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Friday, Dec. 27, 2024

8:30pm EST

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Writing Blog Number 2

by S

Rated: 18+ · Book · Personal · #2311764

This is a continuation of my blogging here at WdC

This will be a blog for my writing, maybe with (too much) personal thrown in. I am hoping it will be a little more interactive, with me answering questions, helping out and whatnot. If it falls this year (2024), then I may stop the whole blogging thing, but that's all a "wait and see" scenario.

An index of topics can be found here: "Writing Blog No.2 Index"

Feel free to comment and interact.

Show Recent Comments

10 Most Recent Blog Comments:

Kåre เลียม Enga

Dec 21, 2024 at 12:34am
In response to "20241221 Kudzu Plotting"

IMO Anne McCaffrey does this well with the parallel Dragonriders of Pern and Harper Hall trilogies. Adults-with-dragons; youth with fire-dragons. Memorable world building. Wonderful characters.

Kudzu the plant... only a curse for those who don't know its uses: forage, food, fiber.

Dec 19, 2024 at 7:09pm
In response to "20241219 'Misogyny' In Writing"

🐕GeminiGem🎁 - I chose Grease because it is so egregious and goes against everything Sandy had demonstrated up to that point. Dirty Dancing was set a few years later (early 60s), and, though Baby changes, it is gradual and is more a change of growing up, being true to herself. So, I think the time period can be used effectively without being so demeaning. As I see it.

🐕GeminiGem🎁

Dec 19, 2024 at 6:58pm
In response to "20241219 'Misogyny' In Writing"

I agree that when a woman changes herself to attract a man shows misogyny and is annoying...but...using the movie Grease as an example it an interesting choice. Yes, the lead female changes her appearance to appeal to the male. I think it was more because of peer pressure, but the peer pressure happened because of the pervasive misogyny of the peers. Interestingly, the male character does the exact same thing for the same reasons.

The movie is set in the 1950's, a time where the misogyny we see now is even waaaay worse. So, here is a thought. If you are writing about a time period like that and are showing social interactions of the characters, something like the pervasive misogyny is going to be true to the time and place the story takes place. Does that excuse it? No, of course not, but having present-day sensibilities in an era like that would make the story seem really off.

Kåre เลียม Enga

Dec 19, 2024 at 3:57am
In response to "20241219 'Misogyny' In Writing"

In my travels I try to connect with most everyone. I wonder what my stats would be... but many contacts have names whether human or not, whether the boss or 'servant' or guest.

In my writings...

thinking.

I do have characters without names.

SAD Holiday Potato

Dec 18, 2024 at 3:54pm
In response to "20241218 Children Characters"

As someone who is an Aunt to two children who have an age difference of four years, I can definitely tell you that they act completely different. Even though one of them is neurodivergent, the older one definitely acts more mature than the younger one.(also the older one has never tried to lick my feet.)

With very few exceptions, I've never had to tell an adult "stop eating my dress," "please don't lick me" or "stop pulling my hair," to anyone over the age of six. Yet within the last year or so I've had to tell my five year old niece these things repeatedly. She thinks this is hilarious.

Anyways, thanks for pointing out that kids aren't just miniature adults! I'll try to keep that in mind while writing.

Dec 18, 2024 at 6:44am
In response to "20241218 Children Characters"

Elisa: Snowman Stik - Writing about those who are neurodivergent is not something I feel I can talk about comfortably. I am trained as a teacher of those on the spectrum, and so I would not write a character in that regard because I do not feel it is my story to tell. But, yes, that last point may not apply to a child with developmental issues.

1 Like

Elisa: Snowman Stik

Dec 18, 2024 at 6:28am
In response to "20241218 Children Characters"

I am curious if there is wiggle room for the last point for child characters with developmental disabilities. (I do recognize this kind of character presents its own set of development pitfalls in terms of depicting the disability without stereotyping. That said, I think this can be a reasonable exception to the rule when done with care.)

1 Like

Dave Ryan

Dec 16, 2024 at 1:26am
In response to "20241216 Poor Characterisation"

There was once a variation of "compressed vice" in an original episode of Star Trek ("Who Mourns for Adonais?"), where a landing party of the usual suspects + one random never-seen-before-or-since female crew member are captured by the god Apollo and they turn the usually gruff Scotty into a simpering, love-struck puppy to try to introduce some conflict when Apollo puts the moves on her. Why they didn't just have Kirk horndogging it as usual I do not know - at least then everybody would have remained consistently in character. It looks like Scotty, it sounds like Scotty, but WTF?

