Thanks to my hubby for the idea for this post. I could've talked about the Whalers (Plymouth's OHL team), but this goes much better along with writing. The Howe is an inside joke if you're a hockey fan - I didn't spell it wrong!
Remember back in school when we had to ask ourselves the five questions- who, what, where, when, and how? These questions still apply to reading and writing in a writer's life. We need to know:
- Who are the characters, main and secondary?
- What's the story problem/question?
- Where is the story taking place?
- When is the story taking place?
- How is the character going to overcome the What?
As writers, we may not consciously think of these things; we just do it because all of these are elements of writing. I may not make a list like the above, but I do identify all of those issues prior to putting any words down. What about you? Do you list it all out on paper, or do you just make sure to include them in your writing?
Great questions! I do huge psychological make-ups on my characters. . .main and secondary. . .and ask a lot of questions about each individual in which I answer each one. It helps keep me straight in the writing process.
ReplyDeleteI generally have a plan that answers these essential questions. It might not be very detailed, but it's rare that I just sit down, start typing and wait to see what happens.
ReplyDeleteGreat blog and post. Will take your advice. Following you and your tweets. My blog is http://charachterswellmet.blogspot.com. Reggie Ridgway
ReplyDelete