I had struck gold!
Unfortunately, my daughter had run off with my notebook. I didn't go and look for it and of course, I don't remember the whole thing. But I'd like to share my train of thought and the words that I do remember.
I was thinking about how to begin my story. I have a premise in mind and several scenes planned out, so I wasn't starting from nothing. My mind drifted to books that I love. Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine is my favorite and it's young adult fantasy, just like Phantom. Ella Enchanted started just outside the story with the first-person narrator talking about something that happened before the story actually begins.
The other book I thought of was The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. I loved this series. It was the series I wish I had written. Anyway, the book starts with Percy (the main character, also in first person) talking directly to the reader. He tells us something about the main theme of the book and beautifully melds his world with ours.
So then I moved back to my book. I'm pretty sure I want to do first person. I write better characters and cleverer detail that way. I wanted to begin my books like Riordan and Levine did.
That's when my Muse sang. (Not literally. I'm not crazy.)
The words for the beginning of my story popped into my head. My memory only recalls bits and pieces, but here's what I have:
So let that be a lesson to you. It's always worth getting out of your nice warm bed to go get a pen and pad when an idea hits you. Make yourself do it. You won't be sorry.
I was thinking about what makes my Muse "sing". Typically, if your creative voice is on, your cognitive, logical voice has to be turned off. If you're familiar with right-brain, left-brain research, this is exactly what I'm talking about. Your left brain has to take a back seat if your right brain is going to have any say. (Sometimes transition is pretty quick. There are exercises you can do to help with this.)
So how do you hand the microphone to your Muse? How do you turn off the left brain?
By doing something mundane, everyday, or mind-numbing. Sounds fun, right?
My Muse hates to be bored, so when the left-brain turns off, she steps forward and tries to make things interesting. (This is why TV usually isn't a great way for me to brainstorm. My Muse is already entertained.)
So if I need some good ideas, I have to do something like fold laundry, go for a walk, rake leaves, stare at a blank computer screen, or try to fall asleep. (Unsuccessfully. Usually. I do get some awesome dreams on occasion.)
It's darn inconvenient, but I get my best ideas as I'm drifting off to sleep. (A great reason to keep a notebook handy on my nightstand.) For example, last night I was trying to sleep while my husband was reading with the light on. And a voice came into my head. Not a literal voice, just words that had personality. And the personality wasn't mine. I had struck gold!
Unfortunately, my daughter had run off with my notebook. I didn't go and look for it and of course, I don't remember the whole thing. But I'd like to share my train of thought and the words that I do remember.
I was thinking about how to begin my story. I have a premise in mind and several scenes planned out, so I wasn't starting from nothing. My mind drifted to books that I love. Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine is my favorite and it's young adult fantasy, just like Phantom. Ella Enchanted started just outside the story with the first-person narrator talking about something that happened before the story actually begins.
The other book I thought of was The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. I loved this series. It was the series I wish I had written. Anyway, the book starts with Percy (the main character, also in first person) talking directly to the reader. He tells us something about the main theme of the book and beautifully melds his world with ours.
So then I moved back to my book. I'm pretty sure I want to do first person. I write better characters and cleverer detail that way. I wanted to begin my books like Riordan and Levine did.
That's when my Muse sang. (Not literally. I'm not crazy.)
The words for the beginning of my story popped into my head. My memory only recalls bits and pieces, but here's what I have:
That's all I remember. Sad, huh?
My school is haunted. They should have seen it coming, building a boarding school where a prison used to be.
So let that be a lesson to you. It's always worth getting out of your nice warm bed to go get a pen and pad when an idea hits you. Make yourself do it. You won't be sorry.
December 22, 2010
Help! My characters need more... character!
Anyone else out there struggle with creating lifelike characters? I keep reminding myself to let my characters drive my story, instead of commanding puppets to do my bidding. (I guess that's the problem with playing God in your stories.)
So how do you create awesome characters? I've posted about characters before. (You can see them all by clicking here. It'll open up in a new window.) But guess what? I needed some inspiration and I hunted down more help on characters.
How to Build a Great Leading Character gives you a laundry list of things to consider when creating your protagonist.
Miriam S. Forster has a 6-part series called Character is Destiny. The first post is here and it's on the Edward/Bella dilema.
My go-to site on characters is Show Some Character! Plot to Punctuation. If you need help on character building, spend a few days scouring his site. Specifically, Five Steps to Building a Believable Character Arc and 7 Ways to Show Character Growth.
So how do you create awesome characters? I've posted about characters before. (You can see them all by clicking here. It'll open up in a new window.) But guess what? I needed some inspiration and I hunted down more help on characters.
How to Build a Great Leading Character gives you a laundry list of things to consider when creating your protagonist.
Miriam S. Forster has a 6-part series called Character is Destiny. The first post is here and it's on the Edward/Bella dilema.
