As I just told a friend of mine, 99% of the time, when I've got writer's block, character analysis will help me figure it all out. Even if I didn't think it had anything to do with the characters ( < That isn't possible by the way, it always has to do with the characters). If I go back and do more character sketches, write short stories about the character, dig deeper into who they are, I discover something new that helps me figure out the road block in the plot.
I say 99% of the time because I know for sure it doesn't work all the time. Example.
You guys remember Heskith? You met him here, and here.
I can tell you a lot of about Heskith. He was born to a wealthy family and was raised to be the best body guard he could be. He has an older brother who turned evil and just to spite his father, he planted the seed to box in Heskith's mind. Why? Because the perfect body guard should keep himself in top condition, and staying up all night to beat people with his firsts acts as a distraction.
He loves Miany, the princess of the kingdom and the daughter of the man he spent years protecting, but doesn't really know how to tell her.
He's pretty wicked with a sword, can hold his own with knives, and generally tries to avoid bows.
He eventually becomes King, has two children, and tries everything in his power to avoid a major war that would bring his kingdom to ruin.
I could probably tell you even more about Dugan, Heskith's brother. Don't worry, I won't, if only because I don't really have the time, but I recently used him in a Beautiful People post.
The point is. I know these guys. I know their story. I know how they feel, how they move, what they like, what they eat, who they get along with, and even how they sleep at night. I've analyzed them into the ground, and yet I still can't seem to bring their story together. It's in my head, but putting that into words just hasn't worked out.
No, I'm not giving up. While having so much trouble writing this blasted novel is killing me, dropping the characters in the dirt would probably be the last twist of the knife. I don't think I could do it.
Maybe I just need to go back further. Maybe I'm not starting at the right point in the story. Maybe I need to start with the story that leads up to this story. Yes... maybe that's it...
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Beautiful People - Wes & Lyric
As you could probably tell by how quickly this was posted, I'm pretty exited for this months Beautiful People. In honor of the one year annivsary we're doing something a little different. Instead of focusing on just one character, we're throwing another one in there and discovering more about a relationship.
I may end up doing Beautiful People twice this month. I had trouble deciding which two characters I wanted to focus on, and I may just end up doing all four.
So, for this post, I'll be focusing on Weston and Lyric. Two characters from The Way We Are series. Lyric is in the first book, but she actually doesn't become a big part of the story until book two.
Do they believe in anything that most people think is impossible?
Wes - Well, yeah. Most people don't really believe that superpowers are real, but considering he has one he's inclined to disagree. Other then that, not really. He's a pretty straight forward kind of guy. No nonsense, just the facts.
Lyric - She believes Sheleg, the snow dragon on Third World, is real. Probably because it's her job to take care of him.
Are they strong, or the "damsel/knight in distress" sort?
Wes - He can take care of himself when he needs to, but whenever there's someone to lend a hand he isn't the kind that would turn it down.
Lyric - She was the only human on Third World for 15 years. She learned to be strong. She had to be. Once the gang comes along she begins to understand that you don't always have to do everything on your own. Those who love you will always be there to help you.
Do they have a special place?
Wes - Not really. He's moved around so much that one place is about as good as the other.
Lyric - Her cave on Third World. She lived in it for near to 16 years, and it was the only place on the entire world where warmth could be found.
What occupation do they have, or plan on having?
Wes - He's a teacher/owner at The Academy for superhero's on Fifth World. Not really what he'd planned on, but things have a way of changing when you least expect it.
Lyric - She planned on being a writer. Then she was taken to a world where there was no paper, no pens, and no people to read the novels you might have had published had you written them. Instead she became keeper and companion to Sheleg the snow dragon.
Describe their current place of residence.
Wes - He lives in one of the dorm rooms at The Academy. He was given the option of having his own house built, or at least having a bigger room, but he shrugged them off. It's a square room with a bed, a desk, and a dresser. The walls are bare and there are no decorations except for one picture leaning against his lamp on the dresser. It's a picture of Exie, the girl he loved.
Lyric - It's a large cave beneath a snow covered mountain. It was already there when she got there, so she didn't have to do much to make it livable. There's a pile of furs to sleep on, a fire pit in one of the hallows (smoke escapes through a hole drilled through the stone), and various other random items scattered neatly about the cave. It's almost always warm, and when she's got a fire going a friendly orange glow fills the entire cave, making it a welcome place to rest.
Explain their last crisis. How had they changed when they came out of it?
Wes - The death of Exie. He'd loved her for awhile, but never worked up the courage to tell her about it. Then ECG killed her, and it was to late. It made him realize he's not in control of his life, and anything can change at any moment. He taught himself to go for it, rather then sit back and wait for a better day. What if that better day never comes? His face also became a bit thinner, and his eyes sadder.
