tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post4350302334310692871..comments2024-03-28T05:13:12.886-04:00Comments on QueryTracker Blog: Finding Your VoicePatrickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17771807777617244491noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-91903946268427012212009-07-28T23:03:35.460-04:002009-07-28T23:03:35.460-04:00Journey from one illusion to another. Your blog is...Journey from one illusion to another. Your blog is very nice. The images are very beautiful. God is Great. Best wishes.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.thedynamicnature.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.thedynamicnature.com</a>Mahmood Syed Faheemhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06625037159131436398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-57266950634925448892009-07-28T21:26:20.857-04:002009-07-28T21:26:20.857-04:00I love your interview with Jag! That was terrific...I love your interview with Jag! That was terrific. Yes, I have done this, not to the extent to where my character complained about me, or wanted me to do something different, but...well, maybe that did happen. Just not as aggressively as yours did. My characters are more subtle with me, but they get their way in the end.Anna C. Morrisonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01271598466699263194noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-25211135819911493472009-07-28T21:26:00.285-04:002009-07-28T21:26:00.285-04:00I don't fill out character sheets which don...I don't fill out character sheets which don't help me at all with getting into a character's head. Knowing their eye color or what food they like doesn't do that for me. <br /><br />When I start writing I already have the character's voice. I don't know why or how. That's the easy part for me. I can hear, see and feel them.J. R. Tomlinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01109874615059334200noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-58565573765537396292009-07-28T18:44:27.807-04:002009-07-28T18:44:27.807-04:00I wish I could capture your voice, Elana, for one ...I wish I could capture your voice, Elana, for one of my Mc's. I laugh at almost everything you write. You're the best. <br /><br />When I start a book, I usually hear The Voice in my head before I even begin writing. As I write it strengthens, but it almost feels as if the MC has picked me rather than the other way around.Bethany Wigginshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07345327120999157124noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-21557683846971013872009-07-28T17:21:54.467-04:002009-07-28T17:21:54.467-04:00Excellent discussion guys! Getting inside the MC i...Excellent discussion guys! Getting inside the MC is crucial. Character sheets are good. Writing is good. Letting them talk to you is good. Talking back to them is good. Facebook quizzes (I can't believe I'm going to say this) are good. Choosing the right words is good. Barbies are good. :) <br /><br />All of it! Thanks for sharing!Elana Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05877856005992028912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-48271860113603571392009-07-28T14:29:49.844-04:002009-07-28T14:29:49.844-04:00I love this post. I completely agree that you have...I love this post. I completely agree that you have to get into your main character's head to find your voice. I write character-driven women's fiction, so I'm not always sure where the character will take me. I use a blueprint to outline the primary characters, the secondary characters, the bad guys, etc. I need to be able to look in a single place for names and description.<br /><br />And since I am writing a series of novels about the same sets of characters, I have to be able to age them appropriately, remember the backstory from book one, and introduce then kill off tertiary characters.Betsy Ashtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06871010122475160477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-85848026882882875322009-07-28T10:26:13.470-04:002009-07-28T10:26:13.470-04:00Some of my characters come to me right away ... ot...Some of my characters come to me right away ... others take their time. I find word choice plays a lot into my search for voice. What would that character say? How would they say it? Like you said, it should be reflective. Good thoughts here.Tesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10014195715998913268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-44552505888134207272009-07-27T23:52:26.078-04:002009-07-27T23:52:26.078-04:00Elana, this is going to sound so corny, but it rem...Elana, this is going to sound so corny, but it reminds me of my childhood days playing Barbie Dolls. When I'm writing, I become that Barbie...that character going through whatever it is that comes next. Maybe that's why I love this job so much!Clementinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08745982305618408952noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-83595501688877099552009-07-27T23:05:10.871-04:002009-07-27T23:05:10.871-04:00Thanks for the post! It's easy to get lost in ...Thanks for the post! It's easy to get lost in the "Voice? What Voice?" mire.Jaime Thelerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12442679809704484650noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-47762027051256454022009-07-27T22:46:39.070-04:002009-07-27T22:46:39.070-04:00I make my characters wait until they start stalkin...I make my characters wait until they start stalking me. When I can hear their voices while I'm trying to focus on something else, I know it's time to sit down and write them.Tara McClendonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07246124060126729229noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-13758584458252453812009-07-27T20:08:45.443-04:002009-07-27T20:08:45.443-04:00I like to do some pre-writing before hand, just to...I like to do some pre-writing before hand, just to form the rough edges of my characters. I write best in first-person, though, so finding the voice for my main character isn't usually too hard. It's the secondary characters that sometimes give me some trouble!