My go-to site on characters is Show Some Character! Plot to Punctuation. If you need help on character building, spend a few days scouring his site. Specifically, Five Steps to Building a Believable Character Arc and 7 Ways to Show Character Growth.
April 24, 2010
Putting Emotion Into Your Characters
Writers hear all the time that our books need more emotion. That this character needs to have a bigger emotional impact or that scene lacks believable emotion. So... how do we write emotion?
The easiest way is to tell us, "George was angry." But that doesn't make it believable or have much of an impact.
The next easiest thing: show us using basic gestures. Angela Ackerman posted an emotional thesaurus, listing appropriate or likely responses to certain emotions on The Bookshelf Muse.
If you're looking for something a little more complex, I've already linked to The 5 Stages of Grief on Show Some Character. Take another look if you're stuck. :) It doesn't just help with depressed characters. The 5 stages of grief are applicable to any character experiencing any level of distress. (And your characters better be experiencing some sort of distress in one form or another.)
From the same website: some advice on choosing which emotion to show. Here's Dramatic Frustration: Remember to Keep the Emotions Real.
We're not our characters and we don't share the exact same experiences as our characters. But we can use our experiences and emotions to make things just as scary (or scarier) for them. In I'm Not Them, But I'm Just As Scared, Lili St. Crow shares how she fuels emotion using her own past. Good stuff. :)
The easiest way is to tell us, "George was angry." But that doesn't make it believable or have much of an impact.
The next easiest thing: show us using basic gestures. Angela Ackerman posted an emotional thesaurus, listing appropriate or likely responses to certain emotions on The Bookshelf Muse.
If you're looking for something a little more complex, I've already linked to The 5 Stages of Grief on Show Some Character. Take another look if you're stuck. :) It doesn't just help with depressed characters. The 5 stages of grief are applicable to any character experiencing any level of distress. (And your characters better be experiencing some sort of distress in one form or another.)
From the same website: some advice on choosing which emotion to show. Here's Dramatic Frustration: Remember to Keep the Emotions Real.
We're not our characters and we don't share the exact same experiences as our characters. But we can use our experiences and emotions to make things just as scary (or scarier) for them. In I'm Not Them, But I'm Just As Scared, Lili St. Crow shares how she fuels emotion using her own past. Good stuff. :)
April 10, 2010
More Crackin' on Character Building
By the way, if you're not an avid reader of this blog and you need help with your characters, I have more than a dozen posts on the subject.
But, if you've read all that and are thirsty for more, here you go!
It's all about the villain, right? I've posted about villains before, but this article was fantastic: Beyond Bastards, Bullies, and Bad Girls breaks down just what an antagonist is, why an antagonist is not necessarily a villain, and how to make their roles pivotal and complex.
Taking it down a notch, here's an article on the basics of Character Development. Maybe you think you need to know more about your character, but are unsure of which questions to ask. This can help.
I've written about this one before and how it helped me, but I gotta share it again. Mary at Kidlit posted on Character-Driven Plots and has a phenomenal list of questions to ask your characters. Seriously. Go. Now.
Do you love your main character? Why? Author Becky Levine shares Why She Loves Her Main Character. I thought this was just so inspiring. This is how I want to feel/write my characters.
But, if you've read all that and are thirsty for more, here you go!
It's all about the villain, right? I've posted about villains before, but this article was fantastic: Beyond Bastards, Bullies, and Bad Girls breaks down just what an antagonist is, why an antagonist is not necessarily a villain, and how to make their roles pivotal and complex.
Taking it down a notch, here's an article on the basics of Character Development. Maybe you think you need to know more about your character, but are unsure of which questions to ask. This can help.
I've written about this one before and how it helped me, but I gotta share it again. Mary at Kidlit posted on Character-Driven Plots and has a phenomenal list of questions to ask your characters. Seriously. Go. Now.
Do you love your main character? Why? Author Becky Levine shares Why She Loves Her Main Character. I thought this was just so inspiring. This is how I want to feel/write my characters.
April 6, 2010
Let's Get Crackin': Character Building
Okay, the How to Revise Your Novel class that I'm taking has really picked up speed. I don't want to bog you down with what I'm doing in that class, so I'm going to reserve those posts for Thursday.
But since today is Tuesday, I'll be talking about... Characters!
Big topic, I know. But I have so many links and goodies, I'm busting at the seams. So let's get to it!
First off, if you want to build good characters, you HAVE to read everything you can from the blog Plot to Punctuation. This blog has a number of series on character development, all of which are worth reading all the way through. But, here are my favorites:
How to Revise Your Character's Attitudes: consider complexity and consistency when creating your character's beliefs and attitudes. Includes a few methods and techniques for getting to know your characters and why they behave/believe the way they do.
