Thanks,  Brenna

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2. Detailed character sketches or “their character will be revealed to me as I write?”
I did one character sketch and it worked all right, but she was my first *real* character. Once I got down how to portray a character, I realized I didn’t need the sketch. I have a great one — super detailed and I can see how it can help a lot of writers, but I learn about my characters as I go. They definitely reveal themselves. Even with the girl I did sketch out, I ended up finding out later that she was a cutter at one point and now has blood lust going on…definitely didn’t plan either of those, but it’s who she is..

3. Do you know your characters’ goals, motivations, and conflicts before you start writing or is that something else you discover only after you start writing?
Only for one book. The first one. It *might* be my best, but it also has allowed me the freedom not to have to work so hard on the subsequent ones. I have more confidence. Once an idea enters my head, I take a few notes and let it all simmer ’til I can sit down and then I just write. I suppose I do have a good idea of what’s going on, but really only in the back of my mind. And it’s the knowledge the characters give me…not anything that I hyper aware of.

4. Books on plotting – useful or harmful?
Books on plotting are probably not all that harmful. Maybe not super useful, either, but what’s wrong with learning something new? As long as you’re not reading a book about *how* to write, in general (because, let’s face it, if you have to be taught how to write, you’re probably not a writer), I don’t see the harm. [Sorry, I'm not one of those people who believe writers can be made...]
I do believe that learning how to *tell* a story is super important. A writer must know how to portray the action and have reason for everything. If a character can easily get out of a situation, then something in your book needs to change. There has to be a reason for everything. Otherwise there’s no point. And I mention this mainly because a good friend read a few books on storytelling and he made me realize that that’s key. I’ve always asked questions about plot holes in movies and such—ever since I was little. If a character has a choice, but only make a certain one just to keep the story going, then something needs to be done…. Motivation/necessity — crucial!

5. Are you a procrastinator or does the itch to write keep at you until you sit down and work?
I’m a procrastinator, but only because I have no choice. If I could sit down and write constantly, I would. And I’ve done it before. But it caused some problems with the family, and now I’m taking care of my child completely by myself so I just don’t have the opportunities that I used to. But the itch is definitely there. It kills me.

6. Do you write in short bursts of creative energy, or can you sit down and write for hours at a time?
It completely depends. I *can* write eight hours a day and churn out chapter after chapter. But I just don’t have the chance. Now, if I was getting paid to write novels rather than articles, I’d have my child in day care after school and I’d work a *normal* work day and get a ton accomplished. But I don’t have that luxury

7. Are you a morning or afternoon writer?
Neither. I’m an ‘everyone’s gone to bed and I Finally have no responibilities’ type of writer. Along with the fact that I work better at night. I don’t really wake up ’til about 3 or 4 in the afternoon (I mean, I’m awake and up, but my brain isn’t functioning properly) and I’m raring to go at around 9-10pm. I stay up ’til 3, on average, but some nights I don’t even go to sleep. My personal filter tends to disappear then and I can just be me and let the characters flow through me at the same time. I don’t have to be a mom or a daughter or whatever else I’m supposed to be. I can just be a writer.

8. Do you write with music/the noise of children/in a cafe or other public setting, or do you need complete silence to concentrate?
I can write with about any noise besides music. Only because I’m way too into music and I’ll start listening to the lyrics and then my thoughts get all jumbled. I edit with music, though. Editing is like doing the dishes to me. Just second nature. Even though my characters write for me, it still takes more effort to churn out the draft than it does to revise/edit.

9. Computer or longhand? (Or typewriter?)
Computer. I’ll sometimes write scenes in my notebooks or journals, usually the beginning of a book — to become more personal with it. If I write it out longhand, I create a stronger bond with the brand new characters. But once that part’s done, it’s off to the computer I go. Even typing, it’s hard to keep up with my thoughts. I cannot write fast enough.

10. Do you know the ending before you type Chapter One?
Sometimes yes, sometimes no. It depends. My first book, yes. The other three I have going…I’ve not a clue. But I have others in my head that I know the ending to. I’m really not a type of writer you can pinpoint. I am how I am and that means jack…which can be rather annoying at times.

11. Does what’s selling in the market influence how and what you write?
I’ve honestly only considered the market once, and it was more about what was best for my character more than the market. But the decision was huge and market did factor in. Otherwise, an emphatic NO! If you’re writing for the market, well, nevermind. I won’t go there….

12. Editing – love it or hate it?
Adore it. I love making something better. It’s so great to me. But hey, I went to school to be an editor so I’m a little different than other writers. I know most aren’t the least bit fond of revisions.

13. Why do you want to write?
It’s not so much that I want to — I have to. It’s just me. Even if I’m just making a list for the store…I love writing. I love putting words together. I can do that with speaking, and I do — I don’t shut up half the time — but writing is just so much more. It’s a life in itself. Whole other worlds…. It’s just the best. I can’t Not write.

