Friday, March 14, 2008

Character Building, Part One

Hola, Hello, and Good Day,
The Writer's Guild discussed Character Building in the last meeting. We took so many notes that I have decided to post a few at a time and eventually get through them all in the next few days.

First of all, one must reveal things about a character rather than telling. Slowly reveal things about the character as you go throughout your story. Don't try to give their whole life story and personality upon introducing them.

It takes time to get to know a character, whether he/she/it is yours or not.

Don't put your character in a box--don't claim to know more about them than your readers. Sometimes you just have to let the characters do what they're going to do. I can give an example from my own writing. I recently started another book, which I intend to turn into a trilogy. Anyway, this girl named Remedy gets pulled into another world by the wind. As soon as the wind let her go, I was going to have another character native to this otherworld find her, but instead, the following dialogue flowed from my fingertips.

"...Ah, a newcomer."

"Welcome, welcome, welcome."

"Adonai gives freedom, freedom, freedom, tortured daughter."

Remedy ran forward, away from the voices, shouting, "Who's there? Leave me alone!" She ran for quite awhile, but the voices did not cease. "Stop!" she yelled. "Stop following me!"

"Sad, sad, sad, she will not listen."

"She is scared, scared, scared."

"We should be silent awhile."

"Why, why, why?"

-----------------------

Before you know it, I've got talking trees in my next book. Funny, isn't it? Turns out the trees are source of the wind that pulled Remedy into the otherworld, which is called Iverna, by the way. (pronounced ee-VAIR-nah)

Maybe I'll post my entire first chapter. Should I?

By the way, I'd like you YCF people to know that I will do a post about false Christianity soon...It seems you all have beat me to it, but I didn't want you to think I wasn't going to fight this battle with you!

Write On!!!

Shelby Marie

16 comments:

Ian said...

Great writing advice...I'll have to rewrite the first part of my book.

:)Ian(:

Sapphira Adi said...

That was great, Shelby! Is Adonai the God-figure in you book? Or do you want us to find out?

Araken said...

Wow, that is really cool! So what do you call these trees?

Sapphira- Adonai is a Hebrew word, one of the names of God. I'd say yes to your first question.

Sapphira Adi said...

Great, now I feel kind of stupid. *glares at Araken* Just kidding:)

Araken said...

Sapphira- You're very smart. I haven't come up with as many poems as you have.

Shelby- glad to fight alongside you in this war

Camden said...

I agree with Ian. I haven't exactly thrust all the history in the audiences face, persay, but I still think that maybe the history could be a little more spaced. I'll have to look at that.

Sapphira Adi said...

Thanks, Araken:) By the way, just because I write good poems (as you all you say they are) doesn't mean I'm not a dunderhead in other subjects (which I'm not!). Before I continue rambling, I'll just say one more time: great advice, Shelby!

Anonymous said...

HPPY BIRTHDAY SHELBY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sapphira Adi said...

Happy Birthday, Shelby! I'll post something about it later!

Shelby Marie said...

Hey guys, glad you liked my post.
Araken--no name for the trees yet. Any ideas?
Sapphira--Adonai is indeed my God-figure.
Christian--thank you very much!

Write On!!!
Shelby Marie

Araken said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHELBY!! Check my blog

Ian said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU...14 today right?

HAve a great BiRtHdAy!

:)Ian(:

Camden said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! Have a G-R-E-A-T
Day!

Mike said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Mike said...

shelby, if you would be kind enough to my last comment off, it's slightly wrong; i would elaborate, but it involves the security of my/Ian's website.

the actual URL to go to to view the firsts of my books' contents would be:

http://powerofthepen.maylanshore.googlepages.com/prologueandfirstchapterofriverofdreams

(for River of Dreams)

and

http://powerofthepen.maylanshore.googlepages.com/prologueandfirstpageofchicagomidnight

for Chicago Midnight.

Keep writing, Shelby..and hurry up and write that book, i need something good to read!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mike said...

sorry bout that mess, but i'm still learning how to use blogger.

i may have to reread part of my book; i don't think it's badly written, but one never knows, do they, hmm?

anyways, keep writing, and maybe post a few interesting bits of the story every now and then. I should start doing that!!

----mike----