Three Questions: Getting to Know Your Character

So, here's a quick quiz for you.  How well do you know your character?  Can you answer these three questions about him/her?


1)  What kind of underwear does your character wear?  Tighty whities?  Boxer briefs?  Bikini?  Commando?  Underwear choice says a lot about a person. 


2)  If your character saw a penny laying on the ground, would they stoop to pick it up?  Would they pick it up only if it were "heads up" because they are superstitious?  Would they pick it up because they were so broke that they needed a measly penny?  Would they step over it?  Would they miss it completely because they have their head in the clouds?

 

 3)  Who would your character take a bullet for?  Their family?  A friend?  What about their boss?  How about a complete stranger?  Nobody? 

Obviously, your reader doesn't need to know your answers. (Unless you are writing romance, in which case, question number one may be of paramount importance.)  However, the better able YOU are to answer these things then the more rich and complex your character will ultimately be!

Happy writing!!

Some days, you can find Beth here:  bethnbijoux

Why I Need A Dry Erase Board In My Shower

The funny thing about inspiration is you never know exactly when it will strike.

Below is am email conversation I had today with my writing partner. By the way, we're both Michele. To clear the mud I'm Michele B and she's Michele D.  Writers that we are, we appreciate the comedy of the name situation.

writing 12 messages

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Michele B	Thu, May 17, 2012 at 9:12 AM
To: Michele D

Hey where were you last night?  I was on until about 9ish.... Saw you wrote 800 words!  That's awesome!  You have to be inches from the finish line now! In the shower this morning I finally came up with a hook for Treasures, I think. :)

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Michele	Thu, May 17, 2012 at 10:40 AM
To: Michele Buchholz
No - I only got 1 file on chapt 18. Thanks for looking at it - as I was going to sleep last night, I realized there were a couple things I need to insert in that chapter - just a few things here and there but I always think of them on my way to sleep (as in, I don't want to turn my light on to write it down, so I think I'll remember it and then never do. I'm hoping I'll think of it as I'm doing revisions. It would be so much more convenient if I could think of them in the shower like you do. But no, my brain doesn't work that way)  :)

Michele Buchholz	Thu, May 17, 2012 at 10:43 AM
To: Michele
Funny you think that about the shower.  I jump out dripping, soak my floor and mat, then drip all over my dresser while I write it down... That's if I get out and write it down.  Otherwise I do the same, repeat it hoping my goldfish memory will hold it until I"m done. :) Today I jumped out and wrote it down!

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Michele	Thu, May 17, 2012 at 11:26 AM
To: Michele Buchholz
Ok, so clearly there is no best way. Usually I'm so sleepy and warm and I'm almost ready to slide under and I just don't want to mess that up. Darn brain! Why do they do that to us? Maybe you could find a whiteboard that won't wash off - then you could just write the idea down without getting out. :)

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Michele Buchholz	Thu, May 17, 2012 at 11:58 AM
To: Michele
That is a fabulous idea!

So, let this be a lesson for all of you linear, mathematical, engineer types. Writers, well, we're creative, spontaneous and innovative.  You have been warned. The bathroom floor may be wet, and there just might be marker or pen on unusual surfaces.  Just know, it is for the greater good of the human imagination.

Where was the strangest place that inspiration took hold of you?  What did you do about it?

Inspiration Can Come From Anywhere

There are times when I can place exactly the moment I get a story idea, and others when the ideas just seem to sneak up on me unexpectedly. The first novel I completed, which was about a radical religious cult...I couldn't tell you what spurred that idea. I remember being bored in Philosophy class sophomore year of college, and then I just started writing a story about a girl with the name of Elizabeth McLancy.

I've also gotten ideas from the news. The first year I crossed the NaNoWriMo finish line, I got my story idea from watching the news one night.

My current project, I can also place the exact moment I got my inspiration and where it came from. I was on a walk, listening to one of my favorite podcasts--Smart Mouths. They were talking about the earthquake in Haiti and what teenagers were doing to help, how wonderful it was that teenagers were stepping up and donating money through text messages, using something that they're usually made fun of doing all the time and turning it into something good.

One quote in particular stood out to me: "Our generation's gonna kick ass."

It was all downhill from there. I'm now querying that novel, and working on revising its sequel. And it all started with a podcast.

Critique Partners: A Love and Hate Relationship

I don't know about you but a critique partner is a must in my world. I love and loath these meetings with my writing girlfriend. We both work so diligently to put our imaginary worlds down on paper. We agonize over all the details and are so invested in our characters, we become emotionally tied to their struggles as our own. Then, we give them over for that trusted friend to critique, caress, question, and annihilate. We lay our souls bare and hope we don't have to "kill any of our darlings".

