Comments on: Characters and sparking them to life. http://www.benjaminsolah.com/blog/?p=307 The blog of Melbourne horror writer and Marxist revolutionary, Benjamin Solah Mon, 06 Sep 2010 10:25:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Benjamin Solah: Writer and Revolutionary » http://www.benjaminsolah.com/blog/?p=307&cpage=1#comment-4574 Benjamin Solah: Writer and Revolutionary » Thu, 06 Jul 2006 03:01:29 +0000 http://www.benjaminsolah.com/blog/?p=307#comment-4574 [...] Talking about the inadequacies of character development in my last post did help, but in the end, the trick to writing again, is well, writing again. I just needed to write and get some damn words down. And finally, after about three weeks or virtually no words – scary I know – I wrote about a thousand words last night toward ‘the abattoir short.’ It seems this is a very important story to me and part of the reason for my slump was probably pressure. There’s the temptation to go back and rewrite, to start over, but then I would continually start over and over and over. So, then I look to the words of Steinbeck to keep me going: Write freely and as rapidly as possible and throw the whole thing on paper. Never correct or rewrite until the whole thing is down. Rewrite in process is usually found to be an excuse for not going on. [...] [...] Talking about the inadequacies of character development in my last post did help, but in the end, the trick to writing again, is well, writing again. I just needed to write and get some damn words down. And finally, after about three weeks or virtually no words – scary I know – I wrote about a thousand words last night toward ‘the abattoir short.’ It seems this is a very important story to me and part of the reason for my slump was probably pressure. There’s the temptation to go back and rewrite, to start over, but then I would continually start over and over and over. So, then I look to the words of Steinbeck to keep me going: Write freely and as rapidly as possible and throw the whole thing on paper. Never correct or rewrite until the whole thing is down. Rewrite in process is usually found to be an excuse for not going on. [...]

]]> By: Zoe http://www.benjaminsolah.com/blog/?p=307&cpage=1#comment-4550 Zoe Tue, 04 Jul 2006 15:43:43 +0000 http://www.benjaminsolah.com/blog/?p=307#comment-4550 Ben you should check my writing section i have a bunch of article on character although more geared toward creation than revitalization but you might find them useful Ben you should check my writing section i have a bunch of article on character although more geared toward creation than revitalization but you might find them useful

]]> By: Zoe http://www.benjaminsolah.com/blog/?p=307&cpage=1#comment-4549 Zoe Tue, 04 Jul 2006 15:40:38 +0000 http://www.benjaminsolah.com/blog/?p=307#comment-4549 the quote your looking for is from King the dark tower series one of the last books where Rolan goes to speak to Kings the character/writer and Roland threatens him to continue writing the story. the quote your looking for is from King the dark tower series one of the last books where Rolan goes to speak to Kings the character/writer and Roland threatens him to continue writing the story.

]]> By: Benjamin Solah http://www.benjaminsolah.com/blog/?p=307&cpage=1#comment-4539 Benjamin Solah Tue, 04 Jul 2006 05:02:23 +0000 http://www.benjaminsolah.com/blog/?p=307#comment-4539 Yeah, outlining and stuff (as much as I use them sometimes), seem too mechanical and restrictive. The same with character sketches. If I go in chat as one of my characters, however, that seems to awaken them. Yeah, outlining and stuff (as much as I use them sometimes), seem too mechanical and restrictive. The same with character sketches. If I go in chat as one of my characters, however, that seems to awaken them.

]]> By: Anthony J. Rapino http://www.benjaminsolah.com/blog/?p=307&cpage=1#comment-4538 Anthony J. Rapino Tue, 04 Jul 2006 04:55:12 +0000 http://www.benjaminsolah.com/blog/?p=307#comment-4538 Yup, characterization is a tough one. I actually found On Writing quite helpful--King is a MASTER at characterization, no doubt about it. Sometimes I think I should start doing that Character SKetch thing that many ppl do, but I hate character sketches almost as much as I hate outlining. I subscribe to King's "fossil theory," letting the story evolve as you write. As writers, we have vivid imaginations. Instead of writing down a chracter sketch, I'll sometimes imagine my characters in different situations, just let a story play out in my head. Whatever happens, the character grows. There are lots of little tricks and bits of cliches and advice. I ignore most of it. I just let the stuff form as it will. If you're smart, you'll ignore my advice as well. I think the only advice I have ever gotten that ever made a lick of sense was the following: "Stop your bitching and figure it out for yourself." It works in every situation. I swear by it. :-) Yup, characterization is a tough one. I actually found On Writing quite helpful–King is a MASTER at characterization, no doubt about it.

Sometimes I think I should start doing that Character SKetch thing that many ppl do, but I hate character sketches almost as much as I hate outlining.

I subscribe to King’s “fossil theory,” letting the story evolve as you write.

As writers, we have vivid imaginations. Instead of writing down a chracter sketch, I’ll sometimes imagine my characters in different situations, just let a story play out in my head. Whatever happens, the character grows.

There are lots of little tricks and bits of cliches and advice. I ignore most of it. I just let the stuff form as it will.

If you’re smart, you’ll ignore my advice as well.

I think the only advice I have ever gotten that ever made a lick of sense was the following: “Stop your bitching and figure it out for yourself.”

It works in every situation. I swear by it.

:-)

]]> By: MaW http://www.benjaminsolah.com/blog/?p=307&cpage=1#comment-4521 MaW Mon, 03 Jul 2006 13:38:30 +0000 http://www.benjaminsolah.com/blog/?p=307#comment-4521 It's tough. My characters are never quite satisfactory - they like to drag the story along behind them, but they have a dreadful tendency to all seem to be the same person at times. I think I usually project my own actions into my characters instead of spending the effort to figure out what someone else would do in the same situation. I need to get inside the head of someone with another personality and write that, I think. Tough job, this writing lark! It’s tough. My characters are never quite satisfactory – they like to drag the story along behind them, but they have a dreadful tendency to all seem to be the same person at times. I think I usually project my own actions into my characters instead of spending the effort to figure out what someone else would do in the same situation. I need to get inside the head of someone with another personality and write that, I think.

Tough job, this writing lark!

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