Characters are the people animals or objects that stuff happens to in your book. Yep sorry I just stated the obvious.
(Note this mid week links might be pretty short since I'm doing it while I'm on vacation and because as soon as I get back I have a two day long meeting I need to do)
Donald Maas in Fire in your Fiction has the first section of his book dedicated to characters, a protagonist verses a hero. A hero has MUCH higher stakes. And he has great chapter on secondary characters, go check it out.
YA highway has a few good links about characters.
The bad boy-- why we love them oh so much
Parents in YA-- why can't anyone have a happy family?
5 protags in YA- The 5 big ones.
Character description---- THIS ONE IS AWESOME and exactly what I needed, who cares about anyone else.
Mary Kole asks What Makes a Character?
Querytraker.net Blog gives a GREAT character interview sheet. If you don't know what these are, it helps the writer dive in deeper in the character's mind and get to know them better. It also gets it all out on paper which you can use as a resource later. This is on my to do list before I start my next set of revisions.
Another interview sheet comes here, from writer's digest.
Here's a great one that Lynda uses (I got it from her blog yesterday)
Oh Mr Bradford, what wisdom do you have for us this week? Do you control your characters or do they control you... A great question when it comes to writing.
Words of wisdom from me-- well there's really words from Meghan but stolen by me.
Be kind to your characters, they are people too, imaginary people, but people none the less. You've created a world in your novel and you've got to populate it with SOMETHING. Don't just kill off a character because you're in a bad mood. It's not fair to you, the characters or your readers.
I'm sort of running low on ideas. What would you like next weeks midweek links to be about?
Let me know in the comments.
Showing posts with label queryrtacker.net blog. Show all posts
Showing posts with label queryrtacker.net blog. Show all posts
Thursday, July 08, 2010
Thursday, July 01, 2010
Midweek links- description
Hello, my name is Erinn and I SUCK AT DESCRIPTION.
I would say besides spelling, grammar and telling a good story, description is my weakest area of writing.
This week's Midweek Links will be about Description.
Here's what I know about it. Describe what's important, the shoe laces of the MC isn't important when he or she is running away from a bear bee hybrid. (I just scared the crap out of myself with this one)
Don't spend lots of time describing clothes... why? Because it's useless and BORING!!!! It's safe to assume the character is wearing clothes. Walk down any high school, every kid is wearing the same basic thing, a shirt and pants... maybe a girl will wear a skirt, but she's only doing that to impress one specific boy.
Books to read about description:
On Writing, by Stephen King, Section On Writing, Chapter 6.
Blogs who write about description.
My go to blog for this little segment is Mary Kole's blog Kidlit.
Every writer's guide says "Show don't tell." Sometimes it's important to tell, and Mary talks about when it's good to tell. But she also talks about "showing and telling" here.
More on showing not telling here by Blood Red Pen. Do you know what fills up a lot of books? People. Here's how to describe them.
Here's one I know I personally struggle with, describing and showing emotion.
Querytracker.net blog
Wanna describe a character, try the dramatic approach.
Top ten mistakes writers make...
Writer's Digest:
Writer's tip of the day- exposition--- too much. How to enrich your descriptions.
ok it took me an hour to find these few links, that's it, I'm googling now. So much easier---
All kinds of writing: Three parts of writing
Six quick Tips to writing description- POEWAR
How to write a character description. Ehow
You would think there would be a lot more information about this, but after an hour and 15 minutes this is all I've found.
I would say besides spelling, grammar and telling a good story, description is my weakest area of writing.
This week's Midweek Links will be about Description.
Here's what I know about it. Describe what's important, the shoe laces of the MC isn't important when he or she is running away from a bear bee hybrid. (I just scared the crap out of myself with this one)
Don't spend lots of time describing clothes... why? Because it's useless and BORING!!!! It's safe to assume the character is wearing clothes. Walk down any high school, every kid is wearing the same basic thing, a shirt and pants... maybe a girl will wear a skirt, but she's only doing that to impress one specific boy.
Books to read about description:
On Writing, by Stephen King, Section On Writing, Chapter 6.
Blogs who write about description.
My go to blog for this little segment is Mary Kole's blog Kidlit.
Every writer's guide says "Show don't tell." Sometimes it's important to tell, and Mary talks about when it's good to tell. But she also talks about "showing and telling" here.
More on showing not telling here by Blood Red Pen. Do you know what fills up a lot of books? People. Here's how to describe them.
Here's one I know I personally struggle with, describing and showing emotion.
Querytracker.net blog
Wanna describe a character, try the dramatic approach.
Top ten mistakes writers make...
