What's in a Character?

It's Thursday, oh my! One more day until the weekend and you can all relax into your planned debauchery for two days. Today's post will be about character bios. So, grab those pens and notebooks and let's get going!

What is a character bio?

Basically, it's a white paper on each of your characters that tells basic information. In order to portray a rounded character on the page, you need to understand why they'll react in a specific way in any given situation. To prevent screwing up things like age, height, or description, you need something you can reference quickly without having to scroll through your whole manuscript to see what you said about this or that. It helps you keep your story straight.

That's all well and good, but what should you include in a character bio?

Some of the same items on your Timeline should be included in your characters' bios. Here's a list of what I include - you may want to add to this.

• Full Name - First, middle, and last along with any other names they've had along the way.
• Location - Where they live, where they were born, if different, why it changed.
• Age - Includes birthday, zodiac sign, and recent celebrations.
• Physical Description - Height, weight, hair color, eye color, shoe size, skin color, manicure?, pedicure?, hair length, eyebrows (V shaped, bushy, pencil thin, etc...), identifying marks, for women: bra size.
• Mental Description - Self centered, egotistical, timid, brash, vengeful, etc...
• Reasons for Mental Description - What happened in life to make them that way.
• Friends - Other characters. Are they major? Minor? Plot changing?
• Relationships - Spouse, kids, parents - with names and nature of relationship.
• Goals - What their ultimate life goal is.
• Career - What they do or want to do.
• Skills - Any skills they may have.
• Magical Powers - For fantasy or paranormal. Can they shoot fire from their asses? Lightning bolts from their eyes? Levitate? See through peoples' clothing?
• Sexual Orientation - Straight, gay, bisexual, etc...
• Fun - What they do to let their hair down.

Again, feel free to add to this list. But if you fill out all of the above for each of your characters, major and minor, you'll have characters that feel real on the page because they're real to you. Fully developed and fleshed out completely.

I hope this helps in some small way.

Is there anything you include that's not on my list? Care to share?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Character Flaws

Happy Hump Day, good people of the blogosphere! After today, just two more days until the weekend. I heard that cheer! I'd like to talk about flaws today and why your characters need them. So, grab those pens and notebooks and let's get going!

Your character can't be perfect. Perfect people are boring and no one wants to read about them. Strife, problems, personality flaws, disfigurement, etc... are necessary to make your characters memorable. But more than being memorable, they need to be identifiable. People need to be able to pick up your book and understand the struggle your character is going through; maybe even see a little of themselves.

Every character is on a journey. Whether it's a journey to learn something, do something, or change something, they all must have a direction to travel in. If you've made them flawless, what can they learn? If they're doing something, why? What about their personality flaws makes them want to do it? If they want to change something, what is it? How can you give your character the two-punch they need?

Some flaws I love:

• Headstrong - These characters believe they're never wrong.
• Conceit - They love themselves so much, they feel they're perfect when they aren't.
• Mistakes of the Past - Oh man, these characters get themselves in so much trouble become they often become:
• Chronic Liars - Folks who lie to cover up a past they deem shameful.
• Revenge Seekers - Those people who can never ever just let it go.
• Addicts - The list of things people can be addicted to is long. Sometimes they know it, sometimes they don't.

There's so many to list I can't think of them all! Use your imagination; that's why you're a writer.

Just remember, when you're writing that character bio, be sure you go into flaws. If you don't use a character bio, I beg you to start. Aren't familiar with character bios? Come back tomorrow and I'll give you a list of things you need to include.

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Ethics Part Two

Happy Tuesday, good people of the blogosphere! Today is part two of my ethics discussion on the blog; I hope you're all enjoying the fun so far. If you missed part one, click here. Part two is all about fan fiction and ethics surrounding those novels that spring forth from other novels. Strap in and let's go for a ride, shall we?

Fan fiction, for those of you unfamiliar with the term, are novels that are based upon best sellers. Sometimes it encompasses the characters and keeps telling their story; but sometimes it only uses the basic plot idea. Many of these novels are then self-published.

But is it wrong?

