I recently started a new book. Well, not so recently. I just haven't made as much progress as I'd like. I'd been flailing around with it and for many months I couldn't figure out why. I loved the premise. It had a strong plot. I could even weave in some interesting themes without being intrusive to the story. When I finally sit down with all of my observation ,character studies, images, and plot outlines it often overwhelms me. Who's story is it? Will it work best with one point of view? Two? Should I tell it in 1st person? 3rd person? What are the stakes? How can I raise them? How far can I take it. Is that far enough?
And then there's my worst enemy -I no more have an editor, who from the very first word on the page begins to criticize direction, question word choice and order. My previous editor is such a pain, that I've been known to throw a pillow case over the monitor just to shut him up. Yes. I've done that.
A character in a book I recently created up came to me while I was watching to LIMITLESS movie.What might it be like to be his BFF? Challenging, I'd bet. So I started with that idea and worked from there. I ended up with one of my favorite (albeit difficult) characters.I almost always think I'm going to write a story in 1st person point of view. I'll write 10-15 chapters that way, and then I begin to feel restricted. I start all over again in 3rd person, but now I know my character. I can work the immediacy of 1st person thoughts into my 3rd person POV, and still have the flexibility that 3rd offers. Maybe someday I'll get a whole story down in 1st person and make it work. Maybe it'll be my current WIP. We'll see.
I tend to want perfection from the start. I forget that sometimes it's best to sit back and let the story come. This time I'm going to tell it all the first time, even those parts that won't make the final cut. Give myself permission to ramble. Edit later. *Puts a reminder post-it on the monitor* Yes, edit later...
Now, I never lift someone completely from life. Every character is unique, has a little of myself sprinkled in them, and is a composite from many sources, even snippets of conversation in the elevator.
And then there's my worst enemy -I no more have an editor, who from the very first word on the page begins to criticize direction, question word choice and order. My previous editor is such a pain, that I've been known to throw a pillow case over the monitor just to shut him up. Yes. I've done that.
A character in a book I recently created up came to me while I was watching to LIMITLESS movie.What might it be like to be his BFF? Challenging, I'd bet. So I started with that idea and worked from there. I ended up with one of my favorite (albeit difficult) characters.I almost always think I'm going to write a story in 1st person point of view. I'll write 10-15 chapters that way, and then I begin to feel restricted. I start all over again in 3rd person, but now I know my character. I can work the immediacy of 1st person thoughts into my 3rd person POV, and still have the flexibility that 3rd offers. Maybe someday I'll get a whole story down in 1st person and make it work. Maybe it'll be my current WIP. We'll see.
I tend to want perfection from the start. I forget that sometimes it's best to sit back and let the story come. This time I'm going to tell it all the first time, even those parts that won't make the final cut. Give myself permission to ramble. Edit later. *Puts a reminder post-it on the monitor* Yes, edit later...
Now, I never lift someone completely from life. Every character is unique, has a little of myself sprinkled in them, and is a composite from many sources, even snippets of conversation in the elevator.
But they usually start from something external. So it's time for me to pay attention again.
How about you? Do your characters originate from observations? Or do you make them up from scratch?
Keep writing,
Firdaus
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