The internet here is atrocious today, so you’re getting an update via smartphone. Which is tedious because I have big, fat fingers and a finicky spellcheck. Still, nothing will stand in the way of my blogging.
Today I thought I’d talk a little bit about world and character building. Now, I’ve heard a lot of conflicting opinions on the matter, so I’m very curious to hear your thoughts. I suppose the topic can be boiled down to a single question: how deep is too deep? Now, I’m not talking about info dumps and details like last time. I mean for you, the writer, how much do you need to know about your world and characters before you can write them. I’ve always been of the mind that you can’t have too many details. If I know a character is allergic to peanuts, hey, that might not come up in the first couple of stories. But I know if the presents itself, I can go off from there. On the other hand, the writers behind the Writing Excuses podcast seem to think that you don’t need to know any more about a character than your reader does until it comes into play in your writing. It’s kind of a form of discovery writing. I can appreciate that, and I suppose to a certain degree I have done that. Jonathan has certainly changed a lot from his initial characterization (he was originally an 80 year old man!). But once I understood what the story I was writing looked like, I feel like I’ve done a lot of background work on these characters. Perhaps the ideal is to meet somewhere in between; have enough detail to start writing, but pause to flesh out characters when needed. After all, if you take too long, you may never end up writing your story. But at the same time, if you don’t know who your characters are inside, you can’t write them consistently. What are your thoughts? Please share and let’s have a discussion. And remember: Be excellent to each other.
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38 weeks and still going strong! Today I wanted to share another song that helps me write a specific character. Any of my betas that swing by can probably piece this one together, but I'll just share a few thoughts on this little gem of my playlist: Ex's & Oh's by Elle King. If you recall my playlist selection from a few weeks back, Radio, you'll recall that it was a specific person as well. Today's theme is a little like the female version. Sort of. Kinda. It's nuanced, so work with me here. Point is, it's a strong female character that doesn't particularly worry about how she's thought about. And may or may not have left a trail of lovers behind her. Up to interpretation. Anyway, it's got a great beat and it's really fun to write to, so please enjoy Elle King's Ex's and Oh's. How much is too much? When is the author giving the reader freedom to imagine and when are they just being lazy with descriptions? Should one err on the side of barren descriptions or info dumps?
I wish I had answers to these questions because, frankly, I'm facing some of them right now. See, I know I do long, intricate descriptions of people and places. I'm doing it right now for the short story I'm writing. But for The Paladin, I limited myself to the bare bones, partially to allow the reader to fill in the gaps, and - if we're being honest - a good chunk because I desperately need to cut my word count. And yet, what I feared would happen, happened. My betas want to know more about my characters. About my settings. Well... some of the more vocal ones do. Others have actually told me what they think my characters look like without hesitation. I don't confirm or correct them, but I do enjoy listening to their takes. But that leaves me in the aforementioned conundrum. So, I don't ask a lot from readers, but if you feel like posting, I'd love to hear your thoughts. When does a description stop the plot and feel like an info dump? Just how much info should a writer give their reader before it's too much? Do you personally prefer light or heavy descriptions? I'm kind of stuck here. As I said, I know I can do them because I'm doing them right now with my short story. There's no word limit on that because it's just for me, so I can go on at length about anything I deem important. But for The Paladin, I'm much more restricted. I'd love to hear what you guys think. DFTBA I didn't have a particularly lovely Mother's Day. As some of you are aware, both my parents passed away, so holidays, especially ones specifically aimed at honoring said parents.