1 Like

SAD Holiday Potato

Dec 14, 2024 at 3:41pm
In response to "20241214 Punk Genres"

This is interesting yet confusing. So basically it's like world building but with the word "punk" in there to make it sound cooler.
Maybe I misunderstand.

Kåre เลียม Enga

Dec 7, 2024 at 2:55am
In response to "20241207 Problems With Using Reality"

That or "to-ell-wit-it" and suffer the consequences.

Every society draws the lines differently. A traveler needs to be aware. Even words matter. The British and Thais are strict when it comes to slander.

March 20, 2024 at 12:09am

#1066603

20240320 My 5 Favourite Characters

My 5 Favourite Characters

As I have mentioned in the past (right here, in fact: "20240131 A Change In Approach"

}, it took me a while to get the hang of writing characters and putting character front and centre in a story, which led to more sales. So, I guess that begs the question: What makes the truly memorable characters come me alive and jump off the page into the reader’s reality?

So, let’s get personal: what characters have really pulled me in when I’ve read?

Now, I’m the first to admit that many of my own characters, especially in my earlier writing – particularly secondary ones, or any that seem to face a monster – are 2-dimensional at best. I have learnt the hard way to give my characters more than one trait, and I do try hard to give my characters a bit of “life” But I still have a way to go personally..

So, onto the meat of this – here are five characters that really came to life for me.

And, yes, my preferred genres come out in full force in this. But – hey! – it’s what I read the most of, so of course it’s going to go that way.

One last thing – these aren’t necessarily my favourite books or stories. I mean, I do enjoy them all, but that’s not the point. These are my favourite characters as written, presented here in no particular order.

The Shark – Jaws by Peter Benchley
The characterisation of the shark really made the book. Benchley avoided anthropomorphisation of the creature, and instead wrote of instincts and nature, making the shark such an object of sympathy that, by the end, I was actually hoping the shark would win. Not bad for the so-called villain of the piece! I should point out that I read this before seeing the movie; my father decided the film would be too scary for me, so one of my grandmothers got me the book instead.

Arnold Cunningham – Christine by Stephen King
The “big bad” of the book is, of course, Christine, the ’58 Plymouth Fury, and poor Arnie is the unwitting guy dragged along by it. But it is King’s description of his degeneration and gradual slide into the persona of LeBay, Christine’s original owner, coupled with brief glimpses of Arnie as he once was, that makes him such a well-formed and ultimately sympathetic character. This stands in contrast to the main character/narrator, who is bland, I think, on purpose to help the reader project themselves onto him. Arnie is a tragic figure, and it is his story that helps drive the horror.

Colin Dobson – Stark by Ben Elton
Elton’s comedy about the end of the world at man’s hand is sort of based around CD, though to say he is the driving force is a little disingenuous; after all, the bad guys win, don’t they? (Ahh, spoiler, or not?) This reluctant Englishman in Australia, fighting forces he cannot begin to understand, is very probably an author avatar, but maybe that’s why he is so well-formed and easy to relate to. No great super-heroics, just a man in a situation, maybe reacting like any of us would.

Catherine Earnshaw – Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
Wuthering Heights is not only one of the very few so-called “classics” of literature that I really enjoy, but also the one that told me classics could be enjoyed. And the two reasons for that are the sense of desolation of the location – the Yorkshire moors – and the fact the characters are such an incredible bunch of people. And my favourite is Catherine. She’s only in the first half of the book (although her daughter is there later), but it is her who leaves such an impression on everyone else and it is her decisions that force the narrative. She’s over the top, she’s whining, but she’s strong and she is central (her ghost even starts the story!) and she is wonderfully realised.

John Garth – ‘The Streets Of Ashkelon’ by Harry Harrison
A short story, and my personal favourite, this tale of the corruption of innocence is held together by the atheist Garth and his relationship with the intelligent but innocent Weskers. This relationship is strained with the arrival of an over-zealous missionary, who proceeds to destroy the innocence of the world. For a short story, the world-weariness and sense of growing depression in Garth is developed really well. We feel his heart breaking, especially at the end when the Weskers realise what they have become. That final dénouement is heart-wrenching.

So there you have it – my five favourite characters from writing. I just wish I could develop characters as strong as these…

Feel free to sound off about your own favourites in the comments section below or on the newsfeed!

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