Tag Archives: Essential Parts of a Story

First Page, Pitch, Theme, Premise, Plot, Character, Emotion, Show Not Tell, Setting, Dialogue, Punctuation, Grammar

Writing

Know Your Main Character

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“Know Your Main Character” by Joan Y. Edwards

I believe it’s a good idea to know your main character well.

1. Perhaps you’d know the answer to these questions about your main character:

What kind of schedule does your main character follow?
What are his favorite foods?
What foods does he detest?
Does he eat healthy?
Does he drink alcoholic beverages?
Where did he go to high school?
Did he graduate from college?
What is the relationship with his parents? grandparents?
What is he deathly afraid of?
What is he proud of?
What kind of clothing does he wear to work? for fun? to bed?
What would your parents think of this character?
What does he do really well?
What skill is his very worst?
What are his three worst habits?

Here are three websites with other good interview questions and ideas.

2. Cut out magazine pictures that you believe might look like them.

3. Write out a weekly journal pretending you are the character.

4. Ask the character questions in a letter. Have the character answer the questions in a letter. You can email them to yourself.

5. Give the character 3 props from his past. Ask him to tell you the story behind why they are significant to him.

6. If you see an actor that would fit the description of your character, rent a movie he acts in and pick up a quirky habit or two, or describe how they walk.

It’s fun to create a new character. These are only a few ideas to get you started or to add dimension to a character whose story you’ve already written.  Good luck in your ventures to add life and reality to your characters.

Enjoy yourself. Life is a precious gift.

Thanks for reading my blog. Please comment telling me what you believe writers should know about their main character.

Put a Positive Spin on Your Writing Life
Never Give Up
Joan Y. Edwards

Copyright 2012 © Joan Y. Edwards

Writing

Put Your Main Character into a Pit and Watch Him Devise Ways to Get Out

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“Put Your Main Character into a Pit and Watch Him Devise Ways to Get Out” by Joan Y. Edwards

If you’re at the bottom of the pit, climb up. Climb using the web from Spiderman.

Fly using the cape from Superman.

Crawl around using the magnifying glass of Sherlock Holmes.

But wait, how did you or your character get to the bottom of the pit anyhow:

Was it pride that you didn’t listen to the wisdom of others in the same position?

Was it error in that you thought your GPS system would lead you to the right spot?

Was it hatred that made you blind to the pit in the first place?

Was it plain stupidity that you didn’t even look where you were going?

It could have been one, all, or none of these that caused you to arrive at the bottom of this pit.

This pit is so dark and deep that they haven’t invented a light to show you the way out.

You’re going to have to climb up and feel your way, inch by inch from the bottom all the way to the top.

You might need a hammer and metal spikes to put in the sides of the pit to climb up.

Perhaps you can think of a way out or use one of the ways mentioned above from a Super Hero or a Super Sleuth.

You are great at getting yourself into messes. You might be hesitant about putting your character into a predicament like this. However, your characters are very clever and resourceful. They will show you the way out of this pit in a short span of time. Try it. Write a paragraph telling us how you would get out of this pit. You can describe it. You can tell us how your character got there. Then let your character dig his way out (so to speak).

Thanks for reading my blog.  It’s fun to write for you.

 

Winners  of the contest: Linda Andersen, Margaret Fieland, and Grace Rellie.

Flip Flap Floodle, the happy little duck who Never Gives Up

Like Flip on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Flip-Flap-Floodle-Joan-Edwards/dp/1594572852/

Available in Paperback, Kindle, and Nook

Sing Your Song
Never Give Up
Joan Y. Edwards

Copyright 2012 © Joan Y. Edwards

Health, Writing

Animal, Vegetable, or Mineral? And Other Questions to Put in Your Reader’s Mind

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“Animal, Vegetable, or Mineral? And Other Questions to Put in Your Reader’s Mind” by Joan Y. Edwards

When I was a little girl, we played 20 questions. Sometimes I needed to play 50 questions because it took me so long to guess. The first questions I would ask were? Is it an animal? vegetable? or mineral? Many times after 20 questions, if I hadn’t guessed, I’d say, “I give up.”
The leader of the game told me the answer and took another turn. Each time, I thought that I should have guessed it.

In writing a story, you want to pose questions to the readers. You are the leader of this “story” game. The answers must be shown to the readers before the end of the book. They can’t be left in the dark. The reader must be able to figure out the answers to all the questions you the author choose to pose by your statements, situations, and actions presented in your stories.

Delila searched her cabin for _______.

Steven always wanted a _______.

_____________ stared Linette in the face.

You can learn things about writing and about survival by studying different animals, plants, and minerals. Native Indians studied different animals to learn ways to survive. These lessons are called “medicine.” Medicine in the Native American tradition is “anything that brings personal power, strength, and understanding.” Sometimes you can choose an animal; other times an animal chooses you.

Lessons to Learn from:

Three animals:

  • Turtles – It’s hard to hurt their feelings because of their strong outer shell.
  • Deer – They are fearless. Even though they are afraid, they stay calm.
  • Butterflies – They relax and enjoy the stage of life they’re in.

What about you? What animals can you learn a lesson from?

Three plants:

  • Peace Lily – It blossoms in the middle of a crowd. (It won’t bloom if it has too much room in the pot.)
  • Kudzu vine – It’s good to be able to thrive in many environments. Be flexible. But don’t make a nuisance out of yourself.
  • Poinsettia – It’s important not to have too much light for a Poinsettia to bloom. In Charlotte, NC a nursery that depended upon selling hundreds of poinsettia plants had a problem. It was the second week in December and none of them were blooming. One of the workers noticed that Duke Power had installed a new street light next door. It never did get dark. Poinsettias bloom when there are more hours of darkness than light. The owner called Duke Power and asked them to turn off the street light. Have you guessed what happened? You are right. The poinsettia plants bloomed. The owner sold them to happy customers. And all ended on a happy note.

Three minerals:

  • Clay – white clay from North Carolina is used to mold into wonderful useful and beautiful ceramic items.
  • Stones – My favorites are small polished stones that are smooth to touch and fun to collect. I love that a man chose a rock to remind him to be grateful for all that he has. He called it a “Gratitude Rock.” These small polished stones make a great “Gratitude Rock” to carry with you every day.
  • Sea shells – They are beautiful shapes, colors, and sizes. Interesting animals live inside them in the ocean.

When you’re writing include an animal, vegetable, or mineral that has special significance to you. It’ll bring life to a character and add emotion to your story.  They may pose a way for you to put a few questions in your story.

Thanks for reading my blog. I appreciate your being here.

Please let me know your favorite game when you were a kid. Tell me your favorite animal, vegetable, or mineral and why. I look forward to hearing from you in the comment area.

Never Give Up
Joan Y. Edwards