The New Intimacy

#EdenLit - Club Meeting- October 8, 2012 @3pm EST

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Contributor: Airen Wolf Airen Wolf
(EF Review Program Mentor)
Quote:
Originally posted by Airen Wolf
When Woman China used to write for us she would post pieces of her work just because of that reason. It was easier to read small bites of stories and she got quite a following.
Don't be afraid people won't read your work, we have ways of ... more
We do have quite a few readers just they tend to lurk rather than post anything.
10/08/2012
Contributor: Airen Wolf Airen Wolf
(EF Review Program Mentor)
I can't imagine why it would be distracting to see a large pair of Wolf testicles flopping around....cause they'd have to be rather large or the audience wouldn't see them.
10/08/2012
Contributor: SneakersAndPearls SneakersAndPearls
Quote:
Originally posted by Airen Wolf
We do have quite a few readers just they tend to lurk rather than post anything.
Maybe next time I'll do a longer one and post it in segments. I do miss all the intricacies and exposition and dialog.
10/08/2012
Contributor: SneakersAndPearls SneakersAndPearls
Quote:
Originally posted by Airen Wolf
I can't imagine why it would be distracting to see a large pair of Wolf testicles flopping around....cause they'd have to be rather large or the audience wouldn't see them.
Mwahahaha exactly. And it was a family story. To this day I can't understand how they got away with it.
10/08/2012
Contributor: Airen Wolf Airen Wolf
(EF Review Program Mentor)
So are there any topics you are curious about learning more about? If I don't know much about the topic I am sure I can find someone who does so the sky's the limit. I write 2 lessons a week...so I will be running out of topics soon.
10/08/2012
Contributor: SneakersAndPearls SneakersAndPearls
Quote:
Originally posted by SneakersAndPearls
Mwahahaha exactly. And it was a family story. To this day I can't understand how they got away with it.
Come to think of it, the princes were busy screwing anything that moved, so maybe it wasn't as family friendly as I remember it.
10/08/2012
Contributor: Airen Wolf Airen Wolf
(EF Review Program Mentor)
Quote:
Originally posted by SneakersAndPearls
Maybe next time I'll do a longer one and post it in segments. I do miss all the intricacies and exposition and dialog.
You can post it as separate forum posts or over a period of months. When we first got the club started we all did this...carried on story lines until we were satisfied. I think we all got lazy.
10/08/2012
Contributor: Ansley Ansley
Quote:
Originally posted by Airen Wolf
So are there any topics you are curious about learning more about? If I don't know much about the topic I am sure I can find someone who does so the sky's the limit. I write 2 lessons a week...so I will be running out of topics soon.
How about just researching characters in general? Every author has their own mix but it would be nice to have "checklist" of sorts, yes?
10/08/2012
Contributor: SneakersAndPearls SneakersAndPearls
Quote:
Originally posted by Airen Wolf
So are there any topics you are curious about learning more about? If I don't know much about the topic I am sure I can find someone who does so the sky's the limit. I write 2 lessons a week...so I will be running out of topics soon.
Hmm. Let me think for a bit.
10/08/2012
Contributor: Airen Wolf Airen Wolf
(EF Review Program Mentor)
Quote:
Originally posted by SneakersAndPearls
Come to think of it, the princes were busy screwing anything that moved, so maybe it wasn't as family friendly as I remember it.
I suppose if you were talking about how to make a family having the Princes screwing everything that moves might be appropriate! LOL
10/08/2012
Contributor: SneakersAndPearls SneakersAndPearls
Quote:
Originally posted by SneakersAndPearls
Hmm. Let me think for a bit.
What about character mapping? Good for coming up with backgrounds.
10/08/2012
Contributor: Airen Wolf Airen Wolf
(EF Review Program Mentor)
Quote:
Originally posted by Ansley
How about just researching characters in general? Every author has their own mix but it would be nice to have "checklist" of sorts, yes?
So like how to go about making a checklist and describing a character without using the whole "looking in a mirror" type descriptions? I really hate it when an author takes up two to three pages to describe their characters in minute detail. Let me fill in the blanks as I read!

