Brittany Comeaux's Blog, page 2
June 26, 2013
Character Development Tips
One thing creating a good story always requires is good characterization! If you have boring characters then you have a boring story! In life, people are diverse, so a story must reflect this! A wide variety of characters from different backgrounds and settings will make all the difference in the novel-writing process!
As I stated in a previous blog, Character Development is my favorite part of the novel writing process! Nothing is cooler than shaping a character of your very own and watching as he/she struggles against all the odds you throw at them! They can be outgoing, loud, and full of sunshine or they can be gloomy, cynical, and distrustful of others, but one thing is certain, your character has to be someone people can relate to. A character has to be well-rounded. They have to have a likeable quality that stands out from others, but at the same time, they should have bad qualities.
Never have a perfect character! This is what we in the literary world call a Mary Sue. I would rather see a childish character who learns and grows throughout the story/stories (like Harry Potter) than to see someone who's always right or who everyone seems to love. Good examples of Mary Sue's include Cinderella, Snow White, Bella Swan, or anyone similar. Basically girls who everyone likes for no damn reason and who gets everything she wants without even trying.
A character's personality should be shaped by his or her environment or home life. When a child has a good homelife, typically he or she grows up happy, healthy, and friendly. When someone grows up in a dysfunctional family, they will be cynical, moody, and pessimistic. You also have some characters who have been abandoned by a parent, in which case they will be very paranoid with relationships and may have commitment issues themselves.
Whatever the case, your character will always need some kind of struggle to face, whether it's inner or outer. Personally, I like to give my characters both. It adds to the conflict of the story to have inner demons for your character to face on top of what's going on in the world outside of their mind. You also see your character grow more when you throw everything you have at them.
That's another thing, torture your characters! Before you say, "But that's insane you sadist," read why. What shapes a story the most? No, it isn't characters. They're essential, of course, but what good are characters if they don't have a conflict to face? You have a bunch of random people who are just sitting in your pages wondering, "What am I supposed to do?"
The conflict must keep readers interested and should always stay fresh with interesting twists. I'm not saying go M. Night Shyamalan on your stories (Lord knows we don't need another one), but always throw in a little something about your characters your audience didn't expect. For instance, what if you had a hero who always idolized his father whom he never had the chance to grow up with just to find out that his father was in fact a dangerous criminal. That itself is a conflict for the character because now his whole perspective has changed!
Give your characters something to fight for. This doesn't necessarily have to be literally either. Your character could be a modern day businessman trying to get a promotion he's been striving for. What kind of obstacles would he face? Maybe he has a rival coworker who wants the same job? Maybe his boss is a stingy, greedy man who makes your character brown nose him in order to get the promotion? In fantasy, your typical goals include anything from simple quests to saving the world! Whatever it is, do not, I repeat, DO NOT give your characters an easy time on it. The various hardships a character endures in a story will shape him/her for the better.
Your characters will also have to make sacrifices. Good stories aren't going to be sugar-coated like Disney portrays them. Okay, so some Disney movies are good, but if you take a look at movies like Cinderella or Snow White, you see that the main characters do NOTHING and get everything they want practically handed to them. Cinderella's little mice friends do all the work and she gets rewarded with a (not so) handsome prince and a rich life. And she had a woman appear out of nowhere and for no damn reason gave her EVERYTHING she needed for the ball. A good example of stories with sacrifice is Harry Potter. So many characters die to protect Hogwarts in the last battle! Even <spoiler>Fred, which made us ALL cry</spoiler> and <spoiler>Snape never has his chance with Lily, but protects her son despite his hatred for James. He even loses his life in the process</spoiler>.
You may even have to kill characters you love! I once read online about the video game (YES I am a gamer C:) Final Fantasy VII about why Aerith, one of the main characters and a love interest to the hero, was killed off. The story writers started with the hero, Cloud, Aerith, and Barret (a big black guy with a gun for an arm). The creators knew right away that they wanted someone to die, but Barret and Cloud were the most obvious choices, so they picked Aerith. Aerith, you see, was a flower girl from the slums in a big city called Midgar and everyone knew her best for her bright smile and cheerful demeanor. Surely no one who deserved to die, right? Regardless, at the end of the first disc you watch tearfully as the antagonist, Sephiroth, drives his sword straight through Aerith and mercilessly ends her life. When the game reached the public, cries of outrage erupted from fans over Aerith's tragic death. However, believe it or not, the game creators were HAPPY. This meant, as they said, that Aerith was a successful character!
