tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post1820179693182845652..comments2024-03-28T22:21:46.973-07:00Comments on Tossing It Out: Controlling CharactersArlee Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11663942782929929334noreply@blogger.comBlogger94125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-79471517113794318792011-04-06T18:56:38.097-07:002011-04-06T18:56:38.097-07:00whoa, I let these wonderful comments get away from...whoa, I let these wonderful comments get away from me without acknowledging them. Thank you all! I have gotten so far behind, but I'm having delirious fun with A to Z and hope you are to.<br /><br />And Rosalind, when I reread this after it posted I too realized the same thing you pointed out but I wasn't about to rewrite it. Besides we don't know what happens after he becomes real!<br /><br />LeeArlee Birdhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11663942782929929334noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-28137409434374032992011-04-06T18:50:39.543-07:002011-04-06T18:50:39.543-07:00Yes! This is hard for beginning writers because I ...Yes! This is hard for beginning writers because I think we tend to be imitative at first, as we practice and get our legs under us. <br /><br />I love when they live and breathe. I had one character in my last book that came out of nowhere. I liked him a lot. He was a joy to write.Elizabeth Westhttp://aelizabethwest.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-86579731898196699612011-04-06T03:41:42.252-07:002011-04-06T03:41:42.252-07:00Too much backstory and I get bored and too little ...Too much backstory and I get bored and too little leaves me without much to write about. I've discovered that if I pick a way of viewing the world for each character they can then surprise me in a way that serves the story and fits into the overall themes of whatever I'm writing.<br /><br />For example in my current WIP, one character notices buildings and see people as constructions. Another sees people only in how they can help her get to her goals, so only sees the details she wants to.Alex F. Faylehttp://www.alex-f-fayle.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-40743620236299191662011-04-06T02:31:39.179-07:002011-04-06T02:31:39.179-07:00Great blog topic, and I'm sure everyone has a ...Great blog topic, and I'm sure everyone has a different approach to developing characters. I have a general idea about a character and try to expand on that through their backstory. If they are a loner, I ask them why. If it is because they lost parents from a young age, I ask them what happened. etc. It works for me.<br />Oh, and this is my first comment on your blog...:) I'll be back.T.F. Walshhttp://tfwalsh.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-664910666710803422011-04-05T19:55:04.390-07:002011-04-05T19:55:04.390-07:00I do thorough outlines of the characters I write, ...I do thorough outlines of the characters I write, but do not use these parametres to imprison them. Few things are more fun in writing than having a character surprise its author by bursting out in a way that wasn't anticipated.<br /><br />It is this spontaneity that makes a character come to life...Lynette Killamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13747902602019771481noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-12200939198955549292011-04-05T15:35:49.010-07:002011-04-05T15:35:49.010-07:00Great post, Lee! You have to breathe life into cha...Great post, Lee! You have to breathe life into characters. :)Cherie Reichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16663147386014122939noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-38929252112267210562011-04-05T10:40:57.702-07:002011-04-05T10:40:57.702-07:00Hi Arlee, you left me a comment and said something...Hi Arlee, you left me a comment and said something that I am not quite sure what it meant so I wanted to ask because I think it would be so much easier than what I currently do. <br /><br />You said you're not subscribing and that I could email you back from the notification. I just wanted to sort of clarify what that meant. <br /><br />Does it mean that if I reply to the email I receive from your comment it goes directly to you? <br /><br />I so did not know that. If I am understanding that correctly, then that is very cool and I will be using that in the future.Dafeenahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03078199274088729529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-74208614715427228212011-04-05T09:53:37.028-07:002011-04-05T09:53:37.028-07:00Well said! When I'm creating characters, I wr...Well said! When I'm creating characters, I write down the basics but eventually, they seem to have a mind of their own and I just go with it!SweetMarie83https://www.blogger.com/profile/12518239232924662332noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-351153158839993012011-04-05T02:45:47.566-07:002011-04-05T02:45:47.566-07:00Great point- thanks for pointing this out. I shoul...Great point- thanks for pointing this out. I should start compiling your pointers for the day I decide to start writing!Michelle in a shellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14631044089049410804noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-14052086279870583992011-04-05T01:20:58.520-07:002011-04-05T01:20:58.520-07:00How true, because sometimes my characters (er, me ...How true, because sometimes my characters (er, me when I threat them) get out of control!Samantha Véranthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07446488761214047647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-22511855488140537582011-04-05T00:26:57.823-07:002011-04-05T00:26:57.823-07:00I had a manuscript where the antagonist was set. T...I had a manuscript where the antagonist was set. Then this not-before-seen character shows up out of the blow and convinces me to demote my at the time current antagonist to mere henchman. I never looked back. Letting characters flow like that can open up so many possibilities!Jeff Beeslerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17935580053176710609noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-92022840029682588302011-04-04T23:52:30.665-07:002011-04-04T23:52:30.665-07:00Great post and yes I am enjoying the challenge :o)...Great post and yes I am enjoying the challenge :o) It's heaps better keeping the posts simple.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-1793044570887029462011-04-04T23:45:23.286-07:002011-04-04T23:45:23.286-07:00Great stuff, very good point, Lee!