Here's my thinking:
If you come up with an original story idea that has the same basic plot as another book on the market, then you publish it, you're in the right. There's nothing wrong with using the same plot line.
If you use characters from a story someone else wrote and write them in the same way (characteristics, attributes, location, etc...), you're in the wrong.

Oh my... I heard that all the way over here.

Why the collective gasp? Is it because I dared to say using someone's plot idea is okay? Or because I said using someone's characters is wrong?

Let me explain!
How many truly original plot lines are there? Let's do a quick rundown of the known ones:

• Boy meets girl and falls in love but they have obstacles to overcome before they can be together.
• Good king v/s bad king (or evil) and the land is in danger.
• Something stolen must be retrieved.
• Someone did something to someone else and revenge is sought.
• Life and struggles therein.
• Love triangles.
• Right v/s wrong; a lesson.
• Whodoneit? Murder mystery. Can also fall under revenge or life.
• Crime novels. Can also fall under something stolen and life.

No matter what breed of person or creature you put in the story, the plot lines aren't really original. What is original are the characters and the specific types of obstacles they must overcome.

Yes, I agree, there's a fine line to be walked there.

I read some Twilight fan fiction last year and helped the author get it to the published state (editing, cover design). Why is it Twilight fan fiction? Well, she used the same basic plot line of two boys, one girl, and something between them they have to overcome. Girl can't wrap her head around just one of the boys. But instead of paranormal aspects, the author used sci-fi aspects to create the barrier between girl A and boy A. No vampires, no location similarities, and none of the same characters. I love the Canopy series by Crystal Lee and think her story is truly original. If you think you'd like to read some science fiction romance, go check it out. See what good fan fiction is like.

Canopy Volume One on Amazon. Just $0.99.

Now, I haven't read any direct knockoffs of major best-sellers but I know they exist. I don't think any form of parody falls into this class. There are actually specific laws about writing a parody; even down to being able to use the original cover/poster art. Go figure.

So, now you have another perspective on ethics when using someone's work.

Have you read anything fan fiction based? What did you think? Was it too similar? Where do you stand?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Ethics Part One

Happy Monday! Did I just hear a collective groan rise from my audience? Comeon, guys and gals, don't be like that! It's a new week and a chance to flex those creative muscles. I've chosen a heavy topic for today: Ethics. So, read along and join in the fun!

This is going to be a two part series. The first part will be about writing from life and how to keep from going too far and the second will be about writing from a story someone else wrote (commonly called fan fiction). Both have their own challenges and own group of people who believe strongly one way or the other. Please try and keep in mind this is only my opinion and should be taken with a grain of salt. If you believe otherwise, that's your prerogative. Keep the comments nice, please.

I always say you should write from life. Many of my characters and the situations they find themselves in come from life. I do believe there's a fine line that, when crossed, says you went too far.

But how to know when/if it was too far?

Here's my quick checklist to know if you've taken too many liberties:

• If someone can read your story and know who you're talking about (not the individual the character was based on).
• If many people could read your story and know a deep secret and who it belongs to.
• If you use the name of the person you're writing about.
• If the situations are exactly as you remember them and someone was humiliated or harmed in any way.

If any of the above are true, you may want to reconsider what you wrote.
Here's the way I do it:

• I never ever describe the person my writing is based on exactly. I make changes to their appearance (brunettes may become blonde, shorter folks may become taller, etc...) and their personalities.
• If it's a deep secret you were told in confidence, change the setting and the descriptions drastically (if it happened in a hotel - make it happen in a house, if it had two people - add a third person, if the situation included a discovery - change it so something similar but different was discovered, etc...).
• I never use the names of the people involved. Ever.
• I never expose someone else if they were humiliated or harmed in any way; even if the story is out of this world.

I have a great example of believable fiction writing! When people began reading Shelia, they asked me if that happened to me. It didn't; but I was able to make them believe I'd experienced it by the way I described the situations. I'm a student of human nature and am familiar with the reactions of those who have been put in tough positions. I listen when people talk. I empathize with them and try to walk in their shoes. Those situations in Shelia were pure fiction. No one ever told me a story like that. I've heard stories that were similar, but I would never have written those down. Because they weren't mine to tell.

