Welcome to the Writers Loft

[aeriedraconia.livejournal.com]

Are you writing original fiction? Novel length or short fiction? Need somewhere to talk shop?

Have characterization troubles, plot problems, setting woes?

Need to know how to prepare your work for submitting to agents?

Do you want to talk to other people who have characters running amok in their heads?

Then this is the place for you! Come on in, don't be shy.

Comments

[yumenohogosha.livejournal.com]

I usually like to write monstrous, sprawling novels but I have little faith in my ability at this pont in time so I never finish anything.

I often worry that it's hard to tell my characters apart. I try giving them different ways of speaking or I use different styles to write their chapters. It's quite hard at times.

My characters don't really 'run amok' in my head. But, I do have about seven to eight characters who I keep on the side of things. I draw them If I can't draw anything else. I write about them if I'm not inspired enough to write anything else. They're muses, really.

[demonlord-lover.livejournal.com]

I'm the same way about stories. I've tried to do short stories, but they always end up so much longer! It can get frustrating, but plugging away until you have a completed story is rewarding in the end.

I've had a hard time trying to differentiate between characters sometimes too. It helped when I stopped trying to make character outlines in the beginning. It isn't for everyone, but sometimes going by the seat of your pants can help give spontaneity to the story and the characters.

[aeriedraconia.livejournal.com]

Heh, I'm a great starter but not so great at finishing. I'm working on that though.

One of the things that helps me give my characters distinct voices is to crawl inside their heads and look out through their eyes. I think every character has a particular dominant flavour or feeling to them and if you can find that feeling and sort of wear it as you're writing them it can help bring your character to life.

I was writing a very selfish character once and had to adjust my thinking to 'me, me, me, it's all about me'. That was her essence and her feel when I got inside her head. When I thought in that selfish mindset and put a selfish spin on everything she experienced it came out in her dialogue and actions pretty naturally. She was very a distinct personality.

I used to draw some of my characters too. I still have those old drawings from 20 years ago.

[artsyprincess.livejournal.com]

That's a good idea about really trying to get into a character's mindset. I hadn't been doing that with my WIP to the extent that I should. I've been more focused on plot than on character, which is causing part of my problems. I'm going to try to really think inside my heroine's head in order to get out those last 1,500 words for NaNo today. :) I've never drawn my characters, but I do find pictures to represent them. I look online and in magazines and cut out pictures of people that I think might make good characters some day, then I file them for later use. Sometimes I spend hours searching for a visual representation that's just right for a character because having a picture to keep in front of me really helps me to stay consistent with description and to feel more connected with my characters.

[yumenohogosha.livejournal.com]

I try to get inside my characters head and I try to lable them with a distinct flavour. But it's really difficult to write as someone else, convincingly!