tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post1228821519503665222..comments2024-03-18T01:49:03.153-06:00Comments on Blood-Red Pencil: Ask Yourself WhyDanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-36408919783305482762011-06-22T14:22:37.013-06:002011-06-22T14:22:37.013-06:00Maryann, once I learn something about my character...Maryann, once I learn something about my characters, I do keep track. Saves a lot of time if you're going to have another book set in that same world.Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-83256696763063903652011-06-22T14:16:15.121-06:002011-06-22T14:16:15.121-06:00I'm with you, Terry, on the character sketches...I'm with you, Terry, on the character sketches. I know it works well for some writers to do a detailed bio of characters, but I like the discovery method. I do, however, have the series bible with the basic info on characters so I keep that consistent from book to book.Maryannwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-47336623522788665962011-06-22T13:56:11.860-06:002011-06-22T13:56:11.860-06:00Bob, an interesting and legitimate question. I kno...Bob, an interesting and legitimate question. I know authors who spend a lot of time filling out character sheets, dealing with all sorts of back story so they'll know their characters. However, I haven't been able to work that way. And sometimes, it's easier to work backward. Character does X because of Y, and the "Y" would never have occurred to me until I put the character in that situation. (Does that make any sense at all?) I'm more of a 'discovery' writer than anything else. If I worked the way you suggest, I'd probably go back and change my character's history rather than worry about why he was doing something against the grain. <br /><br />In the 'behind the scenes' section of my website, I shared my initial plotting/characterizations for Where Danger Hides. A lot of Dalton was already fixed because he appeared in a previous book, but I like the surprises. <br /><br />There's no wrong or right. It's what works for you. <br /><br />Terry<br /><a href="http://terryodell.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Terry's Place</a><br /><a href="http://www.terryodell.com" rel="nofollow">Romance with a Twist--of Mystery</a>Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-54646392790108270122011-06-22T13:43:00.689-06:002011-06-22T13:43:00.689-06:00Good post, Terry. Don't you think a writer cou...Good post, Terry. Don't you think a writer could answer a lot of the Why questions simply by trying to understand the character ahead of time? That's why I think it helps to write character sketches that delve into background the author might not necessarily intend to use in the story. Then we have some idea of what a character is likely to do--and when they do something different, you REALLY need to ask why.Bob Sanchezhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08350825385315155962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-25894716693788723042011-06-22T13:19:43.599-06:002011-06-22T13:19:43.599-06:00Kathryn - I think my approach comes from not havin...Kathryn - I think my approach comes from not having had any deep seated dreams or desires to become a writer before I started writing, so everything was trial and error (lots of errors). I'll be talking about my feelings about rules at my own blog tomorrow.<br /><br />Elspeth - I much prefer the 'why' to the 'what' or the 'who'<br /><br />Morgan - hate when that happens, too! Usually entails some rewinding.<br /><br />Maryann - maybe romance writers have one step up because their mantra is GMC - Goal, Motivation, Conflict.<br /><br />Heidi - Reminders are always helpfulTerry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-43142536396823244152011-06-22T11:40:49.702-06:002011-06-22T11:40:49.702-06:00This is EXCELLENT!! I need to tape up a big sign o...This is EXCELLENT!! I need to tape up a big sign on my computer: WHY?Heidiwriterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02593338979995203659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-29967225750234899272011-06-22T10:45:01.862-06:002011-06-22T10:45:01.862-06:00Thanks for this, Terry. Sometimes I focus on the &...Thanks for this, Terry. Sometimes I focus on the "what if" questions and forget that the "why" questions are just as important. Maybe even more important because if the motivation isn't there, the reader is not going to believe some of the outrageous things our characters do.Maryannwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-79944889203654206692011-06-22T10:16:22.860-06:002011-06-22T10:16:22.860-06:00Sometimes the reasons given for why a character do...Sometimes the reasons given for why a character does something make no sense at all. Hate when that happens.Morgan Mandelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10118929301591850918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-9818014923724244372011-06-22T09:54:57.273-06:002011-06-22T09:54:57.273-06:00This