Writing Characters You Don't Like

I recently read The Thief by Meghan Whalen Turner. This story hooked me, even though during the first half of the book I didn’t particularly like the MC--he seemed to be always complaining. So what kept me reading? The story (especially the challenges the MC faced in trying to achieve his goal) and the interesting interplay of characters and personalities as the MC became friendly with his captors. The book was a satisfying read--and had an awesome, unexpected twist.

However, it made me think about the process of creating characters. For most of my characters, there’s something about them I like. For the ones I don’t, I tend to exaggerate what I perceive as “negative” qualities. I have a feeling that these more “negative” characters in my stories are not as fully realized as the others. Because I don’t like them, I find it harder to give them fully rounded personalities. Any thoughts or tips?

What's Your Reading Style?

I’m normally a pretty fast reader. I gobble up books like some people go for chocolate or ice cream. I definitely don’t read every word. However, I slow down if a story really catches my interest, or if I really love the writing style or characters and I don’t want the book to end (e.g. most Jodi Picoult novels). Sometimes, I intentionally skim sections of a book that don’t catch my attention, because I just want to find out what happens. What I might skip over:

1) Backstory that doesn’t seem relevant to what’s happening
2) Sections following a subplot that doesn’t interest me
3) Long descriptions that (I think) get in the way of the story
4) Too much detail in explaining what a character is thinking

My reading style has an impact on my writing. When I write, I try to include only what’s relevant for the character’s situation at the moment. I tend not to use much description – I'll often have to go back and add some to create a more well-rounded picture. Does your reading style affect your writing?

A Path to Nowhere?

Down at the end of my yard, tucked away in a shady corner near a gummy old pine tree, is a little path made from fist-sized river rocks. Shorter than a jump rope, it sneaks through a tangle of lily of the valley and violets, curving to end in a mess of pine needles under spindly branches.

Some people in my family say it goes nowhere.

Every year, I spend two or three hours digging up the rocks, removing the plants that have decided they’d like to grow there, and putting the path back together. By the next spring, it is hidden again. A lot of work, for a path that goes nowhere.

Except I think it does go somewhere. It’s a secret in the garden, like the wide branch up in the birch tree that makes a perfect chair. Or the tiny plant growing out of the weird hole in the big bumpy rock. Or the toad that hides under the hostas by the water faucet, waiting for a meal.

For me, that path is the possibility of something wonderful. The kind of possibility I’d like my readers to feel from my writing.

Found Only In Fiction: Exhale

Breathing is an involuntary function. We're not usually aware of it. But sometimes, when we're lying in bed, trying to fall asleep, doing yoga, or recovering after a strenuous activity, it becomes the focus of attention. Do you ever think: "Wow, I'm exhaling pretty hard?" I'm betting you don't.

When I'm reading, the word "exhale" always strikes me as medical, drawing attention to itself. Sometimes the phrase "breathed out" is used instead. Or characters "let out a long breath". In some stories, characters talk or think to themselves, "breathe" or "deep breath" in stressful situations. Any of these alternatives work better for me (though my panel of kid readers mentioned that the last one especially bugs them). My best solution is to try not to refer to breathing at all, unless absolutely necessary.

Thinking About the Reader

Ok, in my last post I said I don't think much about the reader while I'm writing, but it's not true. I'm actually learning to think more about the reader with each novel I write. Many of the decisions I make while I'm writing are influenced by:

• whether I think the reader will be confused by what I've just written
• what information I think the reader needs to know in a scene
• leaving space for the reader to react and think about an event, without slamming them over the head with what the main character is thinking
• questions the reader might have about what is happening and when to answer them

I don't always consciously think about the reader, but whether I'm aware of it or not, the reader's reaction does come into play.

I've read somewhere (many places!) that it's a good idea to have an ideal reader in mind when writing your book. I do have one or two of those, including myself--I have to write the kind of book I'd like to read.

Changing Up the Routine

It’s funny how a disruption to your routine can have such a huge impact. I can’t use my regular computer (a long story involving my dog, staples, and a staircase) so I’m working in a different place, on a different keyboard, with a few essential files on a memory stick. At first, I felt a bit lost. I read blogs, I surfed, I cursed the different computer, while writing down the names of files I needed to access and/or print at my main computer (a home network sounds good about now).

But once I got into my writing, none of that stuff mattered. It was all about my story. I really love it when stories just unfold as you write them. I’m going more slowly than I did for my last story, rewriting small sections as I go along, using my outline as a guide, and I’m really pleased with my progress, even if I'm not as far along as I want to be.

With this change to my routine, I’m not as distracted by the other "stuff" on my computer, because I don't have it on this one. Or maybe my brain is thinking differently because of the change of place. They say you can keep your brain sharp by trying new things. Hmm. Maybe I’ll have to change up my writing routine more often.