I am planning a series on setting the scene, and on character development.
10/08/2012
Contributor: Airen Wolf Airen Wolf
(EF Review Program Mentor)
Quote:
Originally posted by SneakersAndPearls
What about character mapping? Good for coming up with backgrounds.
EXACTLY! I wanted to tackle dialogue because it seems like new authors always want to jump in with both feet. Almost before they have a clear idea about what Meredith St. Auburn looks like they already have her talking!
10/08/2012
Contributor: SneakersAndPearls SneakersAndPearls
Quote:
Originally posted by Airen Wolf
So like how to go about making a checklist and describing a character without using the whole "looking in a mirror" type descriptions? I really hate it when an author takes up two to three pages to describe their characters in minute ... more
Not necessarily physical description, but that is part of it. It's a list of their education, family history, philosophical ideas, employment, etc. Basically you are building a person. The idea is that you come up with a fully rounded character instead of a 2-dimensional one. Of course, you don't need to use everything you come up with. It's more of a guideline to help you plan out their actions and how the relate to people and their surroundings.
10/08/2012
Contributor: Ansley Ansley
Quote:
Originally posted by Airen Wolf
So like how to go about making a checklist and describing a character without using the whole "looking in a mirror" type descriptions? I really hate it when an author takes up two to three pages to describe their characters in minute ... more
I like that
10/08/2012
Contributor: Airen Wolf Airen Wolf
(EF Review Program Mentor)
Quote:
Originally posted by SneakersAndPearls
Not necessarily physical description, but that is part of it. It's a list of their education, family history, philosophical ideas, employment, etc. Basically you are building a person. The idea is that you come up with a fully rounded ... more
Could lead into the importance of mapping your story from where it starts to where it might lead. Stories tend to write themselves but it helps to at least have some sort of plan!
10/08/2012
Contributor: SneakersAndPearls SneakersAndPearls
I once read in one of my writing books that book characters need to be flawed. The idea was that if you describe a character as blond and thin and gorgeous, it will turn people off, despite what they like to see in movies.
10/08/2012
Contributor: SneakersAndPearls SneakersAndPearls
Quote:
Originally posted by Airen Wolf
Could lead into the importance of mapping your story from where it starts to where it might lead. Stories tend to write themselves but it helps to at least have some sort of plan!
Yeppers. Especially if you have the tendency to get lost on the way with details and side stories.
10/08/2012
Contributor: Airen Wolf Airen Wolf
(EF Review Program Mentor)
Quote:
Originally posted by SneakersAndPearls
I once read in one of my writing books that book characters need to be flawed. The idea was that if you describe a character as blond and thin and gorgeous, it will turn people off, despite what they like to see in movies.
OH ya your characters need to be as real as possible and that means flaws, warts and all! Otherwise they are not believable.
10/08/2012
Contributor: SneakersAndPearls SneakersAndPearls
Quote:
Originally posted by Airen Wolf
OH ya your characters need to be as real as possible and that means flaws, warts and all! Otherwise they are not believable.
Exactly.

Can you tell this is where my education is? I'm just really out of practice.
10/08/2012
Contributor: Airen Wolf Airen Wolf
(EF Review Program Mentor)
I had a teacher who was a stickler for making sure you don't solve every problem for your characters. She would say, "You have to be a benevolent deity and allow your creations to perfect themselves. All you can do is offer them the opportunity to do this!" We all felt like it was torturing our characters but it's true...they have to do it for themselves!
10/08/2012
Contributor: Ansley Ansley
I have the hardest time with character development. I tend to tell stories in very short, choppy ways. As Airen can attest to with my incessant rambling via Skype.
10/08/2012
Contributor: SneakersAndPearls SneakersAndPearls
Quote:
Originally posted by Airen Wolf
I had a teacher who was a stickler for making sure you don't solve every problem for your characters. She would say, "You have to be a benevolent deity and allow your creations to perfect themselves. All you can do is offer them the ... more
And then it rained money and their cancer was cured. The end.
10/08/2012
Contributor: Airen Wolf Airen Wolf
(EF Review Program Mentor)
Quote:
Originally posted by SneakersAndPearls
Exactly.

Can you tell this is where my education is? I'm just really out of practice.
I try to force solutions on my characters but they never listen....sometimes wonder if God feels this way when dealing with us!
10/08/2012
Contributor: Airen Wolf Airen Wolf
(EF Review Program Mentor)
Quote:
Originally posted by SneakersAndPearls
And then it rained money and their cancer was cured. The end.
Precisely!
10/08/2012
Contributor: Airen Wolf Airen Wolf
(EF Review Program Mentor)
Quote:
Originally posted by Ansley
I have the hardest time with character development. I tend to tell stories in very short, choppy ways. As Airen can attest to with my incessant rambling via Skype.
LOL There is a place for that too. Shorter stories or even shorter chapters are fine....children's books tend to be written in this format.
10/08/2012
Contributor: SneakersAndPearls SneakersAndPearls
Quote:
Originally posted by Airen Wolf
Precisely!
When I first started, I never let a character die because it made me sad.
10/08/2012
Contributor: Airen Wolf Airen Wolf
(EF Review Program Mentor)
Quote:
Originally posted by Airen Wolf
LOL There is a place for that too. Shorter stories or even shorter chapters are fine....children's books tend to be written in this format.
Having a really good guide or strategy will help keep you on track. I tend to write myself into corners and then have to add in a window to continue the story. A good flow chart helps with complicated character interactions as well.
10/08/2012
Contributor: Ansley Ansley
Quote:
Originally posted by Airen Wolf
LOL There is a place for that too. Shorter stories or even shorter chapters are fine....children's books tend to be written in this format.
Oh yeah that's what I need - to be writing children's books. Corruption of a minor charges, anyone...anyone?
10/08/2012
Contributor: Airen Wolf Airen Wolf
(EF Review Program Mentor)
Quote:
Originally posted by SneakersAndPearls
When I first started, I never let a character die because it made me sad.
Oh gawd I still have trouble with that...and I'm a trained grief counselor!
10/08/2012