By:
Katharine Eliska Kimbriel
.png)
Writers
think a lot about characters .
We
think about them in the abstract, and we think about those individuals who rent
an apartment in our subconscious and start rummaging around, looking for
utility hookups and how to arrange forwarding on their mail. Sometimes they are
just visiting for a few months or years.
Other
times they move in and don’t check out until we do.
I
ended up in the so-called genre areas for very specific reasons. The foremost
of those reasons is that I read for interesting characters dealing with a plot
that draws me into a world. It can be a version of our modern world, as when I
read any of the excellent twists and turns on Sherlock Holmes (you can sample
Laurie King, Carole Nelson Douglas, or Stephanie Osborn’s take on him just for
starters.) It can be a left turn in our own worlds, contemporary or historical.
My Night Calls fantasy novels set in North America circa 1810
could fall into this category. Laura Anne Gilman’s Retrievers or PUPI crime
scene investigators are mystery -fantasies that are contemporary in nature. Her
New York is not our New York (or is it?) but we recognize much about it.
I
also prefer SF and fantasy because sometimes you can get people to think about
important things if you introduce them to the idea in a fantastic story. There
is subtlety and strength in metaphor.
Lately
I have been thinking about new ways to build characters. I’m building a
checklist of questions for your characters that I think might be a revealing
place to start. In the meantime, David Mamet has come up with several questions
that can help you narrow down why a character is in your story. I’m using them
to help me with my next book.
The
questions are:
. .
.
Read the full article HERE!
~*~
If you
missed my writing & marketing tweets and retweets yesterday, here they are
again:
- Fiction Writers: The Definition and Criteria of Concept | Storyfix.com http://ow.ly/HuZbp
- Craft
of Writing: What Does Strong Mean to You?
by Tracy Banghart http://ow.ly/HvDt6 - How to outline a short story for beginners - Writers Write http://ow.ly/HvDuN
- The Top 10 Reasons to Write Short Stories - Writers Write http://ow.ly/HvDEq
- Writer Unboxed » Beware: The Shady Side of New Publishing Opportunities http://ow.ly/HvDHq
- 10 Ways To Turn Your Real Life Experiences Into Science Fiction http://ow.ly/HvDJ8
- Alexandra Sokoloff: Nanowrimo Now What? Lessons from Musical Theater http://ow.ly/HvEbL
- Janet Reid, Literary Agent: Query question: repurposing your short story http://ow.ly/HvEeq
- Audiobooks, Author Earnings, Global Focus And More. 2014 RoundUp With Hugh McGuire | The Creative Penn http://ow.ly/HvECK
- Elements of Modern Storytelling–Characters | Book View Cafe Blog http://ow.ly/HvEQc
- How to Use a Scheduling Tool With Your Social Media - SFWA http://ow.ly/HvEUI
- Novel Rocket: The Need for Factual Fiction http://ow.ly/HvFzh
- The Kill Zone: Key Tips for Creating a Genderless Character for Villain Options http://ow.ly/HvFSC
- Should You Write a Memoir? | Writing Forward http://ow.ly/HvFWI
- W R I T E W O R L D http://ow.ly/HvGsr 5 Fast Ways to Write an eBook
- Reference For Writers, Writing More Diverse Characters-The TCI http://ow.ly/HvGBP
- Buddhapuss Ink : #WW Balancing Work, Life, and Writing http://ow.ly/HvGW5
- Fiction University: Three Questions to Ask Yourself Before Writing an Author Business Plan http://ow.ly/HvHfF
- Writing Questions Answered http://ow.ly/HvHrd Guide: Post-Apocalyptic Clichés to Avoid
- Writing to Draw Readers in Emotionally | Emerging Writers Studio http://ow.ly/HvHMz
- Writing in multiple points of view http://ow.ly/HvI4Z
- 5 Steps for Crafting the Perfect Book Review Pitch: Tip #35 of 52 Ways to Market Your Book http://ow.ly/HvIXT
- Novel Publicity – Six Steps for Self-Marketing your eBook http://ow.ly/HvJjS
- Are You a Lone Ranger Writer? - Books & Such Literary Management : Books & Such Literary Management http://ow.ly/HvL4O
- Ultimate List of Hashtags for #Authors | Book Marketing Services http://ow.ly/HvPxn
No comments:
Post a Comment