Friday, August 26, 2011
Barbie Jo's Bunkhouse: Those Darn Characters
Once again this week I didn't get much of my own work done. Frustrating to say the least. I made a couple feeble attempts, but it had been so long since I'd looked at the piece, I had to go back quite a few pages to get myself back into the story (and you all know how THAT goes). Now, I have the rest of this story plotted out. This should be easy, right? All I have to do is basically follow my notes. I'm probably 20-30 pages away from "then end". So what, pray tell is my problem?
It's those darn characters, that's what!
I love them, but they have decided to stop talking. Why? because I plotted their ending? If they'd give me a chance to write it, they might like it, and they know I'm totally open to a shift or two if that's how they want to roll. But no, they serioiusly put on the brakes. I've been wondering if it isn't my hero's teenage daughter. I ended up bringing her in a bit more than intented (this thought came to me as I tossed and turned around 4a.m.). I don't feel like she's taking over the story at all because what's going on with her father is very dramatic for a teen. I'm oh-so-sorry Mr. Hero if the spotlight isn't on you. Then again, the story is in my heroine's point of view so I'm sure this is all her doing and he's just supporting her as a good hero should! They have such chemistry together!
I spent a couple days this week reading and critiquing for a friend (so I was doing writing related work, just not my own!). She gets so deep into character and I love it! I want to be like her and I have no idea why characterization is so hard for me. I've read it, I know it, but I swear sometimes I just don't accomplish what I need to. I'm hoping that this can be a learned skill and that the more I have to go over my work for this same issue...it's going to stick. Don't get me wrong, I think I do well with my characters, but I know I can do more and make them better. We've all heard "writing is re-writing", which is 100% true.
I'm beginning to think I need to write some kind of thriller/mystery with a psychiatrist so I can research and do a case study on myself! LOL.
What tricks do YOU have for getting deep into character? How do you make them "tick" and come alive? Are there any classes you've taken you found helpful or a website you particularly liked or found informative?
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5 comments:
Your characters rock, you just overthink things and start to doubt yourself like I do all the time!
You WILL finish this story, you just need some "quality" time.
For my characters, I keep a cheat sheet next to my computer. that way I can keep referring to it and remember, "Oh yeah, that person uses this phrase a lot or does that habit a lot, etc." That way they look and act and sound different than the other characters. And knowing their "issues" will also affect what they say and do.
Good luck. Have fun at the fair today, and then get back to work, chica!
Barbie, it sounds like Kari's right. I've read some of your stuff, and there's not a problem with characterization. You're just stuck. Accept it..even make friends with it. Next week or the week after, your muse will wake you up again, but this time, she'll have a lot to say.
I find it so funny that you are stuck because you plotted too much. I get so stuck when I haven't plotted enough.
Barbie Jo when my characters refuse to cooperate or simply disappear, I make them write me a letter. I know, odd, but taking them out of the story for a time out can bring them back to life. Or put them in dire peril. That gets their attention.
30 pages to go? You are so ON IT. Just write. They'll catch up to you in the edits :)
~Rochelle
Oooh, you're practically at the finish line! I know what you mean about having to re-read to get back into a story--I'm at that same phase right now too. But that's actually fun sometimes, to see where you've started, and watching the characters develop.
Give yourself some slack. Tell your characters you're going to work on something else -- it always tricks them into cooperating. :) Mainly, don't fret. (I'm trying to follow that advice myself. LOL)
Thanks for all the advice ladies!! And actually two days in a row at our NYS Fair has given me a new appreciation for my characters. You have NO idea the kinds of "real" characters I laid my eyes on. LOL. That's a whole new blog post put together!!
Let's just say, I got bored and even took some pictures to go with my commentary. It may end up being a FB post yet! I'm not sure though, but my captions were hysterical and I wasn't even drinking!!!
And when I sat down tonight after dinner I actually wrote 5 pages! So I'm happy, my characters are happy and hopefully I can continue and get this sucker d.o.n.e.
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