Characters

A big discussion at the OWW workgroup has been about minor characters. I've never had a problem with them myself - and I have about 75 total in my first novel. I think I handle them well because none of my readers have had any problems with them. They naturally grow from the story and basically develop themselves - however little or much I need them to develop.

I would imagine the problem comes through when writers have a recurring minor character. If they are in more than one scene, then you would naturally need to know more about them. Again, mine tend to develop themselves as the story moves along.

There's one scene that will be a bit emotional that involves one of my main characters and two minor characters. My main character is a new King, caught in an ambush and trapped with his army. They are waiting for help to arrive, while many of them die from a poison. My king sits and talks with one of these dying men. The man is the first minor character, and he doesn't survive, so I don't need to know as much from him. Basically, some physical traits, that he's married with a kid, and as much as he reveals about loving his wife and kid. That's it. The other minor character is a healer elf. She comes into the scene for a short time, but I know a whole lot more about her. Her family, her background, her desires, plus more. Why? Because she's actually a major character in a following book.

Developing minor characters is something I'll have to sit down one day and really think about. And then write a piece on how I do it. I really can't say right now, because I've been just letting it occur naturally for so long, and not paying attention to the 'how' of the process.

How to Find Your Writing Discipline

I bought and have fully used Holly Lisle's "How to Find Your Writing Discipline" critical skills series.

This is a great tool for the busy writer, especially those new to the writing career, such as myself. I did have to tweak it a little because I'm working on setting up my work in both copywriting and freelance writing.

Now to be fair, I didn't have multi-colored index cards, so I had to use paper. And I did have an idea of perhaps using colored post-it notes instead. I may try that next week.

The ten-minute strategy is Holly's strength in this course. It really is magic when you think of everything in ten minute increments. ANY ONE who is having a hard time organizing their time to meet their goals should get this course.

This week, of course, is a bit jumbled because of holiday time with the family. Monday and Tuesday were out as work days. Then yesterday went downhill fast, when I found a problem with my wonderful dog Sable and got her to the vet - which involves a lot of time since we only have one car and hubby had to work. So between the scheduled dog baths in morning and the running for Sable - I only got about an hour to work on anything. The circumstances weren't conducive to writing, so I worked on the website instead. Finally set my homepage the way I want it.

As for Sable - She has a huge cyst that gets removed on the 11th or 19th. Then it will be tested for cancer. I suspect cancer. There's been a lot of things I've been fighting and she's had skin problems for years - these things make me think it will be cancer. By the end of the month, I should find out.

In the meantime, I've used Holly Lisle's method of breaking everything down into ten minute increments. I have 12.25 hours of work for today and tomorrow. Not really that bad - a lot of time is studying and reading research, so it won't feel like that long. I only scheduled 2 hours each day of revision work on TKQ ... that's the part of the job that feels long to me. LOL

December 21, 2007

I’m an affiliate of Holly Lisle's Shop.
I’m a member of her website;
and I subscribe to her newsletter.

One of the valuable resources recently presented to me is a free mini course, “Create Your Professional Plot Outline.” I, of course, snagged it right up. Not because I have problems with plotting (yet), but because Holly Lisle’s techniques are motivating, thought-provoking.

In this, she presents the plotting technique of using your character as a starting point in this mini-course. I chose my character Oriel. It worked great!

Now, I have sent those results off to the side now. I have to complete the other projects first. But I am excited to try this method with other projects. Even to fill in blanks on a few projects where I feel I need more content.

I’m also interested in if I will come up with a reason to use her techniques in building a two-book series into three. I have a two-book series that works as is. But there is the chance an agent, publisher, editor, etc. would request that I make it into three. I know what happens during a two-year period I can build that third book from, but not the guts of it. I believe her plotting techniques would help me a lot there.

This mini-course tells me all I need to know about her full clinic: “Holly Lisle’s Create A Plot Clinic.” Buy it now! You’ll be glad you did, and so will your characters.

December 20, 2007

Today is bill paying running and Christmas gift gathering day for me. But I did manage to make a good contact for the health copywriting. A retired doctor out here gives nutritional guidance to businesses, corporations, and individuals - plus he puts out his own newsletter. I ended up with a good resource contact and a 17 dollar book on nutritional lifestyle meal planning for free.

The rest of my writing work for today will be studying for the live-spec assignment and manuscript preparation.

December 19, 2007

I worked on TKQ manuscript last night. I'm up to chapter twelve on the revisions. My agent letter is done - I have 8 picked out that I really want to be represented by - and I hope to know Friday what day I should send those out. Depends on how long it takes to get through a chapter on the revisions pass and how many days I have to devote time to it.

In copywriting this week, it's mostly working on the vitamin letter and maybe some website work. I patterned my website technique off of three different copywriters I admire, but I still think it looks too much like a copycat of one. I may search for a template I like and switch it to that.

Fitting in the Whispering Spirits work seems very difficult now ... I just really want to have it all set and updated by January 1st.

Today's work is a whole lot of research ....

December 18, 2007

This is my first full week using Holly Lisle's Writing Discipline course. Her sheets are very good for figuring out the goals each day. Thinking about them in ten minute increments really works well too. I'll have a full review on it next week.

I worked out the chapters for TKQ and wrote the agent letter yesterday, based on copywriting methods. I want to mail it out next week, but I'll know better if that's the way to go on Friday. Some of the chapters needs some altering first, so I'll need to see how far I get with it.

That's the main goal with fiction right now. The other is the copywriting - getting through the letters and course work. I have two more lessons on the way in, and I want to go through this course as quickly as I can absorb what it gives me. I'm doing the exercises fully and studying the Hall of Fame letters each day, so it'll take a little while yet.

After the holiday, I'll try to land a few beginning jobs so I can hopefully pay some bills ... Or I might have to work part-time for awhile until I build work up.

December 14, 2007

I'm in the second day of Holly Lisle's Writing Discipline Workshop.

Yes, I'm wasting a lot of time (especially today, since I'm plagued with headaches), but I feel that her system will work well for me. It will help me reach my daily goals. Day three will be Monday, since my 'workdays' are Monday through Friday. I do get some things done on the weekend, but since the family is home, I never know when I'll get my alone time or how much of it.

I also found out that I'm already doing a lot of things she suggests. I am getting a decent block of writing time in, and I've already been doing the 'thinking' part of it. That is a natural extension of myself, really.

She's got a lot of great products on her site for writers. And for readers too. I truly suggest hopping over to her shop and checking it out HERE.

So far, my writing today has just been storyline planning for the fan story of URU. A major headache has me slowed down for the morning. I hope to be more productive in the afternoon.

December 13, 2007

Worked most of day yesterday on a directory project. It went to the board members to have spaces proofed. Hopefully it will be done after one revision pass.

I preordered Holly Lisle's Writing Discipline (links coming soon). I've just started it. It looks like it will work well for me, even though I'll probably have to tweak it a little to fit my situation of freelance writer and copywriter.

Mainly working on the self-motivated gaming project and updating websites. Weather has slowed me down on the items that take going outside for.

Today's writing - about 1000 words on two different pieces.

December 5, 2007

Full time writer I am now. A paid writer ... not. But I'm getting some leads and that's what counts for the future. LOL It's only the third day of being full time writer, so it's all good.

A few articles on the list, a few jobs to finish up that I can use in my portfolio, and a few manuscripts to prepare. I'm on my way.