Great Characters are Like Origami: A step-by-step on how to create believable, authentic characters from the ground up.
The Five Stages of Grief: The latest series on this blog. Fiction is all about having your character's world come crashing down. So, how should your character react to crises? These posts have the answer.
How to Revise Your Character's Mannerisms: this is something I struggle with. We all have our own ways of moving, our habits, our ticks, our quirks. Here's how to make your characters' mannerisms consistent and believable.
Why You Sholud Steal Your Character's Shoes: Why heroic, perfect characters are boring, and how to fix it.
Whew! That's probably enough for today. (A BIG thanks to P2P editor!)
I'll wrap up characters on Saturday.
(By the way, some people have mentioned that my links should open up a new window. I will start trying to implement that. Hope this helps!)
But since today is Tuesday, I'll be talking about... Characters!
Big topic, I know. But I have so many links and goodies, I'm busting at the seams. So let's get to it!
First off, if you want to build good characters, you HAVE to read everything you can from the blog Plot to Punctuation. This blog has a number of series on character development, all of which are worth reading all the way through. But, here are my favorites:
How to Revise Your Character's Attitudes: consider complexity and consistency when creating your character's beliefs and attitudes. Includes a few methods and techniques for getting to know your characters and why they behave/believe the way they do.
Great Characters are Like Origami: A step-by-step on how to create believable, authentic characters from the ground up.
The Five Stages of Grief: The latest series on this blog. Fiction is all about having your character's world come crashing down. So, how should your character react to crises? These posts have the answer.
How to Revise Your Character's Mannerisms: this is something I struggle with. We all have our own ways of moving, our habits, our ticks, our quirks. Here's how to make your characters' mannerisms consistent and believable.
Why You Sholud Steal Your Character's Shoes: Why heroic, perfect characters are boring, and how to fix it.
Whew! That's probably enough for today. (A BIG thanks to P2P editor!)
I'll wrap up characters on Saturday.
(By the way, some people have mentioned that my links should open up a new window. I will start trying to implement that. Hope this helps!)
February 4, 2010
How to Fix Boring Villains
On Tuesday, I talked about how to give life to boring characters. But villains are a special breed. Yes, they need to have goals, strengths, weaknesses, and they need to be unique, but what else?
The Faces of Evil is a fantastic article from Murderati that discusses what people expect from a villain, and what your villain should be. He/she doesn't have to be a wiley, genius, mastermind. Your serial killer can be a regular person, just a little twisted. Your antagonist can simply be the politician that is running against your protagonist.
BUT Creating Villains People Love to Hate takes a little more than standing in the way of your protagonist. Make them credible, logical, and believable.
The Faces of Evil is a fantastic article from Murderati that discusses what people expect from a villain, and what your villain should be. He/she doesn't have to be a wiley, genius, mastermind. Your serial killer can be a regular person, just a little twisted. Your antagonist can simply be the politician that is running against your protagonist.
BUT Creating Villains People Love to Hate takes a little more than standing in the way of your protagonist. Make them credible, logical, and believable.
February 2, 2010
How to Fix Boring Characters
What makes a great character? In my first drafts, I always end up with a handful of characters that are boring and useless. I delete most of them, but sometimes I can give them CPR and make them plot-driving characters that make the book richer.
For starters, every good character has goals. Without a goal, a character gets pushed around. Without a clear goal, the character becomes flat and unsympathetic. Without a goal, your characters aren't really part of the story are they? There Are No Rules posted on characters, their goals, and how to use them to choose a protagonist (or make your current protagonist more central to your story).
Next, your characters need to be unique. Avoid stock characters like the good cop/bad cop; the perfect (wo)man hero(ine); the super-strict, no-personality teacher; or the wise old mentor. Change things up.
Give the mentor flaws (besides absent-minded or strict). Make him obsessed with kittens or chocolate or tiddlywinks. (Dumbledore liked lemon drops I think. It was a great detail that made him more likeable and believable.)
Make the cop nerdy. Here's a great guest post on Rachelle Gardner's blog about Avoiding On-the-Nose Writing.
Rachelle Gardner herself wrote about surprising your reader with your characters. We all have things about us that are surprising. Read this article and make sure to read the comments. Everyone posted something about themselves that was surprising--a trove of ideas!
Thursday's post is going to continue a bit with characters, but it will focus on villains!
January 20, 2010
Why Reading is Important for Writers
Thursday's post is a little early this week.
Hundreds of successful authors have told us that reading is the most important thing a writer can do. Stephen King has some pretty great quotes. This is video one of my favorites.
I read on and off, in spurts and right now I'm on a hot streak. I'm on my fourth book this year, which is pretty amazing for a slow reader like me. But I came across something in this latest book that really struck me.