Lyric - She doesn't really have a lot of crisis in her life. She's pretty good at taking things in stride, but I guess the last one was when she was suddenly taken from her home on First World and placed on Third World. Her life totally changed because of it, and for a few years she was angry, but then she learned to love where she was.
If they could drive any kind of car they wanted, what would it be?
Wes - I doubt he'd really care. He's pretty satisfied with the army jeep he's got on Fifth World.
Lyric - A black, 1960 Cadillac convertible, with fins.
How do they deal with change?
Wes - It doesn't really bother him. It's got to be something really significant before he even notices. Like, someone he's close to dying, or moving across five worlds.
Lyric - She hasn't gone through much, but the one change she did go through was huge. She battled with herself over it for awhile, but then she learned to be content, and she even came to love it.
If they had to amputate one body part, which one would they choose?
Wes - A leg. Being wheelchair bound doesn't scare him as much as not being able to work with his hands.
Lyric - An arm. She needs to run, but she could bring herself to do things one handed if she had to.
What would their favorite be at the local coffee shop?
Wes - Just a regular cup of joe. Black.
Lyric - Carmel Latte with whip. She likes sweet things.
Now for the extra five questions for both of them.
How did they meet?
The gang (Grant, Luna, Exie, Ranen, and Weston), stumbled onto Third World and almost got themselves killed. Sheleg led Lyric to them and she brought them to shelter.
How do these two deal with conflict?
They tend to turn and walk away, and then find each other later to work it out if they have to.
Do they have a special song, phrase, item, or place?
Nope, not really. Not with each other.
What kind of things do they like to do together?
Save other superheros. Read. Teach. Laugh. Talk. Almost anything.
Describe their relationship as a whole in 3 words, or less.
Unexpected.
I may end up doing Beautiful People twice this month. I had trouble deciding which two characters I wanted to focus on, and I may just end up doing all four.
So, for this post, I'll be focusing on Weston and Lyric. Two characters from The Way We Are series. Lyric is in the first book, but she actually doesn't become a big part of the story until book two.
Do they believe in anything that most people think is impossible?
Wes - Well, yeah. Most people don't really believe that superpowers are real, but considering he has one he's inclined to disagree. Other then that, not really. He's a pretty straight forward kind of guy. No nonsense, just the facts.
Lyric - She believes Sheleg, the snow dragon on Third World, is real. Probably because it's her job to take care of him.
Are they strong, or the "damsel/knight in distress" sort?
Wes - He can take care of himself when he needs to, but whenever there's someone to lend a hand he isn't the kind that would turn it down.
Lyric - She was the only human on Third World for 15 years. She learned to be strong. She had to be. Once the gang comes along she begins to understand that you don't always have to do everything on your own. Those who love you will always be there to help you.
Do they have a special place?
Wes - Not really. He's moved around so much that one place is about as good as the other.
Lyric - Her cave on Third World. She lived in it for near to 16 years, and it was the only place on the entire world where warmth could be found.
What occupation do they have, or plan on having?
Wes - He's a teacher/owner at The Academy for superhero's on Fifth World. Not really what he'd planned on, but things have a way of changing when you least expect it.
Lyric - She planned on being a writer. Then she was taken to a world where there was no paper, no pens, and no people to read the novels you might have had published had you written them. Instead she became keeper and companion to Sheleg the snow dragon.
Describe their current place of residence.
Wes - He lives in one of the dorm rooms at The Academy. He was given the option of having his own house built, or at least having a bigger room, but he shrugged them off. It's a square room with a bed, a desk, and a dresser. The walls are bare and there are no decorations except for one picture leaning against his lamp on the dresser. It's a picture of Exie, the girl he loved.
Lyric - It's a large cave beneath a snow covered mountain. It was already there when she got there, so she didn't have to do much to make it livable. There's a pile of furs to sleep on, a fire pit in one of the hallows (smoke escapes through a hole drilled through the stone), and various other random items scattered neatly about the cave. It's almost always warm, and when she's got a fire going a friendly orange glow fills the entire cave, making it a welcome place to rest.
Explain their last crisis. How had they changed when they came out of it?
Wes - The death of Exie. He'd loved her for awhile, but never worked up the courage to tell her about it. Then ECG killed her, and it was to late. It made him realize he's not in control of his life, and anything can change at any moment. He taught himself to go for it, rather then sit back and wait for a better day. What if that better day never comes? His face also became a bit thinner, and his eyes sadder.
Lyric - She doesn't really have a lot of crisis in her life. She's pretty good at taking things in stride, but I guess the last one was when she was suddenly taken from her home on First World and placed on Third World. Her life totally changed because of it, and for a few years she was angry, but then she learned to love where she was.
If they could drive any kind of car they wanted, what would it be?
Wes - I doubt he'd really care. He's pretty satisfied with the army jeep he's got on Fifth World.
Lyric - A black, 1960 Cadillac convertible, with fins.
How do they deal with change?
