Monday, February 13, 2012

Creating Characters Part II

You know, Tom Sawyer was a very memorable character.  How did Mark Twain create him?
Sherlock Holmes' character was based off of someone in real life that the author met.
People are very interesting in real life.  I have crazy friends at church with wild personalities.  If I made characters based off of them, my books would be very colorful.
Look for and observe people you live around.  Each one has their own way of thinking, their own way of talking, their own habits and traits.
For example: I sit on my hands to keep from biting my nails.  When my hands are cold, I put them on my neck to warm them up.  These are odd traits.
Just like in the Prince and the Pauper, the Prince had a habit of being ready to draw his sword at any time if someone mocked him.  When he switched with the pauper, he forgot that he didn't have his sword, and tried to draw it when someone mocked him when he said he was the Prince.
I wrote down questions to ask my characters.  It'll be a while before I answer them all because there's about one hundred questions! 
It is very important to know the answers to them though.
What is your character's favorite color?
Do they have a favorite hat or scarf they like to wear all the time(like Red Riding Hood.  Everyone knew her by her red hood she always wore)?
Are they smart?
Are they mature?
Are they random?
Knowing the answers to these questions helps you to keep your character from doing something they really wouldn't do, or being an all around character that's shy in one scene and talkative in another.  That would make no sense to the reader.
Comment below if you want me to post my one hundred eight questions that I got from other websites and making my own up.  You could make up your own questions for your characters that would apply to your book/s.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Pilgrim's Progress and New Year

My bedroom is being made like new.  New curtains to replace old ones, new bookshelves and new books given to me by someone who is transforming her own small house.  C S Lewis' nonfiction books in a boxed set, books about being your own unique self and not becoming a copy of everyone living around you, books by Gene Edwards(someone like C S Lewis and Jim Stoval), books on hearing the Voice of God, and a special book: red wrinkles and golden designs on a classic red hardcover book that doesn't look dirty like many old books I've seen.  The Pilgrim's Progress.  A wonderful book.  I have only read "Little Pilgrim's Progress" for school a long time ago, but reading this will be a treat for my poetry-thirsty mind.  A red ribbon bookmark and words written from the author to the reader defending his book.  "I took my pen up with delight.  Quickly I had my thoughts in black and white."  "... Forbear to judge till you do further see."  And this "apology from the author" is an actual poem many pages long.
I am waiting for the Hobbit Part One: An Unexpected Journey.  But I shall have fun writing my books as I wait.