character development

How to Grow a Character

03.30.2011

There are approximately a billion ways to create a character. A lot of people use character worksheets or questionnaires.  I do not use these.  I will be brave enough to admit that one of those reasons is because I never spell questionnaire correctly on the first go.  That alone puts me off them.  But, really, [...]

Tagged as: craft, process

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Prewriting is NOT a Waste of Time

03.05.2011

And the birds sang, the trees swayed happily, and I was free.  Free to spend as long as I needed filling in character, backstory, synopsizing scenes, and outlining. I have this from very reliable sources.  I recently took a Write It Forward workshop from Bob Mayer (on Twitter @Bob_Mayer) on Plot and Outline.  He says: Failing [...]

Tagged as: books on writing, i'd recommend, process, the care and feeding of your muse

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Stages of Change and Character Arc

03.28.2010

On Kathy Carmichael’s awesome site, she has a form to aid in creating a short synopsis and plotting your story.  You should go download that now.  I’ll wait. She suggests, on the first page, to list ten events that will help change a character’s core belief and to keep in mind the stages of change.  [...]

Tagged as: craft, process, stupid synopsis, writing tools

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Confession Time

12.16.2009

I hate character charts.  I see them everywhere.  I’ve bought books on character development that had 10 page(!) character charts.  Sample questions: Astrological sign? Who cares?  I don’t check my horoscope.  I mean, I guess, if I had a character who was all into that, it might matter to them.  I guess, I’m saying if [...]

Tagged as: craft, process, the care and feeding of your muse, writing tools

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Traits of a Hero

04.08.2009

In my new manuscript, my heroine is a romance writer with a list of ten characteristics she expects her heroes to live up to.  I think she uses it a little bit for a personal measuring stick as well.  Anyway, for your reading pleasure: Skye’s Ten Traits of a Hero Always keeps his word/promises. Respects [...]

Tagged as: because we all need a way to waste an hour, cliches, romance novels

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