In her book, Write Away, one of the many things George advises is that you make a checklist of your main characters' traits before you begin to write. She calls it a character prompt sheet and keeps in by her WP before and as she's writing.Her list includes such items as gestures when talking, gait, what does he/she laugh at. I wonder if this is common. I've been going on the premise that I will discover most of these things about my characters as I write. That I will start off with just a few things in my head and let the rest take shape. Which do you do? Do you know the these things before you begin a story or novel?
I don't know any of those things. They come organically. However, I write a back story for the main characters. Even if I never use any of it it helps to know more about your character. That's all I do. I don't write outlines. And I never know what's going to happen.
ReplyDeletePatti,
ReplyDeleteGenerally, I can see my major characters in motion before I put them on paper. I also work to hear them and that takes more effort. I never write any of it down, but if it's good enough for EG, I ought to think about it.
Terrie
As I recall from a panel I was on with EG, she also outlines not just the novel but each individual chapter. And organizes her closet by colors.
ReplyDeleteHA! If I could just organize my closet in any way. Some say those in the know use wooden hangars and not metal. And they all face in the same direction.
ReplyDeleteI think writing the back story makes sense because it gets you inside their heads and you begin to develop your voice. But a thing like gait? I only think of gait if it's Quasimodo.
HA! If I could just organize my closet in any way. Some say those in the know use wooden hangars and not metal. And they all face in the same direction.
ReplyDeleteI think writing the back story makes sense because it gets you inside their heads and you begin to develop your voice. But a thing like gait? I only think of gait if it's Quasimodo.
The idea pops in the noggin and then I go straight to the keyboard. It's just natural that way and I'm always surprised and delighted by where the story leads.
ReplyDeletePatti, I think it all depends on whether you're a plotter or a pantser or somewhere in between. I write up a rough character bio as things occur to me and include things like physical description just so the character's hair and eyes don't change color as I write. I add things to the bios as I go, but I'm not a total plotter like EG. I'd never get anything written if I spent that much time getting organized!
ReplyDeleteYou have to find the process that works for you and disregard everything else. There's no one right way to write a book.
Linda / Lyndi
I guess as a short story writer I'm pretty much like David. But maybe in trying to write a novel I have to be more organized and less "overtaken" by the moment. I don't think I will ever be as organized as EG. At my age, I don't have the time. Of course, perhaps making the time would be a good thing in the end.
ReplyDeleteI don't know what I'm doing, but as I figure it out, I believe I'm inclined to write my way into story and character. Then at some point, once things are moving pretty well, I have to stop, assess and start doing some of the organizational things that outliners do up front. I've heard of a lot of people writing up very detailed things about characters and I don't feel like I need to create a checklist to identify every childhood fear, favorite food, allergy and musical preference the character has. As a matter of fact, I feel a much greater need to sketch out the plot and structure related things that are much harder for me to manage. I feel like knowing and understanding the characters may be my strong suit. But that's me today, July 5th, 2008 and I haven't figured this out yet.
ReplyDeletePatti,
ReplyDeleteCoincidentally, John Floyd has an interesting column on outlining over at Criminal Brief.
http://criminalbrief.com/?p=1007
Terrie
Thanks for visiting my blog!
ReplyDeleteI do tend to start with a list of traits, but they don't always make their way into the story. I don't worry about it. I do lots of drafts, layering in more each time, and when I know the characters and the theme better, I'll add the traits and mannerisms then.
Shauna-That's pretty much what I do. Keep going over it and adding texture and nuance. Or at least try to.
ReplyDelete