If there is one thing I have learned, if you are sad to let your character die, then others will be too! Go with your gut! This can also include ending a relationship that you wanted to last forever! Others may love your couple and be heartbroken to see them split, but this means that they were well-connected and successful! Take disappointment as a complement! (In this sense, anyway.)
As I stated in a previous blog, Character Development is my favorite part of the novel writing process! Nothing is cooler than shaping a character of your very own and watching as he/she struggles against all the odds you throw at them! They can be outgoing, loud, and full of sunshine or they can be gloomy, cynical, and distrustful of others, but one thing is certain, your character has to be someone people can relate to. A character has to be well-rounded. They have to have a likeable quality that stands out from others, but at the same time, they should have bad qualities.
Never have a perfect character! This is what we in the literary world call a Mary Sue. I would rather see a childish character who learns and grows throughout the story/stories (like Harry Potter) than to see someone who's always right or who everyone seems to love. Good examples of Mary Sue's include Cinderella, Snow White, Bella Swan, or anyone similar. Basically girls who everyone likes for no damn reason and who gets everything she wants without even trying.
A character's personality should be shaped by his or her environment or home life. When a child has a good homelife, typically he or she grows up happy, healthy, and friendly. When someone grows up in a dysfunctional family, they will be cynical, moody, and pessimistic. You also have some characters who have been abandoned by a parent, in which case they will be very paranoid with relationships and may have commitment issues themselves.
Whatever the case, your character will always need some kind of struggle to face, whether it's inner or outer. Personally, I like to give my characters both. It adds to the conflict of the story to have inner demons for your character to face on top of what's going on in the world outside of their mind. You also see your character grow more when you throw everything you have at them.
That's another thing, torture your characters! Before you say, "But that's insane you sadist," read why. What shapes a story the most? No, it isn't characters. They're essential, of course, but what good are characters if they don't have a conflict to face? You have a bunch of random people who are just sitting in your pages wondering, "What am I supposed to do?"
The conflict must keep readers interested and should always stay fresh with interesting twists. I'm not saying go M. Night Shyamalan on your stories (Lord knows we don't need another one), but always throw in a little something about your characters your audience didn't expect. For instance, what if you had a hero who always idolized his father whom he never had the chance to grow up with just to find out that his father was in fact a dangerous criminal. That itself is a conflict for the character because now his whole perspective has changed!
Give your characters something to fight for. This doesn't necessarily have to be literally either. Your character could be a modern day businessman trying to get a promotion he's been striving for. What kind of obstacles would he face? Maybe he has a rival coworker who wants the same job? Maybe his boss is a stingy, greedy man who makes your character brown nose him in order to get the promotion? In fantasy, your typical goals include anything from simple quests to saving the world! Whatever it is, do not, I repeat, DO NOT give your characters an easy time on it. The various hardships a character endures in a story will shape him/her for the better.
Your characters will also have to make sacrifices. Good stories aren't going to be sugar-coated like Disney portrays them. Okay, so some Disney movies are good, but if you take a look at movies like Cinderella or Snow White, you see that the main characters do NOTHING and get everything they want practically handed to them. Cinderella's little mice friends do all the work and she gets rewarded with a (not so) handsome prince and a rich life. And she had a woman appear out of nowhere and for no damn reason gave her EVERYTHING she needed for the ball. A good example of stories with sacrifice is Harry Potter. So many characters die to protect Hogwarts in the last battle! Even <spoiler>Fred, which made us ALL cry</spoiler> and <spoiler>Snape never has his chance with Lily, but protects her son despite his hatred for James. He even loses his life in the process</spoiler>.