Writer's Digest:
Writer's tip of the day- exposition--- too much. How to enrich your descriptions.
ok it took me an hour to find these few links, that's it, I'm googling now. So much easier---
All kinds of writing: Three parts of writing
Six quick Tips to writing description- POEWAR
How to write a character description. Ehow
You would think there would be a lot more information about this, but after an hour and 15 minutes this is all I've found.
Wednesday, June 09, 2010
Midweek links-Synopsis
Synopsis = sucknopsis.
For those of you who don't know Synopsis suck, hence the name sucknopsis. A Synopsis is a one to two page summary of your book. That's not a big deal, right? you wrote the book, you should know what's it's about? Right.
Um no.
How do you condense a 70,000 word book into 1 page?
Leave out the details.
Tell, don't show <--which goes against EVERYTHING you know as a write.
Main plot points only.
Focus on the main character.
Sounds simple enough, but here's the thing, no one goes into writing to write a summary. No, we write because we like word play, we like characters, we like dialogue or exploring new ideas or rich worlds that are completely unlike our own. In other words we write because we like to be creative.
A synopsis is boring, its like REAL work... worse yet it's like a homework or a book report.
Why does it need to get done? Because some agents require it, how else are they going to know what happens in your book if you don't tell them.
So below are a few links on how write a sucknopsis.
Enjoy:
At Guide to Literary Agent blog, Chuck Sambuchino gives an example of a great synopsis for possibly one of the greatest movies in the past 20 years, Eternal Sunshine in a Spotless Mind. What's nice about this is that the movie is very confusing story and yet makes complete sense. It would be a nightmare to write a synopsis for it, but Chuck does an excellent job of it. And he includes some links at the bottom of his page.
He also give a few step by step example of how to write it here.
Querytracker.net Blog is always a good resource on how to write in general. Here's one on how to make your synopsis ROCK and who doesn't like a little rock.
YA Highway has a great article about the dreaded synopsis and I'm pretty sure this is where I stole to term Sucknopsis.
Because a mid week link session would be complete without it, here's Nathan Bradford's take on a synopsis.
Lots of the sights repeat the same information, again and again.
And it all comes down to practice.
Yes, it's skill and drill. Yes, its homework. But of the query process is like the final test, then having a great synopsis is like having a great study guide.
For those of you who don't know Synopsis suck, hence the name sucknopsis. A Synopsis is a one to two page summary of your book. That's not a big deal, right? you wrote the book, you should know what's it's about? Right.
Um no.
How do you condense a 70,000 word book into 1 page?
Leave out the details.
Tell, don't show <--which goes against EVERYTHING you know as a write.
Main plot points only.
Focus on the main character.
Sounds simple enough, but here's the thing, no one goes into writing to write a summary. No, we write because we like word play, we like characters, we like dialogue or exploring new ideas or rich worlds that are completely unlike our own. In other words we write because we like to be creative.
A synopsis is boring, its like REAL work... worse yet it's like a homework or a book report.
Why does it need to get done? Because some agents require it, how else are they going to know what happens in your book if you don't tell them.
So below are a few links on how write a sucknopsis.
Enjoy:
At Guide to Literary Agent blog, Chuck Sambuchino gives an example of a great synopsis for possibly one of the greatest movies in the past 20 years, Eternal Sunshine in a Spotless Mind. What's nice about this is that the movie is very confusing story and yet makes complete sense. It would be a nightmare to write a synopsis for it, but Chuck does an excellent job of it. And he includes some links at the bottom of his page.
He also give a few step by step example of how to write it here.
Querytracker.net Blog is always a good resource on how to write in general. Here's one on how to make your synopsis ROCK and who doesn't like a little rock.
YA Highway has a great article about the dreaded synopsis and I'm pretty sure this is where I stole to term Sucknopsis.
Because a mid week link session would be complete without it, here's Nathan Bradford's take on a synopsis.
Lots of the sights repeat the same information, again and again.
And it all comes down to practice.
Yes, it's skill and drill. Yes, its homework. But of the query process is like the final test, then having a great synopsis is like having a great study guide.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
The weakest link, on the weakest day.
Contest pimping and pitching.
First off, how do you like the new format? Cid thanks for your help and Alicia sorry for snipering it.
I'm going to start the doing a thing where in the middle of the week I'm going to post links to blogs I found to be useful, because as Alicia pointed out, Friday everyone's doing it, (because Friday is the most logical day.)
Contest Pimping
http://leaguewriters.blogspot.com/2010/05/introducing-league-of-extraordinary.html
League of extraordinary writers is a blog for people who love the most scary screwed up future the writers can think of. It's called a dystopia. Lots of pretty amazing YA books (young adults for those who are not in the know) feature a dystopian society, the most famous being The Giver.