Never talk to people; talk with them. Be a listener as well as a participant. In the age of Facebook and Twitter, it becomes all about me, me, me. Make it about them. This is a difficult skill to hone but, once you have it down, the world becomes your Google.

I once read an article about a photographer who had some great photographs of refugee women that had been beaten and raped. They were getting off a boat at the rescue mission where he was. He took their photos as they stepped from the boat but never published a single one. That photographer went on to win a Pulitzer for other photography work he did. Most likely, he could've gotten one with one of those images of the women. When he was asked why he never published them, his answer was: "Because the pain on their faces was so raw. They didn't need to be humiliated further by having those photographs published for the world to see." Ahhhh ethics at their finest.

Carry that with you as you write. Be like a doctor: Pledge first to do no harm.

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Book Review - Love From Planet Wine Cooler

Happy Friday, good people of the blogosphere! Today, I have a review for you. If any of you lovely followers have ever taken a gander at my reviews, you'll know I break them down into what I liked and didn't like while not providing spoilers for those of you that haven't read the book.

In keeping with the challenge I entered on Wednesday called Indie Fever, I'm reviewing my first indie book of the year from my list. I don't normally review books on the blog; but for these eight, I'm making an exception. Here's hoping you all check out these books and authors (if the review is a nice one)!

Without further ado, I bring you: Love From Planet Wine Cooler by Kate Baggott

Synopsis:
The last "nice girl" on earth finds her way through a world defined by sex, music and the Internet. Somehow.

Love From Planet Wine Cooler is an ode to a generation of women who didn't so much lose their virginity as misplace it thanks to the advent of wine coolers. Somehow, they managed to find out all about love, relationships and careers.

Or did they? Put in your imaginary ear plugs and follow Marina and her best friend through the laughter and tears of being a human being from the '90s on the search for answers now.

My personal notes (not to appear in the review elsewhere):
To be honest, the cover didn't appeal to me (I'd love to see that changed - Kate, if you're reading this, send me a message and we'll see what we can do - if you're interested) and neither did the synopsis (doesn't tell me much about what to expect). What caught me and wrapped me in a web of intrigue was the sample I picked up on Amazon. I got to the last page and was terribly upset there was no more book. So, I bought it.

Now for the review.
From a reader's perspective:
I loved the voice of the main character, Marina. She came across as an intelligent, albeit self-centered, character with a lot of spunk and clever witticisms. Her journey through high school and beyond was one I could identify with. I was in turmoil every time she entered a new relationship; wondering what the outcome would be and how she would get along with the boy/man. Pacing in the book was really good and the humor here and there had me with stitches in my sides. One of my favorite scenes was Marina out on a date at a martini bar. If you're a pro-feminist reader, you'll love this book. It reads more like a series of short stories or snapshots of Marina's life than a novel; but it works.

From an editor's perspective:
Grammatical issues were nill. I only had one problem with the book overall: When people are speaking to one another or writing a letter, they use contractions. When writing, it's easy to forget that or feel like you need to write more formally, but it's an issue that needs to be addressed. It stilted the flow. But it wasn't so stifling that it threw me out of the story.

Rating:
1 star for a great main character.
1 star for a wonderful true-to-life story.
1 star for making me wonder what was going to happen next.
1 star for great pacing.
.5 star for grammar.
-.5 star for contraction usage.
4.5 out of 5 stars (where applicable, this will be rounded up to five and not down to four)

You can find the book on Amazon for just $4.99 via this link:
Love From Plant Wine Cooler: Kate Baggott
Follow Kate on Twitter here: @baggyk
Find Kate on Goodreads here: Kate Baggott

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Writing as the Opposite Sex

Happy Thursday, good people of the blogosphere! What weird weather we're having here in Atlanta! It's really warm to be January and the birds outside are chirping away with the dawn. Feeling that joy, I bring you a post about crossing gender lines when you're writing. Some authors do this and some don't. I have thoughts about why it works and why it doesn't. Join me and feel free to give your opinions after!

Women writing as men:
I may be way off the mark when I say it's easier for a woman to identify with a man than it is for a man to identify with a woman; but maybe not. There are many wildly successful books written by women with a male protagonist: Harry Potter, Interview with a Vampire, Night of the Wolf, etc...

