Entry for March 6, 2010
OBSOLETE OR UP TO DATE
Now it does depend on the setting of your story, but is your character out of phase with the technology that is available with the era?
In the 1920's automobiles were still new to the average consumer.
So in that setting would your character cuss the newfangled vehicle that scared the horses or be the one driving?
If you write in the future then your job is doubled.
You have to build the technology. Then you place the character into the setting, but you still have to decide: Is the character in step with the location, times and people in the society.
It could be part of the character's personality and training.
The personality or personhood decides if they want the technology.
Helps you with dialogue when the character can't read the screen of a cell phone or doesn't know how to place a call. On the other hand the character could have the latest and greatest techno stuff which precludes the fact that your individual has money to buy or doesn't have money so must beg, borrow or steal.
You must think everything through.
Building character charts is one way to bring your character alive.
Help keep Too Gro Agency. com live and buy my book:
All I Ever Wanted to Know About Being A Character"
Keep writing!
Sincerely,
The Editor
©2010
Get the Character Chart and Location Chart to help you on your way.
Order your copy today!
Entry for March 5, 2010
PRIMARY OR SECONDARY EDUCATION
Does your character have an education that shows?
The School of Hard Knocks is not what I mean, although it couldn't hurt.
Intelligence and intellect are two different critters.
One feeds off the other.
Native intelligence is what we accumulate and nurture by others teaching us. Our parents impart knowledge to us, sorta like survival skills, showing us how to get our own breakfast.
And don't kick the cat or dog because they will get even later.
I used to tell my daughters to treat their younger brothers nice.
One day they will be bigger and meaner.
Intellect is perhaps considered to be what we cultivate in an educational setting.
Some people drop out in the first grade because their parents didn't teach them school survival skills. Others get information on their own.
In any case when you write your story, the actions and dialogue of your character should show the character's education level.
I missed my readers that were out due to the snow storms and electric failure.
I prayed for you.
Glad you are back!
Keep writing!
Sincerely,
The Editor
©2010
Get the Character Chart and Location Chart to help you on your way.
Order your copy today!
Entry for March 4, 2010
MR. HAROLD J. MORTIMER, III OR BOBBY JOE?
The way people carry themselves usually indicates the lifestyle they live.
The language as in dialect or structure indicates where they were raised. High class people don't always have polite ways, and I'm not going there.
You can hear the difference between a Bostonian elder and a Texas oil man's brogue.
But one may have a high faluting name and no backing, just formal upbringing.
The other may have a common name, gobs of money and no formal training on making friends and influencing people.
You develop the character by establishing the background.
Does your character understand big city ways when in the city?
Or if your character gets stuck in the jungle by way of a plane crash or something, can they get by?
Your comprehension of the character in your story makes or breaks the theme and plot of the story.
Read your story outloud to yourself and others to see if the story works with the character.
Keep writing!
Sincerely,
The Editor
©2010
Get the Character Chart and Location Chart to help you on your way.
Order your copy today!
Entry for March 3, 2010
MAJOR HOLIDAYS
I know this may come up later for St. Patrick's Day, but think about the stories that happened on a holiday.
The Fugitive movie marked the time and season with a St. Patrick's Day parade.
Is your character into holidays or out?
Are the characters trying to celebrate and everything is going sour?
What is the point of the story?
The holiday must carry the story forward or only be background.
The holiday goes with the character likes and dislikes category.
Outlining your character is the beginning of a character based story.
Keep your character true to form by using my workbook.
Keep writing!
Sincerely,
The Editor
©2010
Get the Character Chart and Location Chart to help you on your way.
Order your copy today!
Entry for March 2, 2010
MIX UP YOUR CHARACTER TRAITS
Your book is due to be published very soon!
Your publisher is excited and wants two more books in the series.
What to do?
Of course, your lead character will take up where the story left off.
And the antagonist will be a different individual, most likely.
But the others in the story should be different. Not necessarily strangers to the protagonist, they should have been changed by the previous story.
Now your character has a reputation to uphold.
The ones closest to the 'hero' will have different expectations.
Make the next book better than the last!
Keep writing!
Sincerely,
The Editor
©2010
Get the Character Chart and Location Chart to help you on your way.
Order your copy today!
Entry for March 1, 2010
ARTIST GALLERY
Getting to the art part of Too Gro Agency, I am reminded that the Oklahoma Tourism web site is looking for art galleries to list.
Go to the site for more information. I publish part of their announcement below.
The Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department is all about bringing visitors to our great state of Oklahoma. And we love it when they come, for them to be happy with their visit, want to come again, and to tell others they should visit.
Part of this marketing effort is through the very successful www.TravelOK.com website that has millions of visitors daily. Some of those visitors might want to visit your gallery or studio. Now we have the capability to list galleries and studios on the new website (it will go live early in 2010, but we might as well get some of our arts and culture site listed before it hits live).
More info at www.TravelOK.com
Network with the artists on this site. You might find an illustrator for your next children's book.
Keep writing!
Sincerely,
The Editor
©2010
Get the Character Chart and Location Chart to help you on your way.
Order your copy today!
More to come!