You may even have to kill characters you love! I once read online about the video game (YES I am a gamer C:) Final Fantasy VII about why Aerith, one of the main characters and a love interest to the hero, was killed off. The story writers started with the hero, Cloud, Aerith, and Barret (a big black guy with a gun for an arm). The creators knew right away that they wanted someone to die, but Barret and Cloud were the most obvious choices, so they picked Aerith. Aerith, you see, was a flower girl from the slums in a big city called Midgar and everyone knew her best for her bright smile and cheerful demeanor. Surely no one who deserved to die, right? Regardless, at the end of the first disc you watch tearfully as the antagonist, Sephiroth, drives his sword straight through Aerith and mercilessly ends her life. When the game reached the public, cries of outrage erupted from fans over Aerith's tragic death. However, believe it or not, the game creators were HAPPY. This meant, as they said, that Aerith was a successful character!
If there is one thing I have learned, if you are sad to let your character die, then others will be too! Go with your gut! This can also include ending a relationship that you wanted to last forever! Others may love your couple and be heartbroken to see them split, but this means that they were well-connected and successful! Take disappointment as a complement! (In this sense, anyway.)
April 23, 2013
Tips for Aspiring Fantasy Writers
So you want to be a published fantasy novelist with a book that flies off the shelves, but do you know how to achieve that goal?
It's hard to start writing when you've got the passion for it, but no idea where to start! Maybe you have an idea, but you're afraid to take the first step because you're afraid of failing. While the writing process is frustrating and yes, your story may not work out, but if you do your research and work hard, you will find yourself creating an unbelievable story with a world you can mold to your liking. All it takes is patience, willpower, and a few tips of advice from fellow writers!
Below is a list of the most important parts of the writing process that will give you an idea of where to start.
1. Write down EVERY SINGLE IDEA you have! No matter how silly it may sound, you can always use that idea to stem to another. Here is how I write my ideas:
"Maybe (insert random name here) should find out about (insert random stuff here) and get angry."
"Perhaps the elves could perform a ritual to (insert random outcome)."
"Should (name) have (random magic power or something?"
Just random stuff like this. Just make sure to organize it well. Possibly even keep a folder for every character as you develop them.
2. Setting comes first. If you are a fantasy writer like me, will your story take place in modern times with a magic twist like in Harry Potter? Or like mine, will it be a make-believe world inspired by European cultures and mythology like Lord of the Rings or Eragon (or some other culture, this is just one example)? Depending on what you choose, your characters must reflect the cultures and upbringing in this world. A modern fantasy might have every day people like you and me who discover unimaginable power, but someone born in Middle Earth will be trained in the ways of magic from birth or even just be badass with a sword. European cultures will have kings, queens, knights, etc. If you have some kind of Oriental or Asian culture, you will have emperors, temples, and possibly even ninjas and Martial Arts style fighting (think of Avatar: The Last Airbender or Naruto). In the Avatar series, you can see the different cultures among the four nations as well. The fire nation has Samuri-ish armor and Japanese style décor, the water tribe has an eskimo-themed culture, the earth kingdom has a more Chinese look, and the air temples have a Buddhist or Hindu monk theme. I was very impressed with that.
3. Character development is a MUST. I see WAY too many book/game/movie/tv characters that are very underdeveloped that people seem to love. You see so many heroines who we in the literary world call "Mary Sue's." Even though your story is Fantasy, the characters still have to seem real!
I always go into detail about my characters. I like to develop their backgrounds the best, because this especially helps to shape their personality. Someone who had a poor home life growing up will be cynical and somewhat of a loner, whereas someone who grew up in a loving environment will be more outgoing and cheerful. The best advice I can give for characters is this: give them an inner struggle on top of whatever the main struggle in the story is. My character Crystal struggles against her hatred for Bogdan, the man who murdered her parents. She must control this hatred in order to save her people and her friends. They must have doubts and moments of weakness just like everyone in the real world. This will make them more believable.
