This is my favorite part, creating the characters that will carry the story from beginning to end, letting them get under my skin, allowing them to become familiar enough that I start thinking about them all the time.Want a character to be shorter? Poof! He's now four feet tall. Think she should have an addiction problem? Tap-tap-tap on your keyboard and suddenly the woman's gambling online after her family goes to bed. Need some dramatic tension? Poof again as a door opens and there stands the 15 year old son your protagonist never knew he fathered back in high school...
And all this states the obvious: that writers really are just a buncha control freaks, don't you think?
17 comments:
I LOVE that magazine cover!! Is it online, or did you find this at a library!!
And what a fun, fun character you're creating!!! So many possibilities...
:-)
I agree. I am a control freak and (sorta) proud of it. ;-)
I agree with your first commenter. That's a great magazine cover!!!!
I admire how writers think up characters (and stories) in a poof-like fashion. It's why I love lurking on author blogs!
Yowza!
I haven't even read
Silver Compass yet and you've got me dying to read this next one of yours. Great photo.
Christine - I love that magazine cover, too! I found it online and because it says 1936 on the front I saved it (that's the same timeframe when my secondary character is a magician in the story). Cool, huh?
Melissa -- I'm with you.
Puffed out proud to be a control freak!
Wordman17 -- How's Alaska?! Hope the weather isn't too cold for yah.
Nadine -- Ahhhh... so you're revealing yourself as an author junkie, huh?
Victoria -- You made me smile.
What a nice start to the day.
Holly, remember telling us that you had so many stories in your head that would never be told? Well maybe you could conjure up more time with your writer's sleight of hand. :)
Sounds like this new one of yours is going to be quite interesting!
As always, can't wait to read it.
*LOL* I envy writers
the control freak side of their jobs frankly. Wish I had more control with mine!
We are either control freaks, or closet psychiatrists.
That does sound fun! As a memoirist, I don't have that luxury...but you make me want to try fiction, just to see what might happen!
I have been dabbling with two stories for a while now and I'm coming to understand how much confidence plays a part in all this. I want to create certain characters for example, but then I pull back worried about what others will think. Then I have these bursts where I say to myself, who the hell cares?
Does this happen to you?
I have sent you an email offline at your webemail this morning. My grandpap was a part-time magician in the mid 1940s so if you wnat to ask any questions I can probaby help.
Poof! I am a famous author with adoring followers!
Oh no, it didn't work. I'm still a struggling writer lurking on authors' blogs for the mere entertainment and informational value. The control freak in me must be broken.
I loved the post and picture, nonetheless. Thank P. Wood for steering me over to your pretty place. I might actually stay for awhile.
Either that or we're channelers. Not to mention jury, judge and hangman. Aaaahhhh! Feeeel the power! (Or is that just too many jelly beans?) :)
Happy Easter!
In our worlds, we are gods.
So glad I came across your post. I recently have been wondering how other writers come up with their characters. I am learning it is a little different for everyone. I have been to numerous author forums to ask and although I haven't received a ton of responses, the few that came were insightful.
Although my genre is a bit different (children's books) the process is still the same.
I recently wrote an article on my blog about how the process works for us. I called it "The Character Creation Brings Out The Child In All of Us". I would love to hear your thoughts about it.
Warmest Regards,
-Kakie
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