Writers Drawing The Line For Their Characters

We, as people, have all kinds of values and codes we live by whether we’re fully aware of how we define them or not. There are things that just stick in our craws or rub us the wrong way. There are lines that can’t or won’t be crossed and places we don’t want to go. Beliefs we hold dear and of course reactions to those held by others.

So, how can we use all this in writing. 

Simple. 

Make your characters draw their lines in the sand. Think about the big issues in life and how your characters feel/react to them. How they can be integrated into your story and your characters to draw tension and create action.

For example. Where is the line drawn between a freedom fighter and a terrorist? Thinking of Snowden, just exactly who is a traitor or who is a whistle blower patriot? How do you decide when a character is out and out greedy or just very ambitious? At times how does your character determine the difference between murder and justice? Confronting a black-hearted, cold-blooded killer who’s just murdered one the hero loves is it murder to kill that person or is it justice? 

There are many lines to be drawn, many strongly held beliefs. An assassin kills without a second thought – but he/she won’t harm a child – no matter what.

Life is full of dichotomies; give some to your characters. Force the issues in their lives. Put them up against their own strongly held beliefs and moral codes.  Let the freedom fighter teeter dangerously close to becoming no more than a terrorist and find himself again. Is all great ambition no more than cloaked greed? Let your character sort that out.

And what about responsibility for our own actions? The hero or heroine’s actions? When is it a ‘child’ committing a crime (cold blooded murder by a twelve-year-old) and when should that ‘child’ be considered an adult? By his or her age? By his or her actions? By his or her understanding of right and wrong?

How about a criminal who performed a violent act that cost the lives of many? If he is a great person in prison, helping others find their way out of a life of crime and then proceeds to save the warden’s life during a prison break out does that make up for the past? Is he reformed ~ or not? Should he be granted his freedom? What about those he harmed so grievously in the past? Is one of them going to come after him with revenge in mind?

Yep, it’s worth thinking about. You can see it in many movie plots and novel threads and you see it every day around you. Just read the paper or listen to the news, or your friends chat.

Take those lines drawn, those beliefs and force your characters to make hard choices. Draw some lines and see where it leads.

Writers And Readers Websites Wednesday

A day late, but here nonetheless.  Sorry, got swamped yesterday, but who says Thurs. can't serve as Wed? 

Writer looking for a site to give you some tips on the ins and outs on character, inspiration, editing,  and story structure? Check out the site belonging to K. M. Weiland that lays claim to:  Helping Writers Become Authors .

Writers With The Slows

Sometimes writing is just slow.

Sometimes you can’t get an idea to save your life.

Sometimes you just want to give yourself a little nudge and kick the whole writing process into gear. You’re sick of staring into space, sick of faking it, believing that faking it will actually make the writing happen; all to get it moving. 

I’m not talking about writer’s block, really, more like writer’s slow.  Stuff is rattling around, but just doesn’t seem to want to get moving.  What to do?

Today I have a few suggestions.

First, relax, take a few deep breaths.  The harder you push, the harder it is.

So…

1. Doodle.  Yep, grab a pencil and put it to paper. Draw swirls and zigzags and pictures. Stick figures,  circles or whatever.  Or, as an extension of that doodling, write some lines, ideas or part of your story in longhand in a notebook instead of on the computer. You remember,  pen in hand, pen to paper, write words.  It’s a magical practice indeed. And it will prime the pump.

2. Another idea. Got an old dictionary or maybe thesaurus you no longer use?  Chop it up into strips with words. Keep the definitions or synonyms attached. Toss all those bits of paper into a box or a bag and pull out one or two…or three or four.  Combine them, turn them around, play with ideas.Write something down on that blank page.

3. Try re-reading what you wrote yesterday or the day before.  Read any notes you made about the project. Tweak it a bit as you go if changes present themselves. Then jump off the cliff and keep on writing. Hey, if you mess it up you can always change it in the next draft.

4. Some kind of “I’m getting ready to write” ritual is a help to many writers.  Something or a series of small somethings you do before you sit down to actually write and tell stories. Perhaps arrange pens neatly on your desk with a pad near your computer for quick jots, turn on some favorite soothing music, light a candle, put your cup of coffee in the usual place, give yourself 15 minutes for a quick email check (set a time or you can get sucked into the feared procrastination mode). Create something that is like a path leading your brain to where you want it to be - writing mode.  Then do the same thing each time you sit down to write.

5. Consider reading a book on writing. Larry Brody has a great one on TV Writing called Television Writing From The Inside Out http://amzn.to/WtiNE1 - Stephen King offers On Writing A Memoir Of The Craft - http://amzn.to/12s15lc and there’s my own Out of Thin Air http://bit.ly/PscQ2b All are packed with tips on writing and ideas and reflections on the writer’s life. Doubtful you’ll actually get through the book right then because your own juices will begin flowing. And there are many more to choose from.

6. Consider looking through magazines or some other resource you feel comfortable destroying and cut out images that speak to you, inspire you, amuse you.  Tack them up, get lost in them.  Allow one to inspire you, to draw you in, to suggest a story you can’t ignore; one you just have to write.

That’s the gist of it today. If you have a favorite method of getting yourself rolling, of getting those writing juices flowing. If you have a way to trigger the creative story flow, leave a post below and let’s lengthen this list.