4. Character names should be consistent with the cultures. If you have a ninja from an Oriental nation, you certainly can't get away with naming him "Bob," so you will have to do your research to see what kind of names would fit your ninja. Take your previously picked cultures and research them. Since my kingdom in Deliverance, Cierith, is based off of English and other Western European cultures, I chose English names for my characters from there. Amelia, August, Acker, Coburn, and Atteberry are all English names I used in the story. All of my characters from Daldussa have Bulgarian names. "Gavril" is actually the Bulgarian form of the name "Gabriel," which immediately reminded me of the archangel, Gabriel. This fit Gavril well, since he's Crystal's guardian and protector, so I gave him that name. If you also notice, I put angel wings on the hilt of Gavril's sword. "Bogdan" means "given by God" in Bulgarian. Since Bogdan has sort of a god complex going on, the name fit him well. Behindthename.com is a good website to check out, though the list of names is limited.
You shouldn't pick "special" names for everyone, though. Thaddeus is a name I randomly picked for Crystal's old mentor because it sounded like an old man's name. Since he's not as major of a character, though, this is not a big deal. Maryn is a name I heard on a show somewhere (though the spelling is different) and I just changed the "m" to a "t" for her twin brother, Taryn. Voila, everyone's favorite prankster twins! I also came up with "Daldussa" and "Dracnov" off of the top of my head. "Dracnov," of course, is consistent with Russian surnames. Make sure to google your made-up names too, because it would be reaaaally awkward to have a name that you THOUGHT was made-up, but actually means something silly or even seriously perverted.
Here is a picture of my notes when I was coming up with names:
As you can see, I wrote several ideas down. Even though I scratched out the name "Sigurd," I still used it for my dwarf character in Deliverance.
Also, if you happen to notice a cool-sounding name in any of your surroundings, write it down. The name "Bredewig," which I used for one of the elders in the City of Magi in Deliverance, was a name I found in a Keyboarding class assignment when I was still in school. Online generators help too! I came up with the names of most of my elders with a generator. Most online generators have names that are completely free to use without needing to give credit, but MAKE SURE that they are. You don't want to use a name from a generator just for the creator to come back and say you published something of theirs without permission!
5. Make a timeline. This helps not only to keep your timing consistent throughout the story (like when you describe how many days/weeks/months has passed during a time period), but it also allows you to go into accurate detail about seasons and weather changes. My book, Deliverance, ranges over the course of 6 or 7 months for the main story. It begins in late January, so I made sure to describe the cold weather and snowy terrains, and then towards the end of the book is mid-July. Always make sure to keep in mind the time of year and how long time has passed in your story so that it's consistent. A timeline also helps with events leading up to your main story. Every major event in the story, whether it actually occurs during the present or not, should be recorded on the timeline. If something major happened to a character in the past, it should be recorded. If something major happens before a main character is born, record their birthdate on the timeline.
Here is my timeline for Deliverance:
(spoilers are marked by troll faces >v<)
I have the years marked shorter before the story starts, as you can see, and longer during the main story.
6. Make an outline of your entire plot. Okay, some people will argue against this because there are authors who do a great job writing as they go along, so I will mark this as optional. Whatever method works for you, do it. I just want to suggest this because it helped me.
I actually did my outline for Deliverance chapter by chapter, but I would not recommend this. That's because as I typed up my first draft, a lot of the chapters came out short enough to be merged together and the chapter breaks sometimes went better in other places. All you need to do is section everything scene by scene with roman numerals (I, II, III) and then when you add extra details to an event, use capital letters (A,B,C) and then numbers, (1,2,3) then lowercase letters (a,b,c) and so on. Don't add too many details, though. Just add "reminders" for details. You could say things like, "check page 2 in notes" for reference to details or even a page you wrote for that chapter. You don't need complete sentences in your outline either.
7. After you type of the manuscript, edit it yourself into multiple drafts. I printed out Deliverance and edited it on my own five times. I would take a few chapters at a time, print them out, and use a colored pen (I prefer red) to cross out, change words, or fix punctuation. It helps to have a thesaurus and a good grammar book available for reference too. I usually carried my stuff in this:
(sorry for the crappy photo D: )
I can fit my pens, pencils, and print-outs in here and when I had time in between classes, I would go through my material and make corrections. I can also fit looseleaf paper and 1 subject notebooks in here (like my awesome Avengers notebook!). You can find these all over, but I got mine at Walmart. I also carry a small notepad and some pens in my bag wherever I go. I find it helps to have pens you like to right with and notebooks you like to write in (again, like my awesome Avengers notebook!).