Short PoemsGreat stuff, very good point, Lee!<br /><br /><a href="http://marinelareka.com/" rel="nofollow">Short Poems</a>Marinela Rekahttp://marinelareka.com/?category_name=freestyle-poemsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-22865162127522889842011-04-04T23:25:20.775-07:002011-04-04T23:25:20.775-07:00Great post, I completely agree, Lee! Thanks for sh...Great post, I completely agree, Lee! Thanks for sharing.B. Millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10112783922833164491noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-27070371944999309792011-04-04T22:50:49.675-07:002011-04-04T22:50:49.675-07:00Oh yes! Great advice. I'm off to look for the ...Oh yes! Great advice. I'm off to look for the scissors.Miriam Drorihttp://andewallscametumblindown.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-51659533403276110292011-04-04T18:53:35.194-07:002011-04-04T18:53:35.194-07:00Great point, Lee! Your characters have to be inte...Great point, Lee! Your characters have to be interesting...more interesting than real life, so they can capture the hearts of their audience. :)Sharon K. Mayhewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07799235347319851345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-48926944528332700022011-04-04T18:53:05.440-07:002011-04-04T18:53:05.440-07:00learning to leave aspects of characters out of the...learning to leave aspects of characters out of the story can be challenging, but knowing those details so very necessary! christyerica and christyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13074820593371226159noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-14899557425701886522011-04-04T18:39:06.727-07:002011-04-04T18:39:06.727-07:00Excellent point!Excellent point!Kari Mariehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04404956407734167300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-88863328198441470932011-04-04T18:29:14.420-07:002011-04-04T18:29:14.420-07:00Like the characters in my dreams! Always surprisin...Like the characters in my dreams! Always surprising me even though I think that I know them!<br />Love Di ♥Dianahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11429812875586479256noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-78729798539912990492011-04-04T18:28:24.508-07:002011-04-04T18:28:24.508-07:00This is great! Thanks for the reminder to let my c...This is great! Thanks for the reminder to let my characters be themselves! That's when the magic happens.Kathi Oram Petersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11959149321213743448noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-15686489506208390172011-04-04T17:57:54.861-07:002011-04-04T17:57:54.861-07:00Thank you for stopping by Pawny's Pen!
Your p...Thank you for stopping by Pawny's Pen!<br /><br />Your post is so true! I created a character prior to NaNoWriMo one year, and she was so incredibly boring that I killed her off in the first sentence. (On the plus side, that turned into the book I just published, because the mystery began with "why would anyone want to kill off someone who's that boring?") <br /><br />I look forward to reading the rest of your posts this month!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-42345269121874620412011-04-04T17:36:47.302-07:002011-04-04T17:36:47.302-07:00My people RARELY do what I think they're going...My people RARELY do what I think they're going to when I sit down to write. Rarely.Jolene Perryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04630744737142051232noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-78541393645383574452011-04-04T17:29:51.586-07:002011-04-04T17:29:51.586-07:00Great **C**, Lee!
DorisGreat **C**, Lee!<br /><br />DorisHold my hand: a social worker's bloghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06283197748791227012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-37332109169854523002011-04-04T17:11:55.449-07:002011-04-04T17:11:55.449-07:00Awesome - Glad I found you through a fellow blogge...Awesome - Glad I found you through a fellow blogger doing the A-Z Challenge. Hope I am not too late to sign up - I'll catch up tonight!Vanilla Mamahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08857752710040192834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-149224757183756660.post-83265615251620766842011-04-04T16:41:52.133-07:002011-04-04T16:41:52.133-07:00BOID ~
I generally take each of my characters out...BOID ~ <br />I generally take each of my characters out for a night on the town. I mean, how can you say you REALLY know your characters until you've gotten loaded with them?<br /><br />(Plus, it's always a good excuse for going out on the town.)<br /><br />The plain truth of the matter is: Until you know what your characters would do or say while intoxicated, you do not really know your characters.<br /><br />It has always amazed me how few writers have grasped this simple but crucial concept. <br /><br />~ D-FensDogg<br />'Loyal American Underground'Stephen T. McCarthyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00249125637725791567noreply@blogger.com