14. Do you want to publish your work? Why?
Of course! Some things are just for me, but I love sharing what I’ve written with others. I’d adore it if that could happen on a larger scale.

15. Do like to write alone or do you like to work with others?
Alone. Yup. I like advice from others after the fact, but while I’m writing I like to be alone. But heck, even if I’m not alone, you’d think I was. I ignore everything else going on around me. I can’t help it. Writing sucks me in and has more of a hold on me than pretty much anything else in life. Seems writing is my life.

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Since winning her first writing competition at a young age, Eden Tyler, has only fallen more in love with the written word. She uses her English, Psychology, and Sociology backgrounds to create depth to her own stories and novels while contributing to and running websites about writing. This is what fulfills her, along with working as Co-Editor for Fuel Your Writing, but she also enjoys the freelance work that puts food on the table (and that ever-essential roof overhead) for her family.

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As a writer, it is important to never forget this important line about antagonists, “They are people too”.  This is probably the most important maxim that a writer must live by other than “show don’t tell”.

I put together a list of things to keep in mind while creating the most crucial character in your book.

1) Who is the antagonist?
Like building any other character, one must create a detailed history of the antagonist.  The financial background, family life, favorite food, etc.

2) Why is the antagonist antagonizing the protagonist?
What is the ulterior motive?  Did the “good guy” in the novel make fun of the “bad guy” in high school?  People don’t just do things, there is a logic behind everything that is done, whether it is sound or not.

3) Give the antagonist a weakness.
No one wants to read a book that the antagonist completely overwhelms the protagonist, making no hope or point in the plot.

4)  Make sure that the antagonist has a soft-spot
Does the antagonist have a thing for fluffy bunnies?  Make sure to keep in mind that the antagonist is a person.

5) Is there a chance at redemption for the antagonist?
As a writer, it is imperative to be clear of the antagonist’s strengths, failings, and heart.  Does the antagonist deserve redemption?  Remember that this will not be in the eyes of you as a writer, but in the eyes of the protagonist.  The protagonist has the power to offer the “bad guy” a second chance if the “good guy” is really good.  Of course, the ball will then be in the “bad guy’s” court, whether he or she will accept the offer.

6) Don’t be afraid to let the tables turn
Let the story run its course when writing without cramping the style of the characters.  They may shock you with what they have done in their past and will do with their new experiences.  Be open to having a role reversal or having the reader understand the antagonist.

I think the most important thing in creating an effective antagonist is remembering that they are not just objects that make life more difficult for the protagonist, the antagonist is a real person.

Ariel Ceylan

http://ceylanthewriter.wordpress.com/

Ariel is a seventeen-year-old girl, a senior in high school, that has published her first book on September 24^th, 2009 through Xlibris, a self-publishing company.

Along with writing, Ariel Ceylan hopes to become a psychiatrist or a neurosurgeon.

Ariel Ceylan is a Girl Scout, a Gold Awardee, a People to People Student Ambassador, and a member of Girls’ State.  In her spare time, she loves to write, draw, sew, and create computer programs.

Her book is entitled The Tales of Whithith: The Assignment.  This book is about Zephyr, a Sorcerer-in-Training who is given an assignment about the mythology of the world he lives in.  Zili is a Warrior who is on a mission to build a watcher-group to monitor the worlds in case anything should happen to them…

Her book is available on Barnes and Noble, online as well as on Xlibris’ website.

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I just got my daughter’s costume. She’s going to be a flower this year. Yes, I waited to the last minute to buy her costume. And yes, the lesson was learned- if you wait until the last minute you’ll get a poor selection of costumes, but you’ll get them at a great price.

What would your MC dress up as for Halloween? What is your MC’s favorite Halloween candy?

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The only reason I was even thinking about my NaNo book is because Alexis has clammed up on me. She’s being rather stubborn and is as bad of a procrastinator as I am. She does not want to move forward and deal with all the difficulties that are ahead of her. Her absence has allowed my new character, Kyle (whom I found and briefly talked about in a post a couple months ago), to move forward and start whispering her story in my ear. Kyle’s pretty much at the shouting point now, whereas Alexis seems to have been rendered mute, so I gave in earlier today and wrote the first chapter and part of the second of Kyle’s story.

Yes, Alexis is frustrating me, but I’m falling in love with Kyle. She’s a cool chick and I’m loving learning about her. And hey, maybe I’ll find out that Alexis is jealous and likes to be center stage and the fact that I’m paying attention to Kyle will light a fire under Alexis to move on with her life and do what she has to do. It won’t be pretty, but it needs to be done and her story is great. So I’m hoping to get two awesome books out of this.