Those are some main points to keep in mind! Like I said, everyone is different and so some of these methods might not work for you, but it'll give you a good idea where to start. Good luck with your own writing!
It's hard to start writing when you've got the passion for it, but no idea where to start! Maybe you have an idea, but you're afraid to take the first step because you're afraid of failing. While the writing process is frustrating and yes, your story may not work out, but if you do your research and work hard, you will find yourself creating an unbelievable story with a world you can mold to your liking. All it takes is patience, willpower, and a few tips of advice from fellow writers!
Below is a list of the most important parts of the writing process that will give you an idea of where to start.
1. Write down EVERY SINGLE IDEA you have! No matter how silly it may sound, you can always use that idea to stem to another. Here is how I write my ideas:
"Maybe (insert random name here) should find out about (insert random stuff here) and get angry."
"Perhaps the elves could perform a ritual to (insert random outcome)."
"Should (name) have (random magic power or something?"
Just random stuff like this. Just make sure to organize it well. Possibly even keep a folder for every character as you develop them.
2. Setting comes first. If you are a fantasy writer like me, will your story take place in modern times with a magic twist like in Harry Potter? Or like mine, will it be a make-believe world inspired by European cultures and mythology like Lord of the Rings or Eragon (or some other culture, this is just one example)? Depending on what you choose, your characters must reflect the cultures and upbringing in this world. A modern fantasy might have every day people like you and me who discover unimaginable power, but someone born in Middle Earth will be trained in the ways of magic from birth or even just be badass with a sword. European cultures will have kings, queens, knights, etc. If you have some kind of Oriental or Asian culture, you will have emperors, temples, and possibly even ninjas and Martial Arts style fighting (think of Avatar: The Last Airbender or Naruto). In the Avatar series, you can see the different cultures among the four nations as well. The fire nation has Samuri-ish armor and Japanese style décor, the water tribe has an eskimo-themed culture, the earth kingdom has a more Chinese look, and the air temples have a Buddhist or Hindu monk theme. I was very impressed with that.
3. Character development is a MUST. I see WAY too many book/game/movie/tv characters that are very underdeveloped that people seem to love. You see so many heroines who we in the literary world call "Mary Sue's." Even though your story is Fantasy, the characters still have to seem real!
I always go into detail about my characters. I like to develop their backgrounds the best, because this especially helps to shape their personality. Someone who had a poor home life growing up will be cynical and somewhat of a loner, whereas someone who grew up in a loving environment will be more outgoing and cheerful. The best advice I can give for characters is this: give them an inner struggle on top of whatever the main struggle in the story is. My character Crystal struggles against her hatred for Bogdan, the man who murdered her parents. She must control this hatred in order to save her people and her friends. They must have doubts and moments of weakness just like everyone in the real world. This will make them more believable.
4. Character names should be consistent with the cultures. If you have a ninja from an Oriental nation, you certainly can't get away with naming him "Bob," so you will have to do your research to see what kind of names would fit your ninja. Take your previously picked cultures and research them. Since my kingdom in Deliverance, Cierith, is based off of English and other Western European cultures, I chose English names for my characters from there. Amelia, August, Acker, Coburn, and Atteberry are all English names I used in the story. All of my characters from Daldussa have Bulgarian names. "Gavril" is actually the Bulgarian form of the name "Gabriel," which immediately reminded me of the archangel, Gabriel. This fit Gavril well, since he's Crystal's guardian and protector, so I gave him that name. If you also notice, I put angel wings on the hilt of Gavril's sword. "Bogdan" means "given by God" in Bulgarian. Since Bogdan has sort of a god complex going on, the name fit him well. Behindthename.com is a good website to check out, though the list of names is limited.
