Arielle’s Comments (group member since Jan 04, 2017)

Arielle’s comments from the Navigating Indieworld Discussing All Things Indie group.

That's a really good idea! And also clever to have them interact with groups of people, as opposed to just one-on-one because that always changes the dynamic as well.

I found this list of eight character development exercises REALLY helpful! Especially #2 — I got lost in that one for over an hour.

Let me know if you try any of these, and how they work out for you!

Check out the article here!

I find a lot of the times when I get writer's block, it's actually more of a character block, and it's usually because my character is not developing in a natural or compelling way. This article was really helpful in understanding how to get over those blocks! There's also a really fun infograph that tracks the development of Katniss from Hunger Games, Han Solo from Star Wars, and Walter White from Breaking Bad.

Thought other people might find it as useful :) Find it here: https://blog.reedsy.com/dynamic-chara...

Oohh I like that tip as well! I find it helpful to use a similar strategy across all my writing. For instance when I'm writing an article, I usually end up with a long, rambling intro in my first draft. Then in my next paragraph, I get to the point. I find that usually I end up just cutting the entire intro, or condensing it to one line and then getting to the point straight away. Much more effective!

Someone else posed this question in response to the article: "How does one start the second book of a continuing series? So difficult to figure what to re-introduce and what to leave behind."

I thought that was really interesting. Unlike with TV, books don't have the privilege of a "previously on..." intro. So you have to start in a place that old readers will recognize and that new readers will understand without context. Tricky!

Wow, love the way you put that! I might just have to quote you from time to time :)

Carole wrote: "I love a book that takes you right into the action- as though you were plopped right into their story, their life- like Scotty somehow beamed you in there and the action takes off- dragging you along."

Agreed! Almost like you stumbled into it by accident, and now you're just a wallflower watching a fictional world unfold around you.

Lately I've been pondering with the opening passage of a story I've finished writing. There are a bunch of articles out there that are pretty helpful, I quite like this one because it gives tips and examples from published novels: http://bit.ly/howtostartastory

My favourite tip was #5) The reader should be looking for an answer. The opening to your novel should be a question that can only be answered by reading on.

I'm wondering if you have any favourite openings lines of novels where you felt a question was being posed, and you just HAD to keep reading to get answer.