Wes - It doesn't really bother him. It's got to be something really significant before he even notices. Like, someone he's close to dying, or moving across five worlds.
Lyric - She hasn't gone through much, but the one change she did go through was huge. She battled with herself over it for awhile, but then she learned to be content, and she even came to love it.
If they had to amputate one body part, which one would they choose?
Wes - A leg. Being wheelchair bound doesn't scare him as much as not being able to work with his hands.
Lyric - An arm. She needs to run, but she could bring herself to do things one handed if she had to.
What would their favorite be at the local coffee shop?
Wes - Just a regular cup of joe. Black.
Lyric - Carmel Latte with whip. She likes sweet things.
Now for the extra five questions for both of them.
How did they meet?
The gang (Grant, Luna, Exie, Ranen, and Weston), stumbled onto Third World and almost got themselves killed. Sheleg led Lyric to them and she brought them to shelter.
How do these two deal with conflict?
They tend to turn and walk away, and then find each other later to work it out if they have to.
Do they have a special song, phrase, item, or place?
Nope, not really. Not with each other.
What kind of things do they like to do together?
Save other superheros. Read. Teach. Laugh. Talk. Almost anything.
Describe their relationship as a whole in 3 words, or less.
Unexpected.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Beautiful People - One Year Edition
This month marks the one year anniversary of Beautiful People! A year ago, my Sam and I started what we called a "blog thing" (mainly because we didn't like the word meme), to aid writers in the quest of character analysis. I'd like to say we've achieved that goal, but I can't really speak for all of you. I will say that it has been a huge help for Sam and I.
We decided to give everyone an extra challenge this month for the occasion. It's kind of put together in two parts. Don't worry, it's completely optional.
Part 1: Instead of one character, choose two that are somehow tied together in a relationship. It doesn't matter what kind. They can be siblings, sweethearts, enemies, friends. Just two people who know each other. A relationship that you, as the author, would like to discover more about.
Answer the first 10 questions as you normally would, but do it for both characters. This is where that optional part comes in, if you're not interested, feel free to use these questions as you would for just one character.
Also, if the question isn't suited for the world your character lives in, answer it as if they lived in a world that it would, or feel free to change the question to fit the situation.
(Thanks to Finvarra Penn and Alyianna for suggesting some of this months questions!)
1. Do they believe in anything that most people think is impossible?
2. Are they strong, or the "damsel/knight in distress" sort?
3. Do they have a special place? (e.g. a corner in his/her bedroom, under a tree...)
4. What occupation do they have, or plan on having?
5. Describe their current place of residence.
6. Explain their last crisis. How had they changed when they came out of it?
7. If they could drive any kind of car they wanted, what would it be?
8. How do they deal with change?
9. If they had to amputate one body part, which one would they choose?
10. What would their favorite be at the local coffee shop?
Part 2: Here are 5 more questions. These ones are focused more on that relationship we mentioned above. The goal is to become more familiar with the way your two characters relate with one another. Think about your answers, don't be afraid to give us detail.
1. How did they meet?
2. How do these two deal with conflict?
3. Do they have a special song, phrase, item, or place?
4. What kind of things do they like to do together?
5. Describe their relationship as a whole in 3 words, or less.
Have fun, and don't forget to sign the linky!
Friday, March 16, 2012
Someday...
I want to take a massive road trip. When I say massive I mean, across the United States. My family kind of already did that, except we were in a motor home. I don't want to do it in a motor home. I want to do it in a 1960 convertible cadillac. Blue. With fins.
I'm going to find a country road in the dead of the night, and someone else will drive while I lay back and watch the stars roll by. The radio will be playing ever so quietly, and I'll probably fall asleep, but that's okay. Also, it won't rain, despite what my pessimist of a sister says.
I'm going to find a country road in the dead of the night, and someone else will drive while I lay back and watch the stars roll by. The radio will be playing ever so quietly, and I'll probably fall asleep, but that's okay. Also, it won't rain, despite what my pessimist of a sister says.
That is all.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
I'm Yours, and Writerly Musings
While drowning in the Caspian Sea a wedding photographer with Tourette's puts his life on the line to save the ant colony.
He reached the little shop within twenty minutes. A sign on the door warned him to step down as he entered. The first thing he noticed was the air. Not just the smell of an old book, or turning pages, but that thick air that surrounds them and makes them feel that much different. The second thing he noticed was the cat, sitting next to the cash register. Perhaps he'd chosen the place to rest, not only because he could easily keep an eye on those who entered, but also because every other surface on the counter was covered with books. Piles of books. The long haired creature blinked lazily, as if Reed held no interest for him, and yet the soft green eyes remained locked on him. Watching his every move. Reed found an uncertain smile on his face and a few words stuttering from his lips. "I... just wanted to... to look around." He stopped when he realized he was talking to a cat. He wasn't sure if there was any other human in the building. Not only could he hear no evidence of it, but he could also see none.
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