is a wonderful post, Terry. I've often to...This is a wonderful post, Terry. I've often told people that I don't write 'whodunnits', I write 'whydunnits'.Elspeth Futcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10330102545384369360noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-69543544584944450112011-06-22T09:35:14.409-06:002011-06-22T09:35:14.409-06:00Terry: Thanks you for role-modeling this behavior ...Terry: Thanks you for role-modeling this behavior from your perch as an experienced, published author. I think too many rookie writers assume they "should" know such things before writing, when in effect, these are the things one often learns from the writing (and failing and re-writing then running it past others then tweaking etc. etc.). Don't let the "not knowing" stop you, writers! The writing process itself is one of discovery.Kathryn Crafthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08371458857187160425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-77484707662883542582011-06-22T08:55:47.115-06:002011-06-22T08:55:47.115-06:00Christopher: Not getting the answer you WANT somet...Christopher: Not getting the answer you WANT sometimes makes for a better story<br /><br />Terry<br /><a href="http://terryodell.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Terry's Place</a><br /><a href="http://www.terryodell.com" rel="nofollow">Romance with a Twist--of Mystery</a>Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-50296836807917229492011-06-22T08:49:25.146-06:002011-06-22T08:49:25.146-06:00'Why' questions don't ALWAYS get the r...'Why' questions don't ALWAYS get the results you want ... when Simon Wagstaff asked the Grand Poo Bah, "Why were we born only to suffer and die?" the answer was, "Why not?"Christopher Hudsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03667548312923348614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-38167614761461304222011-06-22T08:34:40.209-06:002011-06-22T08:34:40.209-06:00Barbara - a notebook of writing ideas. That's ...Barbara - a notebook of writing ideas. That's a good idea.<br /><br />Liza -- hope it helps (and doesn't drive you nuts)<br /><br />Scooter - ah, I remember those days. And if you're writing, "Because Mommy Says So" won't work.<br /><br />Helen - asking and answering questions is an important part of the writing process.<br /><br />Terry<br /><a href="http://terryodell.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Terry's Place</a><br /><a href="http://www.terryodell.com" rel="nofollow">Romance with a Twist--of Mystery</a>Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-61576697434487446532011-06-22T07:50:37.331-06:002011-06-22T07:50:37.331-06:00Very good advice. "Why" is often a quest...Very good advice. "Why" is often a question we forget to ask.Helen Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09794759602654727110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-31697063449858553002011-06-22T07:36:20.460-06:002011-06-22T07:36:20.460-06:00It's rather like writing with my toddler looki...It's rather like writing with my toddler looking over my shoulder. "Why, mommy? Why? Why! WHY?"Scooter Carlylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06193754150220063430noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-31542376464452053192011-06-22T07:22:13.926-06:002011-06-22T07:22:13.926-06:00One word, and a story grows. Love this. Now I...One word, and a story grows. Love this. Now I'm going to keep muttering to myself as I write...Why? Why? Why?Lizahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16170701034715108039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-47070361689821413542011-06-22T07:22:03.595-06:002011-06-22T07:22:03.595-06:00Seems like a simple concept but something we forge...Seems like a simple concept but something we forget to do or don't think about doing. I'm noting this idea (literally in a notebook of writing ideas I keep). Thank you.Barbara Watsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06547166495514562286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-21086187720372645332011-06-22T06:17:53.478-06:002011-06-22T06:17:53.478-06:00Dawn -- well, thanks! And I know the rest of the B...Dawn -- well, thanks! And I know the rest of the BRP gang thank you as well.<br /><br />Terry<br /><a href="http://terryodell.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Terry's Place</a><br /><a href="http://www.terryodell.com" rel="nofollow">Romance with a Twist--of Mystery</a>Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-32577566636125458982011-06-22T06:05:41.260-06:002011-06-22T06:05:41.260-06:00Gosh this was a great post. I can't gush enoug...Gosh this was a great post. I can't gush enough about this awesome blog. A great writing tool for any writer. Thanks for your awesomeness!!!Author Dawn Brazilhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17266576901266161844noreply@blogger.com