<br /><br />- Jane OpalJessica Shopehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10248008837420306127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-61933165209643611502009-07-27T19:47:41.075-04:002009-07-27T19:47:41.075-04:00I don't do this enough, but when I do, it real...I don't do this enough, but when I do, it really helps. A writer friend of mine takes those silly meme's that go around Facebook and answers them with her characters. It's a great way to learn things you might not otherwise think to ask!Melanie Hooyengahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08781235493983907234noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-61828201767778400122009-07-27T15:03:21.146-04:002009-07-27T15:03:21.146-04:00I never felt the whole 'character sheet' t...I never felt the whole 'character sheet' thing was a helpful way for me to start, so it's nice to hear of other people letting it take form in 50 pages or so. At least I don't feel those 50 pages are a waste of time! :)<br /><br />Did character interviews of my two mains a few months back for a writing group exercise. We started with a handful of basic questions every author answered in the character's voice/internal narrative, and then asked individual questions in the comments section. My results are <a href="http://hayleyelavik.blogspot.com/2009/03/character-interviews-part-i.html" rel="nofollow">here</a> and <a href="http://hayleyelavik.blogspot.com/2009/04/character-interviews-part-ii.html" rel="nofollow">here</a>, since you invited us to link :)Hayley E. Lavikhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09896649083961644485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-50249743365120323372009-07-27T13:02:15.344-04:002009-07-27T13:02:15.344-04:00Man Elana, I just wrote a blog post the other day ...Man Elana, I just wrote a blog post the other day about the main character feeling 'flat' to me...and ways to kind of...give her some life. Great timing!Alicia Evanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07766920985516752514noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-52996914625687391542009-07-27T11:42:59.219-04:002009-07-27T11:42:59.219-04:00Heck, it took me more than 50 pages to get to know...Heck, it took me more than 50 pages to get to know my character. She kept changing on me...so, go figure. Love it that I'm not the only one who engages in voice battle. <br /><br />Does it mean, though, that in order to write teenagerhood I need to spend time with them? Yuck. They are so difficult.Henyahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14218132405687448085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-37881625431715118862009-07-27T09:51:02.432-04:002009-07-27T09:51:02.432-04:00This is a really great post. I'm in the proce...This is a really great post. I'm in the process of reading Noah Lukeman's <i>The Plot Thickens</i> and the first two chapters are nothing but interrogation questions to apply to your characters. It's really great. And I'm sure it's helpful. (I just haven't gotten back to the writing phase yet.)<br /><br /><a href="http://novicewriterchronicles.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Novice Writer Anonymous</a>Stephanie McGeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16507025637411479409noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-21895640014685361252009-07-27T09:44:45.164-04:002009-07-27T09:44:45.164-04:00I absolutely agree. Finding your character's v...I absolutely agree. Finding your character's voices isn't immediate. I've heard the interview technique. Some others I enjoy are "Stick your character into a really bad situation (one-time bad situation not in the book) and write out the scene. <br /><br />Alternatively, I ask my characters about an important topic like justice, duty, love, and have them write an essay that reflects back on their personal life to show examples. I learn so much then. :)M. Dunhamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00624479956106759407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-6119625636233917042009-07-27T09:39:49.673-04:002009-07-27T09:39:49.673-04:00Great post. I find that most of my characters ten...Great post. I find that most of my characters tend to find their voice pretty quick, but there's always one or two that change part way through, so that I'm forced to go back and make corrections. Voice is the one thing I love writing, and find that more than anything else it's what brings a book to life.Cali MacKayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01860615677199216262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-16690428343080781322009-07-27T09:36:28.479-04:002009-07-27T09:36:28.479-04:00Great post! I fill out the character sheets and g...Great post! I fill out the character sheets and go from there. Because I plot out the story before I begin, the character have had a chance to show me who they are, so once I start writing, they're there with me.<br /><br />Lynnette Labelle<br />http://lynnettelabelle.blogspot.comLynnette Labellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03227593491562480538noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7454222325290313520.post-23323029081922457212009-07-27T08:06:59.789-04:002009-07-27T08:06:59.789-04:00Getting in my POV characters' heads is the onl...Getting in my POV characters' heads is the only way that works for me. SOme are quirky, some funny, some extremely serious, others obnoxious. That seems to come out in the narration as well as their dialogue if I stay inside their heads for the duration of the scene and sequence.Eileen Astels Watsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11098531184044931737noreply@blogger.com