My point . . . yes, I’m getting there. And yes, I know I might be making myself sound insane in the process, but it’s true that “writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia,” just as E.L. Doctorow said. Sometimes I feel rather insane, but I love it!
So, yes, my point — are you, the writer, in charge of your stories? Do you plan everything out and make your characters do what you think they should? If you’re not getting anywhere, can you pull out a gun on your MC and see how s/he reacts to get the story moving ahead?
Me, I can’t do that. I just work backstage. My characters dictate everything, and if they’re not talking, no writing is getting done. Which is why it’s taking me so dang long to finish this first book. I’m almost there, but not quite. I have a fighter on my hands who just will not give in to my demands. Her demands are what matter.

So, are you in charge? Or are your characters? How do you write?
(I’m really hoping I’m not the only crazy one who believes her characters to be real and in control…. Please tell me I’m not! )
I’m interested to see how y’all go about telling your stories to the world.

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Since winning her first writing competition at a young age, Eden Tyler, has only fallen more in love with the written word. She uses her English, Psychology, and Sociology backgrounds to create depth to her own stories and novels while contributing to and running websites about writing. This is what fulfills her, along with working as Co-Editor for Fuel Your Writing, but she also enjoys the freelance work that puts food on the table (and that ever-essential roof overhead) for her family.

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The character I’m referring to is a middle-aged man with anger issues and I’m… well, none of those things. It was the realness of this character; the raw truth of his story and the often brutally honest, sometimes vulgar soaked thoughts that brought his story to life and into my world, permanently etched into my memory. This effect is a major goal, but not one that’s always achieved so easily.

When I’m having trouble getting into the minds of my characters or struggling to picture them in my story, I go people watching. This is one of the most fun and enlightening writing exercises you can do. If you’re just starting out go anywhere, a coffee shop, a park or just take a ride on the bus. If you already have a character outline think of the places your character would go and the type of people they would associate with and go to those places, watch those people.

Wherever I go I notice little things about people that can lift characters off the page. I used to take the subway to work and somehow always ended up a few seats behind this guy with a buzzed haircut who always kept a short pencil behind his ear. He never carried anything with him except a black lunchbox and once or twice a trip he would take the pencil from behind his ear and twirl it between his fingers then put it right back. Every day I would try to figure out what this guy did for a living – I was intrigued. What an odd character I would think.

There are people who dance as they walk; the ones you always assume to be listening to music, but guess what – lots of them aren’t! Some people wear spandex when it’s obvious they’ve never worked out a day in their life; some feel that it’s perfectly acceptable to let a pregnant woman stand while they sit comfortably in handicapped seating. Some shake their foot out of nervousness while others read books with covers on them so no one can see what they’re reading (and yes this drives me crazy because I always want to know what people are reading!).

Sometimes a simple hand gesture or tattoo on someone’s shoulder can spark a whole new story idea or create a character that your story is missing.

I just read an interview with Jennifer Aniston in the newest issue of Elle and she says when she thinks about a character she thinks about the shoes. “What kind would she wear? How would she walk in them? If I’m going to put on a dress for a role – I don’t care if it’s the hardest dress to put on – I have to put the shoes on first”, she said.

This can be a great place to start with people watching. Find your character’s shoes and then look up to find your character.

Everywhere you go there will be interesting people in varying shapes, sizes and personalities, and by simply sitting back and watching sometimes, you can give your characters those true human elements that make people feel like they know them, relate to them and miss them once they’re gone.

Shelby Rachel

Shelby graduated with a degree in Media Studies and a diploma in Journalism from University of Guelph-Humber. She was trained in broadcast, radio and print media, and completed her internship as an Editorial Assistant at Outpost Magazine in Toronto.

As an Editorial Assistant she was responsible for copyediting, fact-checking, rewriting and writing small articles. Shelby had a number of articles published in Outpost and once her internship was finished she stayed on as a freelancer for a few issues.

She has taken on freelancing as a fulltime career and loves what she does more than she ever thought possible. The majority of her work has been ghostwriting blogs and articles for companies both small and large for the purpose of driving traffic to their business websites and expanding their clientele.

http://shelbyrachel.com/

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Sewing is a contact sport. You get hurt (uh…needle through the finger anyone?), you sweat up a storm (those tiny light bulbs are about 1,000 watts), and you end up wanting to break something (usually the bobbin). Oh…and men tend to cringe at the very thought of it.

Yes, sewing is not for wimps. And I am most definitely a wimp. 

But I’ve found myself sewing for hours during the past two weeks, making a  Quiet Book for my daughter. The balloons look deflated and the ladybug looks squashed and I am quite proud of it. I thought I’d donate my body to research before I ever said that last part. 

What has your character created that they are proud of?

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Do your characters brush their teeth before or after they shower? Is it shampoo first, then soap and condition or do they use the same soap for everything?  

Tell me your character’s personal hygiene regimen.

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If your characters could do anything they wanted for one day, what would it be? (Keep it PG, people!)

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