Holiday lull.
What? That’s no lull.
I’m referring to the potential lull in blog posts. Even on this hump day before the holidays, I don’t have anything major to report. I’ll try to figure out how to schedule posts, but it’s quite likely that I won’t have another post up until after Christmas. While I’m away, I won’t have internet, but I’ll keep writing. Fingers, toes, and wifi crossed. 🙂
WRITING:
Since I’m working with a new tone and ‘tude for Aaralyn’s Song, I’ve written character interviews to get to know the characters again. At their core, these are still characters I know and love from Camp NaNo. However, since certain plot points and circumstances have changed, I’m seeing a different facet to each player in the game, as it were. Of course, we also have the addition of some new favorites like Mother Hubbard. I’m so excited to develop her bada$$ery.
READING:
The good thing about combing sites for interesting reads (indie or otherwise) is the plethora of great stories to choose from. The bad thing? There’s a plethora of great stories to choose from. Since I’m sticking to my two indie to one mainstream (or more known) book ratio, I’m looking for reads in the MG/YA Fantasy and mystery thriller genres. I’m open to suggestions. 🙂
NETWORKING:
Not so much networking in the coming week or so, as much as actual face time with mi familia. It’ll be interesting to unplug and unwind, though, you know I’ll find some sort of writing implement to scratch out an idea.
LEARNING:
In preparation for the family getaway, I’ve been out and about sans yarn. Unfortunately, I don’t have any progress on that project. I did hear back from one of the people who did an arm knitting tutorial. She just knots on more yarn. I’ll give it a whirl and see how it turns out.
Meantime, I’m loading up the devices with language apps and ebooks. I’m packing light on weight but heavy on words.
I hope your holiday prep is going swell.
Textploits of the Writerly Persuasion 
When you do your character interviews, what questions do you use? Or do you use a set group of questions or just kind of go by the seat of your pants depending on what you want to know from the characters?
Kathy, if you use Scrivener, there is a nice basic sketch in the template that comes with the program. There is also a more in depth one at the Eclectics.com archives (a mostly defunct writer’s site, but there are some good articles still available there: http://eclectics.com/articles/character.html).
Pip Hunn used to have a great site called The Write Thing, with all sorts of pieces like that, but you need to look at things through the Internet Archive Way Back Machine to find any of them. This is a good one on story bibles: http://web.archive.org/web/20120316230127/http://www.write-thing.com/2010/05/12/making-a-writing-bible-an-essential-tool-for-story-writers/ If you’re willing to use the Way Back Machine, you should be able to find all the articles… Well worth the time.
Cool! Thanks!!
There are plenty of character worksheets that I’ve found. Even those RPG forms you can fill out. A seemingly innocuous phrase like “Favorite or First Childhood Pet” can be changed knowing certain details about my character. For instance, I can switch that up to “Where were you the day your best friend killed your pet dog?” This is just an example, but you get the idea.
To your question, it do a combo of fixed questions and pantsing. It’s not just the type of question I ask, it’s how I phrase it. The aim is to get under the skin of the character, make them squirm, and reveal things that sometimes even I don’t see coming. I enjoy asking questions with a romantic edge to a teenager or even a tween character. I’ve even had some characters clearly state how they find such questions pointless because they have more important matters to deal with. I find all responses–or lack thereof–useful in how the character arc will develop throughout the story.
Have fun with them and Happy New Year!
Hi, Tonette. Sorry about the other comment to Kathy being so full of links. I figured with your trying to get ready for travel and such the last you needed was a bunch of browsing extras to do. Hope you really enjoy the time away from the internet though.
Wish I could give you some book ideas, but actually, I’m looking for that sort of thing myself. My son is right in that age group and a voracious reader. (Not complaining!)
Keep smiling, keep knitting and write your dreams. 😀
No worries, Eden. Link away. I’m happy to see a dialogue exchange in the comments section. I’m all for us helping each other. I’ll check out these links, as well. 🙂 Time away was–interesting–but I hope for a productive start to 2014.
What type of books has your son read so far? I’ll keep an eye out and build a recommended reads list.
Thanks for your constant encouragement. Happy New Year!
Glad to know the links were appreciated then. I only wish Pip’s page wasn’t only available in the archives… so much great stuff there.
The Boodle is … well, lately his passion has been My Little Pony stuff, but he’s fond of mysteries and series books. Oh, and Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Interactive stuff… He likes to write his own pieces of a story, so in some ways a more sparse story gives him more room to create. Like me, he seems to be more attached to characters and a whole. He likes to read Dr. Who novels…
Happy 2014!