Characters

Writing.

Sometimes it just works. Sometimes it doesn't.

I hadn't planned on a writing vacation, but took a little time away from it. I didn't stop thinking about writing. I had no interest in pursuing my story on the keyboard. I've been regular with my composing. Not precisely everyday, but I've felt good about the 15 or more hours I've put in per week.

The problem is a friend pointed out a reality issue with my story and thrown it off kilter. Same friend also had me thinking about characters and the best way to craft them. I’ve put a lot of thought into my people during this writing hiatus.

Experts say, give them a flaw, make them suffer, characters have to grow. And so on. How much this applies to a light-hearted middle grade story I’m not sure? I know, I know. That doesn't matter. The authorities laid out the format so the rules apply to from PB to YA. Publishers and readers are looking for character.

The stories we love have in your face characters, people stuck living in this world. People with relationship problems, people with self-doubt, people on a mission. The situations they are stuck with and the way they deal with them help us deal with our own. People like us, except the authors removed the boring stuff.

Writing vacation is about over. Time to take all this advice and put it into practice.

(This article also posted at http://writetimeluck.blogspot.com)