The blog just started and they're having a contest, FREE STUFF. Go check it out.
Pitching
In exactly 10 days I will be going to a writers conference. My last writers conference was possible the worst day of my life, more about this to come at a later date.
Insanely I signed up for a three minute pitch session. *shakes my head in shame because clearly I didn't learn from last time*
So I am going to include some links on how to pitch a book to an agent, because I need a refresher.
As far as I can tell, pitching a book is like a verbal query letter, but you can see the agent's face as their eyes glaze over in boredom or shine with excitement.
Rachelle Gardner talk here about why it's so important. Basically it comes doing to being able to read body language.
After 9 years of being a teacher, you would think I'd be an expert at it... NOPE, if I have an idea I'm going to steamroll through you until I've said it, no matter how uncomfortable you are during the process.
She then goes on to say what to do during a pitch, like STEP by STEP DIRECTIONS. Pretty much the most useful and awesome thing ever. Her final advice was that agents are people too. Yes they are people but they are people with POWER, they can validate five years worth of work or they can make you cry. <-- that's my addition not hers. I should say EVERY agent I've ever encountered has been very kind and extremely helpful. Still they're kinda scary.
Over at QueryTracker.net Elana Johnson talked to Laura Rennert who gave 5 steps to a great pitch. Serious five steps and a five minute timer will give a perfect pitch. Guess what I'll be doing over the long weekend?
Just for some good measure some conference to do and NEVER EVER do's.
Agent and blogger superstar Nathan Bradford talks about the one sentence pitch and the one paragraph, and two paragraph pitch.
He's so dreamy.
Mary Kole talks about Pitchcraft and she did it MONTHS ago because she's a trendsetter. She will also be at the conference I'm attending and I pray to God I don't puke on her shoes. Maybe I should bring an extra pair of shoes for her, just in case.
Kathleen Teman talks about the one sentence pitch here and since she's running the NJ SCBWI conference I'm going to, it's some solid advice.
Ok there's you go TONS of links.
Any thoughts on what to do next week?
First off, how do you like the new format? Cid thanks for your help and Alicia sorry for snipering it.
I'm going to start the doing a thing where in the middle of the week I'm going to post links to blogs I found to be useful, because as Alicia pointed out, Friday everyone's doing it, (because Friday is the most logical day.)
Contest Pimping
http://leaguewriters.blogspot.com/2010/05/introducing-league-of-extraordinary.html
League of extraordinary writers is a blog for people who love the most scary screwed up future the writers can think of. It's called a dystopia. Lots of pretty amazing YA books (young adults for those who are not in the know) feature a dystopian society, the most famous being The Giver.
The blog just started and they're having a contest, FREE STUFF. Go check it out.
Pitching
In exactly 10 days I will be going to a writers conference. My last writers conference was possible the worst day of my life, more about this to come at a later date.
Insanely I signed up for a three minute pitch session. *shakes my head in shame because clearly I didn't learn from last time*
So I am going to include some links on how to pitch a book to an agent, because I need a refresher.
As far as I can tell, pitching a book is like a verbal query letter, but you can see the agent's face as their eyes glaze over in boredom or shine with excitement.
Rachelle Gardner talk here about why it's so important. Basically it comes doing to being able to read body language.
After 9 years of being a teacher, you would think I'd be an expert at it... NOPE, if I have an idea I'm going to steamroll through you until I've said it, no matter how uncomfortable you are during the process.
She then goes on to say what to do during a pitch, like STEP by STEP DIRECTIONS. Pretty much the most useful and awesome thing ever. Her final advice was that agents are people too. Yes they are people but they are people with POWER, they can validate five years worth of work or they can make you cry. <-- that's my addition not hers. I should say EVERY agent I've ever encountered has been very kind and extremely helpful. Still they're kinda scary.
Over at QueryTracker.net Elana Johnson talked to Laura Rennert who gave 5 steps to a great pitch. Serious five steps and a five minute timer will give a perfect pitch. Guess what I'll be doing over the long weekend?
Just for some good measure some conference to do and NEVER EVER do's.
Agent and blogger superstar Nathan Bradford talks about the one sentence pitch and the one paragraph, and two paragraph pitch.
He's so dreamy.
Mary Kole talks about Pitchcraft and she did it MONTHS ago because she's a trendsetter. She will also be at the conference I'm attending and I pray to God I don't puke on her shoes. Maybe I should bring an extra pair of shoes for her, just in case.
Kathleen Teman talks about the one sentence pitch here and since she's running the NJ SCBWI conference I'm going to, it's some solid advice.
Ok there's you go TONS of links.
Any thoughts on what to do next week?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)