A Week is Not Forever

Because of a combination of being sick and life events, I’ve been away from my writing for almost a week. It feels like forever. What I did manage to accomplish:

1) Decided I’m definitely sticking to Novel A, “Cooking story”, and leaving Novel B, “Bubble story”, for a later time. I’ll go crazy if I try to do too much.

2) Watched a T.V. show that gave me an idea for an early part of my story.

3) Worried about getting behind on my goal of finishing the first draft by the end of June.

4) Re-read The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (because even when I’m sick, I read). Admired the writing once again.

Today I’m going to write something on my novel, no matter how small, no matter if I end up ripping it out later because it doesn't work. Building some momentum makes a huge difference for me, because once the writing is flowing, more great ideas follow.

Do You Write What You Like to Read?

In reading for my 100 book challenge, I’m finding out more about the kinds of books I like and don’t like to read. My most recent read, The Witch's Guide to Cooking with Children by Keith McGowan, was short and fast-paced, with several plot twists. I admired the cleverness of this retelling of the Hansel and Gretel story, set in modern day, and the way the author created a believable relationship between the brother and sister. But it took me a long time to get through. The story just didn’t hold my attention. Someone else probably thinks differently, because this is a matter of personal preference.

This leads me to think about my personal preferences for writing. I have common themes or elements in my stories but I don’t always stick within the same genre. It’s funny, because even though I do write some fantasy based in reality, I don’t like reading a lot of fantasy books for kids (except Harry Potter). Do you write the kinds of books you’d like to read?

Quick Writing Links: Writing Action, A Contest

Over at Musings of a Novelista, Karen Strong shares her thoughts on how The Hunger Games (one of my favourite books) provides great examples of strong action scenes. 

Dear Editor is having a contest for MG and YA authors. You could win a substantive edit of your manuscript - what an awesome prize!

How Does Your Writing Challenge You?

I'm still working on my two novels, but I'm at different places in their progress. With Novel B, which I've been calling "Bubble Story", I'm still working out a rough plot outline. This might be the one that I come back to later. It has some exciting elements, but I still haven't worked out how the story will come together without being too predictable. It might be a story that I need to start writing before I can see the ending.

Novel A, "Cooking Story", is really tugging at my brain. I'm working on Chapter 2, and enjoying getting to know my main character. My progress is slow. I only write part of a chapter or scene each day, but it's hard to break away when my writing time is up. This one is completely outlined, including the ending, because I'm hoping to eliminate many major plot revisions. (Of course, I'm sure I'll still have some.)

Both of these stories are different from the other novels I've written, which is great because I like to be challenged. I think that's why my plots always get too complicated! As if writing a whole novel isn't challenging enough. Both novels involve a MC that is cut off from mainstream society in some way, and both are lacking something that creates an obstacle for them (maybe that's really me, missing something in my writing).

I Started Writing a New Novel!

I started writing a new book today (or maybe two)! Before writing, I spent a couple of weeks trying to sketch out the plot. I find it really hard to revise a story later if I haven’t thought enough about the plot before I start, because sometimes it seems that when I change anything, the whole story unravels. So, I decided to do more thinking before I leapt into writing. What I did:

1. Brainstormed.

2. Shaped the ideas into a long summary of the story and gave it to two very critical kids in my target age group to pick apart. Revised based on their feedback.

3. Wrote some brief descriptions of main characters and the setting.

4. Used the “nine box” technique to help organize some main plot points (for more info see Suzette Saxton's Feb post at QueryTracker).

5. Wrote a one-sentence summary. (Thanks, Christy, for your suggestion over on MiG Writers).

I have two great ideas for separate novels that have kept popping into my mind from time to time, and I didn’t know which to choose first. So I followed this process for both of them. Still don’t know which one to choose -- I’m working on both. I expect soon one will take over. Today I started writing Novel A.

I don't usually write novels this fast, back-to-back, but I figure I'll be on a break from teaching in the summer, so I can do revisions then.

Found Only in Fiction: Phrases Girls Hate

I recently asked a few of the teen and preteen girls that hang around my house about what words and phrases bug them when they’re reading books. I was surprised at how opinionated they were on the subject. But then, these girls are all avid readers (and bear in mind it was a small sample of less than 5). Here are some phrases they found irritating:

Phrases like “She blinked and then….”

The word “breathe” in the middle of a character’s inner thoughts.

Writing the sound of people laughing, e.g. “Ha! Ha! Ha!” said Thomas, instead of “Thomas laughed.”

The word “pierced” when used as a sound, because it makes them think of physical stabbing and not a sound.

“Cringe” and “scowl”.

“Flowery”. One girl said, “What does it mean, anyway? It reminds me of showery.”