So, I don't really have any good writing advice today. It's been somber. Even the magic of Incredibles 2 didn't keep me from having a little breakdown. I miss my parents. I miss my dad a lot, today. He sacrificed a lot to make sure that I could go as far as I have in life. And you know, there are lots of good or funny pictures of my dad, but today I just want to share this one. It was a big moment for me. See, my mother had died before my fledgling wrestling career could even start. She wanted to do so much to help me. But she never saw any of it. My parents were divorced, but they both were really supportive. So, fast forward to the night we have our biggest even in KAW. I was getting strapped. It's a tiny promotion, no stars, just me and some guys with a lot of heart doing our best. They put the belt on me. It was an incredible honor. But then I got a call from my uncle. By chance, he and my dad were able to swing by. So my mother never had the opportunity to see me ever step in the ring, but my dad... he managed to make it. I know I look dumb in this picture, but I don't care. It means a lot to me. I got to share this moment. So... thank you Dad. Be Excellent to Each Other. Still sick guys, but I'm forcing myself to write. Why? Cause I love you... and I need to make sure I stick to a planned schedule so that I can keep a stable author platform leading up to the eventual release of The Paladin. But mostly that first thing.
So today I thought I'd briefly look at internal struggles for characters. It's something that's not always easy to portray, as things like fights with antagonists or races through cities or even just making the tie-breaking shot at the buzzer are so much easier. It's what you're looking for it, it's the crux of the story. But internal conflicts are, or at least should, be a lot softer. What I mean by that is, let's say your character is making that last minute shot. If they make the shot, they've overcome that external conflict. Easy to see. But overcoming internal struggles aren't as visible. It'll only be after the buzzer sounds and the team is crowded around them that you'll realize, "hey, they made the shot despite their self-doubt." That's when you see that they've grown inside. The hardest part is making this visible to your reader without it being shoved in their face. I know that PTSD has been a common trope for several years now, and I'm not certain that a lot of writers have done due diligence in researching it. Characters tend to break down at random or predictable hesitate at key moments. And while that's certainly within the realm of possibility, it doesn't make for as satisfying an internal conflict as it could. Use a paint brush when detailing your character, not a paint roller. Details here that hint at something inside. Make sure they work with the external conflicts, that they go hand in hand to help tell the story of the character and show their progression from beginning to end. Okay, I'm going to take some more medication and pass out now, but you guys have a happy writing day, okay? DFTBA PS. Technically me being sick is internal, but it's a force I can't control, so it's an external conflict. It's me versus this stupid bug. I think that qualifies as Man vs. Nature... not sure. Need sleep. I think I might have picked something up while I was out for that wedding. I'm not feeling particularly great. Tonsils swollen. Lots of pressure in my ears. General hatred of life. Still, I think I can eke out a small update today if you will all pardon me. Today I thought I'd share just a little bit about one of my favorite stories that I've always wanted to draw inspiration from. It's been told and retold a thousand times, and while it's not as popular in the West as in the East, even upon American shores, there's plenty of people who love it. I talk about the fabled and incredibly long (seriously, the unabridged version is 800,000 words and nearly 1,000 characters) Romance of the Three Kingdoms. This story is about a crucial period of the formation of China, when the Han Dynasty was dying and a usurper took power. After the fall of the Usurper, the Emperor's power only his name, and so warlords across the land fought to unite the land. In the end, three major factions split the land into three kingdoms. Amazing stories are littered throughout this epic, and (this may get some backlash) for those who are intimidated by the sheer size and dryness of the potential read, I recommend three sources of getting the story otherwise. 1. Go to YouTube and look for one of the many dramatizations. There's a beautiful version that's over 100 episodes. It hits all the biggest points of the epic, has incredible characters, and a seriously beautiful song. Here's the first episode. I implore you to give it a shot. It's incredible. You at least have to listen to the epic opening theme. B. Koei-Tecmo has been playing with Romance of the Three Kingdoms for decades now. They have strategy games by the same name that follow the story pretty well (assuming your character doesn't interfere with history) and the Dynasty Warriors series, while obviously over the top still gives you the story of the Three Kingdoms. I can't say that one version is particularly better than any of the others, but if you like beat 'em up games with super-hero level characters, it's a great series. Lastly, the least accurate of the bunch is the short lived Kessen series. I... don't really recommend it for the story, but it's fun to try after you've played the others and understand the story.