I look forward to my meetings with my girlfriend with nervous anticipation. I know for a fact she's going to poke the sore spots, divulge the obvious glares and call me out on the contradictions and fabrications. I know these things need to be done to make my story better. But anticipation of the pain tends to exponentially increase the awaited outcome. When you don't know about the rock from the mower that is going to hit you in the back, as you lay comfortably on your lawn chair reading a book, it is less painful than the one you see flying at you from the spinning tire of the car, passing you on a walk.

Thankfully, my friend always follows her criticisms quickly with words of praise and appreciations of my plot twists. And, I know my turn for roasting her work will come soon. Mind you, that doesn't mean I take any pleasure out of pointing out the short comings in her work. In fact, there are times when I'm more energetic about the possible plots twists she could work into the story line than she is. Those instances she must talk me back to the path she intends to meander along.

If you don't have a critique partner to bounce ideas off of, you should. Having a creative sounding board is priceless. There have been numerous times we have spent hours hashing out story lines only to discover they don't work with the over-riding purpose of the novel. Had I spent the days writing, weeks waiting for my work to be reviewed by my writing group and agonizing sessions of editing the errors out of the story I would have been truly down trodden and desolate. However, in the space of coffee and doughnuts she and I have built and torn down several possibilities before settling on the most viable scenario.

But, be forewarned, the position of Critic is not for the the light of heart. Do not choose the love of your life, best friend or family member. Nor should you choose a candidate based on convenience sake. You don't want to wake up to blue Kool-aid Powder in the shower head due to retaliation from a loved one who didn't win the word war the night before. Similarly, you don't want that treasured friend to give you negligent feed back for fear of 'crushing your dream'. You want a true Critic, who will give you the good, the bad and the un-print-worthy. This must be a person of strong fortitude, willing to do battle over purpose and plausibility. They must be able to see the weakness in your writing AND help to make your story better.

It is easy to find fault in others, it is difficult to choose the path you intend to trod.

So I would like to say Thank You!

Not only to my friend Michele D. for the late evenings at my house with thing 1 and thing 2. But also, to my Sister for having the patience to put up with my neurotic schedule and delays between submissions. I know you're dying for the end of the story!

And lastly, to my writer friends here on Fiction Flurry for letting me in on the club. Without all of your input my story wouldn't be anywhere near what it has become.

My Muse and Inspiration

Unfortunately, it has been a few weeks since I've had the opportunity to write. Both my sister and grandmother are clamoring for the next installment of my manuscript and frankly so am I. Not only have I missed creating my characters and their world but honestly I want to know what happens next. I guess you'd classify me as a 'seat of your pants' writer. This is my second attempt at my first novel. Yep, you read that right. Second attempt, first novel four years into the process at this point.

Shrieks are coming from the floor beside me as I type this post. Both my children are home and running rampant as usual. So what is a girl to do when there are constant distractions and interruptions. Why the answer is simple...build yourself a creative writing world!

My adoration and appreciation go out to Sabrina Jeffries, one of my favorite writers. I took her advice to heart and I'm going to share it with you.

"First, learn to be selfish sometimes. You already give more to your family than the average person. Don’t let your loved ones make you feel guilty about taking something for yourself. If you don’t take what you need, you won’t write and you will go crazy. Establish boundaries and protect them fiercely. If you don’t have a room that you can dedicate to writing, then find a corner, but make it yours alone. Fill it with objects and books that inspire your writing—dictionaries, inspiring quotations, etc. If you have a family typewriter or computer, set hours during which only you are allowed to use it. I know it is hard to tell your husband (or wife) that you can’t type that letter to the insurance company until after you write your three pages, but you must treat yourself as a professional before anyone else will treat you as one."*

I took this to heart and began by creating a 'Novel' file on my desktop. Anytime I had an idea it went in there, my notes, my inspirations, pictures of people I use when I describe my characters looks, photos of scenery, buildings, maps etc. I have a whole world pieced together that I can browse. This helps me get in the mind set of my story. I've heard other authors talk about their writing space. And you know what, they all talk about having similar puzzle pieces for their muse around them in one version or another. Either up around their working space or in a portable version.