I won't mention which book it is, but basically, the character goes through a change in her life. Simple right? But the delivery of it, or her specific circumstances pricked at something in my brain. Something that would make my book richer.
I don't plan on ripping off the book, it's a pretty simple concept. It just made me realize that my main character isn't really struggling with anything new at the beginning of my book. I saw something similar when I read Twilight. Bella moves to a new place, so it only seems natural that she should notice details about her surroundings. It's natural to describe things. But if you start in the middle of a character's normal life, why should the character describe something that she sees every day?
Yes, it's miniscule (and I'm having a hard time describing exactly why this made such a difference for me), but trust me, reading just made my book better.
Speaking of reading, I found a contest that is giving away the entire Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs, which has been on my wishlist for some time. Just thought I'd mention it... ;)
Hundreds of successful authors have told us that reading is the most important thing a writer can do. Stephen King has some pretty great quotes. This is video one of my favorites.
I read on and off, in spurts and right now I'm on a hot streak. I'm on my fourth book this year, which is pretty amazing for a slow reader like me. But I came across something in this latest book that really struck me.
I won't mention which book it is, but basically, the character goes through a change in her life. Simple right? But the delivery of it, or her specific circumstances pricked at something in my brain. Something that would make my book richer.
I don't plan on ripping off the book, it's a pretty simple concept. It just made me realize that my main character isn't really struggling with anything new at the beginning of my book. I saw something similar when I read Twilight. Bella moves to a new place, so it only seems natural that she should notice details about her surroundings. It's natural to describe things. But if you start in the middle of a character's normal life, why should the character describe something that she sees every day?
Yes, it's miniscule (and I'm having a hard time describing exactly why this made such a difference for me), but trust me, reading just made my book better.
Speaking of reading, I found a contest that is giving away the entire Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs, which has been on my wishlist for some time. Just thought I'd mention it... ;)
January 14, 2010
Character Arcs
I've had several people ask: What exactly is a character arc? or How do I create a character arc?
Well, there are two types of character arcs: narrative (what happens to the character or around the character) and emotional arc (inner changes, within the character). They're equally important, but a lot of writers (especially fantasy writers) tend to neglect the emotional arc.
With every action, every scene, something needs to change to move the plot forward. Change is vital to a novel, especially when it's loaded with conflict. But your character has to change, too. One example from Connecting Emotional and Narrative Arcs is: If Jamie watches his Dad beat Red in a bowling tournament, how does Jamie feel about Red? Is he sympathetic, picturing himself in the situation of a painful loss? Or is he scornful of Red for choking at an important moment? (By the way, I highly recommend you read this article. It's super short but has great tips.)
If the charcter doesn't change, then what's the point? Your main character needs to feel some sort of emotion, have some sort of reaction, or change his or her way of thinking with everything that happens in your story. Otherwise, your character will wind up passive, boring, and/or unrelatable.
If you want a breakdown of narrative arc, try this article. It analyzes a picture book and shows page-by-page how the story progresses. A great blueprint.
Well, there are two types of character arcs: narrative (what happens to the character or around the character) and emotional arc (inner changes, within the character). They're equally important, but a lot of writers (especially fantasy writers) tend to neglect the emotional arc.
With every action, every scene, something needs to change to move the plot forward. Change is vital to a novel, especially when it's loaded with conflict. But your character has to change, too. One example from Connecting Emotional and Narrative Arcs is: If Jamie watches his Dad beat Red in a bowling tournament, how does Jamie feel about Red? Is he sympathetic, picturing himself in the situation of a painful loss? Or is he scornful of Red for choking at an important moment? (By the way, I highly recommend you read this article. It's super short but has great tips.)
If the charcter doesn't change, then what's the point? Your main character needs to feel some sort of emotion, have some sort of reaction, or change his or her way of thinking with everything that happens in your story. Otherwise, your character will wind up passive, boring, and/or unrelatable.
If you want a breakdown of narrative arc, try this article. It analyzes a picture book and shows page-by-page how the story progresses. A great blueprint.
January 7, 2010
Getting Ideas for Your Novel
I'm not sure how many of you are looking to start a new book. (If you're like me, you have more revising to do than you care to admit.) But I found two articles on getting started.
First, you need an idea. Thank you Murderati. Once again, you've hit the nail on the head.
Second, I know I've posted this before, but I've seen the advice in this article violated and I was disappointed as a reader. I think it warrants a second go-around. Show Some Character's Jason Black writes on How to Make Ordinary Characters Inspiring (and how to make extraordinary characters relatable.)
First, you need an idea. Thank you Murderati. Once again, you've hit the nail on the head.
Second, I know I've posted this before, but I've seen the advice in this article violated and I was disappointed as a reader. I think it warrants a second go-around. Show Some Character's Jason Black writes on How to Make Ordinary Characters Inspiring (and how to make extraordinary characters relatable.)
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