Rules for Writing Well; or, The Author's Toolbox

[twyrch]

Riothamus said:

Let's talk point of view. What's your preferred p.o.v.? Stein insists that third-person is too easy, and that first-person is the way to go. Personally, I think Stein is too full of himself to know the difference; and if he thinks good third-person is easy, he's got another think coming. But that's not to denigrate first-person--after all, if I thought first-person was for hacks, I wouldn't be here, would I?

I've lately been very much intregued with Jamesian third-person, where you have an omnicient narrator, free to comment on the action, who sees things through a flawed "reflector."

Anyone else?

I use Third-Person, rotated. I have 1 or two people per chapter that I rotate between POV... Each thoughts are seperated by paragraphs or location change markers like * * * * * between the sections.

[twyrch]

Riothamus said:

I look forward to seeing 'em.

Your wish is granted... Here's a few thoughts on Character Building.

Be it your Antagonist, protagonist or whatever you like to consider in between, whenever you write a piece of literature you have characters. Most of your fond memories of books you have read in the past are no doubt consequently related to a character(s) you enjoyed.

So what goes through your mind when you introduce a new character? Do you write on a whim giving no thought to the character at all? Letting it go through a vast many levels of experiences while taking on your own persona, or a persona you would like to be? That may be all well and good for your main character but when you start to introduce other characters and they all act / react the same, your story is going to suffer.

So, for people who have trouble building characters or organizing the way you build characters, I figure fellow writers should share their expertise in the area. Before I give my opinion, I would like to hear what others have to say.

A list of questions if you’re short up for answers.

How do you go about making a character?
Do you think about characteristics of your characters?
Do you draw character sketches?
Do you organize this list or keep a mental note as you write?
Do you follow the same procedure with all your characters?
Do you use your own life experiences to guide some characters?
What type of characteristics are important to you?
What characteristics do you have the most fun with?

[laurelin]

Long list...um...

For me, characters come in two ways. The first, they're based on the story idea, and gradually evolve into a cohesive being. Sometimes, although not often, they spring into my mind fully formed (pardon the Greek allusion). Those characters grow, as well, but they have a personality the moment I think of them. Characters are one of those things that come naturally to me. Every so often, I have a character who's difficult to write, or about whom someone complains as having an elusive or contradictory personality. When that happens, I have to think about who I want that character to be.

Sometimes a certain physical attribute seems natural to a character, but often I have to pay attention to details, such as eye color, or forget to mention anything at all about their appearance.

I used to make character lists like mad in excel. They kind of help me to organize my thoughts, and reassure myself I won't forget minor characters and little details (like eye color). I have been known to draw sketches (I have one of Miranda I'm fond of), but only when I have writer's block, or am stuck in a boring class ;D


All of my characters have something of myself in them. They have to, or else they wouldn't be real. Their motivation comes from my reason and emotions. No matter how different the character/scene is from my personal experience, its reality is based in that pool of my experience and knowledge from which I draw it.

The characters I love the most are the ones that have something original in them. One of the things I'm working on came from something I did in high school (long story). The only reason I decided not to scrap it was because I was so incredibly pleased with the character designs I did for that. Their names were awesome; they all had their particular appearances and mannerisms, not to mention their flaws, and their relationships with one another were perfect for displaying and developing those attributes.

[twyrch]

laurelin said:

All of my characters have something of myself in them. They have to, or else they wouldn't be real. Their motivation comes from my reason and emotions. No matter how different the character/scene is from my personal experience, its reality is based in that pool of my experience and knowledge from which I draw it.

I do this as well. Each character has a small piece of my personality in it, or I can't make them believable.

[Riothamus]

I construct my cast in one of two ways: intuitively or idealistically. Intuitively, they arise from the waves of my subconcious on a seashell (somewhat painful, I would imagine....) Many minor characters come this way--the pompous banker, the crazy poet, et cetera. Sometimes they're stock figures, but if they're minor it's no biggie, and if they're major (as sometimes happens,) it gives me a chance to bring something new the table.
Idealistically, they generally spring from some point or feeling that I want to get across. I'll say to myself (for instance,) "I need a character who contrasts with my detective in points a, b, and c...."

Of course, either way I flesh 'em out. I used to be big on the table-method: Eyes: Blue; Hair: Black. And for essentials I still do that--hair and eye colour especially, though generally I can remember those pretty well. Then I do a little free-association writing: I write anything that pops into my head about the character, such as: "She felt from an early age that she would grow up to be a peacock, or something of the sort; this can tie in with D's desire to...." et cetera. It helps me get a feel for the character.

And this is essential--I must feel the character--not feel like them, but feel that they are tangible, touchable; if I can't feel it, I can't write it convincingly. For this reason, I suppose, many of my characters are (as the two of you have said concerning yourselves,) much like me in some way. But even those who don't (I would not own to being anything like the pompous banker, for instance, though I suppose my aquaintances would disagree,) I must feel their reality intensely, more intensely than I feel the reality of those around me.

Same goes for situations, by the way; if I can't feel the situation, feel that it is moving me, I can't write it.