In theory, I have a library in my mostly finished basement with a beautiful built in bookshelf my husband created. It is lined floor to ceiling with books that I love. I've an amazingly comfortable chaise lounge where I while away hours reading said novels. I also have a newly installed wireless internet system. A hand-crafted framed bulletin/cork board posted on the wall doubling as the entrance cover to my crawl space. I am patiently awaiting the money tree fairy to make a generous donation to my account so that I can finish this basement project. I wish for nothing more than to happily relocate from my particle board desk in my kitchen to the cozy space my Shining Knight created for me.

What is stopping me? A desk or laptop. At this point I don't really care which comes first. Currently I'm anchored to an ancient desktop with an 18" deep monitor that flickers. I long for the moment I can print my inspirational items and hang them around my creative space. My wonderful husband has declared he will be making my built in desk to match my bookcases. Did I mention the large bookcase anchored to a piano hinge that will swing out from the wall to access the utility area? I have a very uniquely designed 300 sq ft basement that we have squeezed every spare inch out of. I am very thankful for my handyman of a hubby who may look at me like I've lost my mind but attempt to create my haven anyway. But I digress. Until the day finally comes that I have my writing oasis I am learning creative ways to have one anyway.

In my 'Novel' folder I have letters my characters have written. Pictures of locations, places and people. Anything that brings my story to life. I have a whole file simply of discards, things I needed to know creating my imaginary world but my readers don't.

At our last writer's meeting a member showed me her portable version. She had a notebook with her that was simply AMAZING! I have pondered the advisability of creating one myself. There were character synopses, outlines using sticky notes that she could rearrange, photos and much much more. Needless to say I was supremely impressed. While I'd thought of carrying around a small notebook which fits in my purse, for the express purpose of jotting ideas when and wherever they struck, I hadn't thought to package my inspiration in such a fashion as to make it portable. Thanks for the tips Erin!

When you get discouraged and struggle with immersing yourself in the world you've created. Don't forget to get out those mementos of inspiration. Just as setting is important to characters, let your setting help you.

*http://www.sabrinajeffries.com/zindex.cfm?fuseaction=author&pageID=17

Let the Music Move You

I'm always fascinated by the different habits writers have. I think it has to do with the fact that we all have different ways to reach the same goal--tell a story. Some writers need their writing space to be neat and tidy, others need it to be cluttered. Some write out of sequence, others have to write chronologically within the story. Some of us have to have background noise when we write, others need complete silence.

I fall into the background noise camp. Granted, most of the time the background noise is whatever random thing I can find on TV. I've been known to write while watching Grey's Anatomy, NCIS reruns, and various Food Network shows. Sometimes during NaNoWriMo, I'll write while watching old Gilmore Girls episodes, because they talk so fast and so much it somehow gets me to write the run-on sentences I need to write that many words in 30 days.

And when there's not something that interests me on TV, or if I need to write a particularly difficult scene, I listen to my novel's playlist.

I first got introduced to the concept of making playlists to write to only a couple of years ago, and I've gotten hooked. First of all, it's a great way for me to procrastinate. When I hit that rut that I can't get through, I have a tendency to use making a playlist for said rut as an excuse to not deal with it for a short bit of time while I think it over. But, more than that, playlists are a great way for me to get into the emotional heart of the story. I don't usually make separate playlists for different characters--typically, I only have one playlist for the whole novel. However, there was one time when writing the end of the novel I'm currently revising that I needed a separate playlist just for those scenes. They were particularly emotional and I was having trouble getting into that mindset. So I made a playlist just for those scenes and it worked wonders.

I know many people can't have songs with lyrics in their playlists, but I'm quite the opposite on that one. Most of my playlists consist of songs with lyrics. Musicals, movie soundtracks, random things I hear on the radio or that people recommend...all of these types of music end up on my novel playlists. My iTunes library is pretty eclectic anyway, because I like most everything, and I find this is incredibly helpful when it comes to putting together a playlist for whatever I'm writing--a novel, a scene, a character.

To give you an idea of what kinds of things end up on my playlists, here's a short list of songs that are on the playlist of the novel that I'm currently revising to get ready to send out:

1. We're Not Gonna Take It--Twisted Sister
2. Our Lives--The Calling
3. A Little Hope--composed by Scott Alan, performed by Shoshana Bean
4. O Children--Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
5. The Call--Regina Spektor
6. I Stand--Idina Menzel
7. Sing--My Chemical Romance
8. Get It Right--Glee cast
9. Do You Hear the People Sing?--Les Miserable
10. American Elegy--composed by Frank Ticheli
11. Totally F***ed--Spring Awakening
12. 21 Guns--Green Day
13. Hope--Idina Menzel
14. The Human Heart--Stephanie J. Block
15. A Thousand Beautiful Things/A Beautiful Day--Julia Murney

Plus, a good half of my playlist for this novel consists of clips from a podcast called Smart Mouths, much like the clip right here (warning, there is some language involved).