I did it myself when I stepped out and wrote Yassa. I had to be able to identify with Genghis Khan on some level and be brutal when he was angry, compassionate when he was loving, and strong when he was feeling dejected. I was able to do it because I truly understood his dilemma: Uphold a law or turn his back on the very thing he believed so strongly in. I think men are more like women than women are like men. That's not to say a man can't write a strong female lead; just that they may have a more difficult time thinking of a woman as a warrior. After all, there's a reason the military doesn't like females on battlefields. Women can write men as strong because we see them as strong (in most cases).

Men writing as women:
A man, by his very nature, should see the softer, mothering, loving side of a woman. To step beyond this boundary may be difficult if the man can't directly identify with the female. However, there are many wildly successful books written by men with a female protagonist: Carrie, Percy Jackson series, The Pelican Brief, etc...

If a male writes as a female, he must forget some of what he feels and be willing to write difficult scenes where the woman is injured, shows her strength, or commits murder, and not bat an eyelash at what he's writing. Men don't typically like to think of women this way. Because men are protectors by nature, they tend to see women as life-givers that nurture; not go to war.

A strong female protagonist, just like a male, has to have some callousness at her disposal. Readers want to look up to their main characters. If a female lead is oversexed, weak, or portrayed as dumb, readers tend to get angry and are pulled out of the story. On the other hand, she must have a certain level of compassion. There's the softer side that needs to be portrayed and played up.

Examples of female protagonists that work and why:
Katniss in The Hunger Games. She had that hard edge but also showed her softness when Rue was killed. While she cared about the people she was fighting with, there was no hesitation in taking out Coin in the end. Her loyalty to her sister and mother were part of her being female but so was her desire to protect them in the absence of a father.

Myra and the other females in the Vigilantes series by Fern Michaels. Every one of these women have some vein of ruthlessness running through them. They're clever and skilled beyond measure when slapped into a room with one another. Sure, they have males helping them, but they're puppets in the women's games (and know it). It never fails; I always find myself cheering these women on.

Carrie from Carrie. Telekinesis from hell. But the author wasn't afraid to show Carrie's weaknesses as well as her strength. She cried, was humiliated beyond belief, had common desires (to be accepted and pretty), and wasn't afraid to take out a whole town when she got pissed off. Add to that her own self-destruction in the end and you have a character we all cheered for, identified with, and feared.

If you're a male who desires to write as a female, take some time and really pay attention to women. On the same token, if you're a female who desires to write a strong male, learn as much as you can about men. Find out what drives the opposite sex, don't be chauvinistic, and don't be afraid to allow your character to be exactly who and what they are. Social 'norms' be damned.

Thoughts? Can you think of any other books where the author crossed genders and it worked or didn't? Why or why not?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo

Blog Topics: Where do They Come From?

Good people of the blogosphere, today is Wednesday. Make it through today and you've got half the week wrapped up! As my post title suggests, today I'm talking about blog topics and how to come up with great ones.

I read something about this not long ago, but it was more in the way of 'what not to write on your blog if you're a writer'. That post talked about authors writing to other authors and how we shouldn't do it because authors aren't our target audience. While there's some truth to that, I have a further argument: All authors are (or should be) readers, right? Just sayin'.

Anywho, on to today's topic! While I was in design school, they taught us about thought webs and why we should use them. The idea behind using a thought web is this: If you have a product, the obvious way to market that product or build a design for it isn't always immediately visible. You should use a web like the one below for a visual reference.

As you can see, you would get around 13 posts or so out of a thought web like this. It can be any topic. If you've covered it in the past, you can just mark through it. Ideas that spring to mind for post topics from this thought web might be: How-to Research a Location's Vernacular, How-to Write a Character Bio, What Roles Parents Play in Shaping a Character, Why Where Your Character Lives is Important, etc...

There's really no limit to the ideas here. You're only held back by how many words you have at your disposal. Being a writer, you should have a multitude.

I hope this idea helps some. Have you ever used a thought web? What was the topic?

Well, that's all for today, folks! Until next time, WRITE ON!

Jo