You shouldn't pick "special" names for everyone, though. Thaddeus is a name I randomly picked for Crystal's old mentor because it sounded like an old man's name. Since he's not as major of a character, though, this is not a big deal. Maryn is a name I heard on a show somewhere (though the spelling is different) and I just changed the "m" to a "t" for her twin brother, Taryn. Voila, everyone's favorite prankster twins! I also came up with "Daldussa" and "Dracnov" off of the top of my head. "Dracnov," of course, is consistent with Russian surnames. Make sure to google your made-up names too, because it would be reaaaally awkward to have a name that you THOUGHT was made-up, but actually means something silly or even seriously perverted.
Here is a picture of my notes when I was coming up with names:
As you can see, I wrote several ideas down. Even though I scratched out the name "Sigurd," I still used it for my dwarf character in Deliverance.
Also, if you happen to notice a cool-sounding name in any of your surroundings, write it down. The name "Bredewig," which I used for one of the elders in the City of Magi in Deliverance, was a name I found in a Keyboarding class assignment when I was still in school. Online generators help too! I came up with the names of most of my elders with a generator. Most online generators have names that are completely free to use without needing to give credit, but MAKE SURE that they are. You don't want to use a name from a generator just for the creator to come back and say you published something of theirs without permission!
5. Make a timeline. This helps not only to keep your timing consistent throughout the story (like when you describe how many days/weeks/months has passed during a time period), but it also allows you to go into accurate detail about seasons and weather changes. My book, Deliverance, ranges over the course of 6 or 7 months for the main story. It begins in late January, so I made sure to describe the cold weather and snowy terrains, and then towards the end of the book is mid-July. Always make sure to keep in mind the time of year and how long time has passed in your story so that it's consistent. A timeline also helps with events leading up to your main story. Every major event in the story, whether it actually occurs during the present or not, should be recorded on the timeline. If something major happened to a character in the past, it should be recorded. If something major happens before a main character is born, record their birthdate on the timeline.
Here is my timeline for Deliverance:
(spoilers are marked by troll faces >v<)
I have the years marked shorter before the story starts, as you can see, and longer during the main story.
6. Make an outline of your entire plot. Okay, some people will argue against this because there are authors who do a great job writing as they go along, so I will mark this as optional. Whatever method works for you, do it. I just want to suggest this because it helped me.
I actually did my outline for Deliverance chapter by chapter, but I would not recommend this. That's because as I typed up my first draft, a lot of the chapters came out short enough to be merged together and the chapter breaks sometimes went better in other places. All you need to do is section everything scene by scene with roman numerals (I, II, III) and then when you add extra details to an event, use capital letters (A,B,C) and then numbers, (1,2,3) then lowercase letters (a,b,c) and so on. Don't add too many details, though. Just add "reminders" for details. You could say things like, "check page 2 in notes" for reference to details or even a page you wrote for that chapter. You don't need complete sentences in your outline either.
7. After you type of the manuscript, edit it yourself into multiple drafts. I printed out Deliverance and edited it on my own five times. I would take a few chapters at a time, print them out, and use a colored pen (I prefer red) to cross out, change words, or fix punctuation. It helps to have a thesaurus and a good grammar book available for reference too. I usually carried my stuff in this:
(sorry for the crappy photo D: )
I can fit my pens, pencils, and print-outs in here and when I had time in between classes, I would go through my material and make corrections. I can also fit looseleaf paper and 1 subject notebooks in here (like my awesome Avengers notebook!). You can find these all over, but I got mine at Walmart. I also carry a small notepad and some pens in my bag wherever I go. I find it helps to have pens you like to right with and notebooks you like to write in (again, like my awesome Avengers notebook!).
Those are some main points to keep in mind! Like I said, everyone is different and so some of these methods might not work for you, but it'll give you a good idea where to start. Good luck with your own writing!
April 13, 2013
April 9, 2013
New DELIVERANCE cover art coming soon!
I've created new cover art for Deliverance which should be available soon.
In the meantime, you can still purchase the Kindle edition with the new cover art here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008TCP...
It's only $.99!
In the meantime, you can still purchase the Kindle edition with the new cover art here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008TCP...
It's only $.99!