What kinds of things do you like listening to while you write? Do you make playlists? What songs are on yours?

Finding the Time to Write

So here it is, Sunday night, and two heaping baskets of unfolded laundry are taunting me, "Fold me, or I'll get wrinkled and your kids will look like slobs."  That's not all.  I have clients flying in from Atlanta tomorrow for my day job, so I actually have to iron what I'm wearing to work tomorrow.  Ugh.  It's not as if I frittered away my weekend, either.  We painted the family room, did a week's worth of laundry, shopped for new curtains and school clothes, grocery shopped, swept, and dusted.  And tomorrow, it's back to the churn that is my week-day life, akin to the movie "Groundhog Day."

 I don't have time to do all the things I need to do, let alone the things I want to do.  For example, here are the things I wanted to do this weekend:  exercise, put a coat of polish on my nails, and write.  I really didn't do anything I wanted to do this weekend, save for attending my writers group meeting on Saturday morning.  In fact, it's been about 6 weeks since I've submitted anything new to my wonderful writers group members for critique. ( Hello, my name is Rachel, and it's been 6 weeks since my last writing session.)  Admitting it is the first step to recovery.

In fact, several others in the Fiction Flurry writers group have been finding it difficult to sit in the chair and write, whether it's due to lack of time or motivation.  Consequently, we decided to make writing goals and report to each other whether we achieved our goals every week.  Blog writing does not count toward the goal.  The goal could be word count, time spent writing, pages, submissions, or chapters.  My goal for the next several weeks will be to write 2 hours a week and submit a personal essay to two publications.

I think the act of reporting my progress will be the equivalent of a weigh-in at Weight Watchers.  (Also something I want to do...lose some lbs.!)  Not that my writing buddies would have their day ruined if I didn't meet my goal, but I feel as if I would be letting myself down publicly if I don't meet my goal. It's like eating that Oreo when no one is watching doesn't add another lump to my thighs, but eating the Oreo in front of others makes my butt pop out two inches further.

If I'm accountable, I will find the time to write.  Perhaps I'll write over my lunch break at work, or take a half hour after dinner each night before I clean up the kitchen and help my daughter with her homework.  The point is, if I wait until all the things that need to be done are accomplished before taking time for myself, it will never happen.

What do you do to make time to write?  We'd love to know!

Who Inspires You?

How many times have you "discovered" an author? Someone you had heard about but never read before or someone you've never heard of but can't put down. Somehow you end up at 3 am trying to finish the last chapter so you can finally get to sleep. And before you know it, you're on Amazon ordering their entire backlist. For me, this has happened more times than I can count.

I received my first Nancy Drew book for my 7th birthday and I was hooked.  No, not on reading - that came at a much earlier age. For the first time, I was hooked on an author. I read every Nancy Drew book I could find in the library - eventually reading them all. Ok, so it wasn't until years later that I learned those books were written by several people under one pseudonym, but I think the point is still valid - once you like an author, you read everything they write. I'm pretty sure the entire publishing industry counts on this.

But beyond a few hours of escape into the book-world, I find that my favorite writers - those that I read again and again - inspire me.  Now, I'm not saying that I want to become the character in the book (although at age 7, I seriously wanted to be an amateur detective). It's that I'm inspired to become a better storyteller.

For example, the way Janet Evanovich is able to take seemingly random events, knit them together and make them an integral part of the plot leaves me stunned every time. I realize that every action counts - from where Stephanie Plum parks her car to the doughnuts she eats. I can see that there is no room for filler and that inspires me to make every action in my story count.

Jonathan Kellerman inspires my writing in other ways. As I'm swept into the world of Alex Delaware, I'm noticing how he gets into (and out of) dangerous situations. It takes a delicate touch to put a MC into danger without seeming contrived or ridiculous. Jonathan Kellerman is a master at this and he inspires me to look more critically at the situations I put my MC into.

Since I consider myself more of a romance author (albeit an unpublished one), you might ask why my examples aren't from the romance genre? Although I read a lot of romance (including all of the sub-categories), I don't limit myself to only reading romance. As an author, I believe in the advice to read as much as you can from all genres. I find inspiration in the most unlikely places.

So now you know who inspires me. Leave a comment and tell me: Who inspires you?