Well it's my day to blog, it's almost midnight, and I got...nothing. In my defense, I forgot. I hope forgetfulness has nothing to do with middle age and everything to do with the fact that I have been in the writing zone for the past 24 hours.
Have you been there? I know you have. It's when all of a sudden story magic happens. You're fingers fly across the keyboard barely keeping up with the story pouring forth. Since 8:00 pm yesterday I've written 50 new pages. For me, that's a new record.
So, on to my Sparkle entry:
I flipped through Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass. I love what he says about making your characters larger than life. Here is a quick check list of what he says is important. Next week, I'll expand on this idea. Meanwhile how do your characters compare?
Larger Than Life Character Traits.
Strong - Scarlet O'Hara. She had principles- we may not agree with them but we can admire her grit.
Inner conflict - think Jason Bourne - as he regains his memory he had great internal struggles with the man he was and the man he strives to be
A sense of self-regard - emotions should matter to your character, even if the emotion is hate or anger. Think Sawyer.
Wit and Spontaneity - do things ordinary folk wouldn't. What can your characters do that will have your other characters talking about it? Stephanie Plumb (need I say more)
What characters can you think of that fit the list? Until next time, happy writing in the zone.
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4 comments:
Yeah and congratulations on 50 pages in any 24 hour period. I'm so jealous.
I love the writing zone -- darn it, it just doesn't show up often enough.
Keep posting about Mr. Maas. I've not read his stuff and love the overview.
What a great idea for a blog, and I love the Donald Maass book. :)
~S
Holy moly! 50 pages. That is amazing. Way to go, Mary. I'm going to start my own round of Fast Draft on Monday--not that I will knock out 50 pages in 24 hours, but maybe 15...everyday for two weeks!
Anyone interested in Fast Draft can visit Candace's Havens site at www.candacehavens.com and check under workshops. She's hosting a free online class right now!
Wow, this is a thoughtful list. Inner conflict is never a problem for me, but I'd love to have more Wit and Spontaneity in my characters. Most of the time, they're too busy being moody. :)
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