Comments on: Waypoints http://70daysofsweat.com/wordpress/archives/90 Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:26:50 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Lauren Dane http://70daysofsweat.com/wordpress/archives/90#comment-2387 Lauren Dane Sat, 03 Nov 2007 18:08:25 +0000 http://70daysofsweat.com/wordpress/archives/90#comment-2387 Portia - There are times when the work of writing a novel is simply organic and magic. Those moments when a chararacter shows an unexpected facet are my favorite times. Karen - yes. I have my notecards with the basic outlines of who the people are, and they'll toss a curveball at me every time. I love that! Portia - There are times when the work of writing a novel is simply organic and magic. Those moments when a chararacter shows an unexpected facet are my favorite times.

Karen - yes. I have my notecards with the basic outlines of who the people are, and they’ll toss a curveball at me every time. I love that!

]]> By: Portia Da Costa http://70daysofsweat.com/wordpress/archives/90#comment-2372 Portia Da Costa Sat, 03 Nov 2007 09:20:21 +0000 http://70daysofsweat.com/wordpress/archives/90#comment-2372 I always love the way characters change and mutate during the writing process. No matter how much planning I do, it's always the 'whoa, I never realised that!' moments in the actual writing that give me the greatest thrill. :) I always love the way characters change and mutate during the writing process. No matter how much planning I do, it’s always the ‘whoa, I never realised that!’ moments in the actual writing that give me the greatest thrill. :)

]]> By: Karen Duvall http://70daysofsweat.com/wordpress/archives/90#comment-2359 Karen Duvall Sat, 03 Nov 2007 01:06:10 +0000 http://70daysofsweat.com/wordpress/archives/90#comment-2359 Ain't that the truth? I just found out my hero has a thing for funny t-shirts. He's a thousand years old (not a vampire) and he's nuts for 21st century pop culture. Before I start a book, I do the character interviews and charts, etc., which I find very helpful, but I never know as much about my story people as I do once I'm well into the story. Ain’t that the truth? I just found out my hero has a thing for funny t-shirts. He’s a thousand years old (not a vampire) and he’s nuts for 21st century pop culture.

Before I start a book, I do the character interviews and charts, etc., which I find very helpful, but I never know as much about my story people as I do once I’m well into the story.

]]> By: Lauren Dane http://70daysofsweat.com/wordpress/archives/90#comment-2357 Lauren Dane Sat, 03 Nov 2007 00:17:09 +0000 http://70daysofsweat.com/wordpress/archives/90#comment-2357 Karen, my characters always surprise me with who they really are. It's a process for me every time, getting to know them. Your book sounds fab and your main character sounds like someone I'd love to read about! Karen, my characters always surprise me with who they really are. It’s a process for me every time, getting to know them.

Your book sounds fab and your main character sounds like someone I’d love to read about!

]]> By: Karen Duvall http://70daysofsweat.com/wordpress/archives/90#comment-2353 Karen Duvall Fri, 02 Nov 2007 19:57:10 +0000 http://70daysofsweat.com/wordpress/archives/90#comment-2353 I maybe be where you are, Lauren, as far as having written enough that I feel the process is getting easier in some ways and harder in others. I've reached the muddy middle of my WIP (33,000 words) and am having to re-evaluate some character goals and a few scenes waiting in the wings to be written. It's a balance issue for me, and almost always is. Making the whole story gel in a satisfying way can be a challenge (I'm talking about myself here), but I need to just get through to the end so that I can go back and fix the questionable stuff later. My story is an urban fantasy and my female main character didn't turn out to be quite what I'd first envisioned, so I can relate to what you're going through. But I'm glad my character has turned out the way she has. I think I started out the idea for the book by pigeon-holing her as being a certain way. Well, she's not, and she let me know that right away. She's a lot more vulnerable that I'd thought she'd be, so I'm trying to be careful in how she's portrayed. She's tough, but not that tough, not the kick ass take names later kind of gal. She's a headstrong, a do-whatever-it-takes-to-reach-her-goal kind of character, but she's also pragmatic and less prone to impulsive behavior than I thought she'd be. So these points, obviously, affect my original plan for the plot. This is part of what makes writing fiction so much fun. 8^) I maybe be where you are, Lauren, as far as having written enough that I feel the process is getting easier in some ways and harder in others. I’ve reached the muddy middle of my WIP (33,000 words) and am having to re-evaluate some character goals and a few scenes waiting in the wings to be written. It’s a balance issue for me, and almost always is. Making the whole story gel in a satisfying way can be a challenge (I’m talking about myself here), but I need to just get through to the end so that I can go back and fix the questionable stuff later.

My story is an urban fantasy and my female main character didn’t turn out to be quite what I’d first envisioned, so I can relate to what you’re going through. But I’m glad my character has turned out the way she has. I think I started out the idea for the book by pigeon-holing her as being a certain way. Well, she’s not, and she let me know that right away. She’s a lot more vulnerable that I’d thought she’d be, so I’m trying to be careful in how she’s portrayed. She’s tough, but not that tough, not the kick ass take names later kind of gal. She’s a headstrong, a do-whatever-it-takes-to-reach-her-goal kind of character, but she’s also pragmatic and less prone to impulsive behavior than I thought she’d be. So these points, obviously, affect my original plan for the plot. This is part of what makes writing fiction so much fun. 8^)

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