Have you ever gotten over a hundred pages into writing a book and realize your characters are all generic, uninteresting and interchangeable? I have. So I decided if I wanted to have interesting dialogue, I needed to get to know my characters better. So I sat down with a notebook to figure them out.
Have you ever tried to create personalities for dozens of imaginary people that are all unique to each other? I have. And it's hard. After figuring out the backgrounds, personalities, and goals of three characters my brain was all, "I HURT! PLEASE STOP, I CAN'T THINK ANYMORE!".
Then I remembered last summer, when my brother Andrew had us all make characters for a game of Dungeons and Dragons (it was great fun, by the way). I was very impressed with all the different possible characteristics and traits to choose from in making a D&D character. So, feeling a little guilty and also a bit giddy, I looked up the lists of traits online to help me map out my characters.
I'm almost done with my characters, and then I can recommence writing once again! What I have so far is going to need some major revision, but I'm very optimistic. Which is not my usual M.O.
Hope your guys' books are going well! I'm assuming, because it seems like just about everyone these days is writing one.
After starting a novel like four times and never getting past ten pages at best, I've realized my strength is in short stories. I love writing the details and the moments and a plot line is just not my thing.
ReplyDeleteBut yeah, I can imagine that making people up would be very difficult because, Dang! People are complex.
Yeah, I'm much better at short stories. Ever since I read "Ella Enchanted", though, I wanted to write a book that would make someone else realize they liked reading, too. You should post some short stories sometime!
DeleteWhen realize that every character you write is you, is that a bad thing? Or just sign that you know yourself and your possibilities very well?
ReplyDeleteAre you talking about in my writing, or yours? You already know I do that, haha. That's why I was trying to use characteristics they listed that were NOTHING like me, to force me to move out of that.
DeleteThat's why I think J.K. Rowling is a genius. 'nuff said. I'm excited to read your book!
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