Found Only in Fiction: Mental Notes

These are so overdone. Do you actually walk around in real life thinking, I must make a mental note about that? Okay, maybe you do. But when book characters do it, it's just annoying. Can't they just think whatever it is without conjuring up an image of a tiny person inside their brain with a paper and pencil?

Mental kicks and punches are even worse. What part of the brain is getting punched? Are there hands and feet inside there?

This is so common it's hard to pick up a novel without finding a mental note inside it. Please don't do it, I'm begging you. Your character might get hurt.

Found Only In Fiction: Grimace

According to the Oxford Canadian Dictionary, a grimace is “a distortion of the face made in disgust or to amuse”. It’s a legitimate physical reaction. But after hours of reading, I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s rarely effective when book characters do it.

Almost every time I see this word, it draws my attention. I’m no longer thinking about the character, I’m trying to visualize a grimace. When I meet a word like this, I think: Do you use this word in everyday life? If not, maybe it doesn’t belong in your novel.

Suggestion:  Use only on rare occasions, if at all.

Beautiful Words

27. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

After hearing so much about this book over at Grace Lin's blog, I had to read it. This book is many stories in one, with imaginative folktales woven through the text. I enjoyed the unique format and especially the way the author uses language. Plus, who doesn't love stories that contain dragons?  Some favourite phrases of mine included:

"As the sky deepened like brewing tea..."

"stars began to poke holes in the deep blue velvet sky" (This describes one of my favourite colours of the sky).

A good book to read if you appreciate how words can be perfectly put together to create compelling images. I'm thrilled to find out there are going to be more.

The Curse of the Writing Mind

Sometimes thinking like a writer almost feels like a curse. You hear about something rotten that happens to someone and, even while you’re saying how sorry you are, the wheels start turning. Wouldn’t that make a great story? Maybe I can use that as part of my character’s background. What would it be like if you lost the use of both hands while stranded in a rainforest?

Even though real life situations give me ideas, I try to change them significantly in my fiction. Some ways to keep reality and fiction distinct:

1. Use real life situations only as a jumping off point.
2. Don't use names and characteristic details of real people in your life.
3. Borrow a few details from a real-life situation for a different situation in your writing.

Any other ideas?

Five Things I've Learned from my Work-in-Progress

1. It's hard to find a setting without some form of modern technology.

2. Mom was right -- those blue berries on the plants we saw on nature walks when I was a kid? Not edible.

3. Telling a story from the point of view of 2 characters (alternating chapters)  puts constraints on the plot that I didn't expect.

4. I need to come up with more creative ways to show the passage of time.

5. There are not enough synonyms for the word "look".

Have you learned anything from your current project?

My 20th Great Read

20. Weedflower by Cynthia Kadohata

Although I don't always like reading historical novels, I really enjoyed this book. As well as opening up my mind to a part of history I'm not all that familiar with (I love learning new things from books!), I admired the writing style, and the way the author conveys so much information and emotion with a few carefully chosen words.

It reminds me once again how complex the challenge of writing a really good book can be, as I struggle to fill in a gap in the plot of my own novel, and think longingly of the day when I reach the point of obsessing over choosing just the right word.

The Confidence to Take Risks

With the second draft of my third novel moving along so well -- I'm on Chapter 10 and plan to finish it by the end of February -- I'm feeling more and more confident about myself as a writer. Part of it is that I've learned so much through writing and reading. Another part is that I belong to a really great critique group. We've never met each other, but we support each other through highs and lows, and hearing about their acccomplishments inspires me do to more.

One of the things my group has inspired me to do is to take more risks. For me, this includes actually sending out some queries about my completed novels, and to push myself to write about something that is a little bit outside my comfort zone. What risks are you taking in your writing?

By the way, Marcia Hoehne, a published author and ICL instructor, is having a free critique giveaway! Today is your last day to enter.

Sorting Out Tangles or Stuck on Knots?

16. When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

17. Leap Day by Wendy Mass

18. The Mealworm Diaries by Anna Kerz

When I read a good book, the story flows seamlessly, without any hint of whether the writer struggled, as I often do, with how much to put into the story. If I start off with a simple idea, it doesn't seem like enough to sustain a whole story. But if I try to put in a couple more ideas or another level of depth, especially at the beginning, the story quickly grows into a challenging mess of loose ends and tangled threads. In Leap Day, these other threads were expanded on in chapters between the main POV of the reader, telling bits of what happened from the points of view of other characters. An interesting approach.

In my current work-in-progress, I have more characters than I usually do, and that adds complexity during the writing process. Part of my excitement with writing is sorting out the tangled threads and figuring out how to make them all fit together into something smooth and interesting. But when you're right in the middle, it sometimes seems that all you have is knots.