I actually owe Koei-Tecmo and Dynasty Warriors for introducing me to Three Kingdoms in the first place. It's a fun series, you don't have to think much, and the story is pretty good. Though... once you've played one, they're not a ton of difference. Maybe play the newer ones so you get more story? Your call. 3.0 - There are a ton of anime and cartoons on the subject. I don't know how much I would recommend any particular one, but I guess, if pressed, here's a few options. Do you want your Three Kingdoms semi-accurate and more or less kid friendly? There's an '80ish anime that lays it all out. Want something more vulgar and violent. There a newer one that details Cao Cao's rise to power from a youth and it does not skimp on the blood. Would you rather every single character in the series get gender-swapped and form a psuedo-harem of moe and pretty girls? Yeah... they have that. Point is, they all hit the basic plot points of an incredible story. I have an obvious bias for the order you should enjoy them in, but really, if any of these strikes your fancy, go for it! Romance of the Three Kingdoms is considered one of the Four Great Classic Novels of China (my other favorite being Journey to the West) and it greatly deserves it. I hope to some day write a large scale fantasy and draw inspiration from this epic. But until then... Be Excellent to Each Other. If nothing else comes from the short story that I'm writing, I know the opportunity to flex my writing muscles and try something new is a valuable exercise. Just looking over the first two chapters of the new short story I'm seeing that my style for this is completely different.
I'm not going to pretend that a reader will notice, but I've certainly felt like my writing is different. My character descriptions are much longer, more in depth. I'd like to think they're not out of place and that they enhance the story, but I will say it's a lot deeper than The Paladin. This got me thinking. I wonder if I should play around with other styles in short stories. The Paladin is speculative fiction, Urban Fiction. It follows a few rules and has a style dictated by the contents. Likewise, my newest short story is both high fantasy and a mystery. The world, the way I describe people and events, even just the dialogue, it's all completely different from The Paladin. So perhaps I should try other genres, just as exercises. What do you think? Actual horror? High adventure? YA? Romance? Sci-Fi? I suppose I should finish the story I'm working on before I look at the next one, but I am a writer. I'm always thinking about the next story. And the one after that. And the one after that. I think I'm very much looking forward to what I can try out in the next story. DFTBA I recently had a friend ask about tricks to overcome writer's block. And you know, while I'm not really an expert, I do have a lot of experience in the matter. Every day is a challenge to convince yourself that A) you WANT to write and 2) that you can write something worth reading.
I ended up giving a couple of tricks, but really, the most useful one is this: write. Yes, it's self-evident and sounds really stupid, but to overcome writer's block, one must write. "But Matias! If I could write, I wouldn't have writer's block!" I am very aware of this. I'm not asking you to sit down and finish out the manuscript. Hell, I'm not even asking you to write part of your story. I'm asking your to simply write. What does that mean? Well, first, it means that you can, if you have the willpower, work on your WIP. Don't go for quality. Don't worry about voice and narrative. Don't even worry about sense. Just write on your WIP. Momentum is the most important thing with writing, and if you can get some garbage out on the page, well, that momentum can carry you forward until you're writing something a little better than garbage. Then a little better than that. The point is, editing exists, and it's impossible to edit something you haven't written. Garbage can always be polished. Okay, so you can't even manage that. My protagonist isn't speaking to me. My muse is dead! Okay. Write about that. Why can't you write? The whimsy that once floated your from your feet and danced you across the skies has abandoned you! Write that down! Write about how you can't write. Write about how you wish you could solve an issue with the plot. Write about how a character's motivation seems off. It doesn't matter what it is, just write it! And if you think this is bad advice, well, I just knocked out 1,000 words on the short story I've been putting off in about... oh... an hour? Was it what I thought it would be? No. But it might actually be better. I addressed things I forgot about before because writing it down brought those thoughts to my mind. I even worked out a potential plot point I hadn't even considered before. So when I tell you to "just write," I'm not being an asshole. I mean it. Just write. Can write about your WIP? Write about why you can't. Write about what you did for the day. Write about what your main character would order at the new IHOB. Write about the last video game your villain might have played if such a thing was possible in your story. It doesn't matter. Just. Write. Oh, and don't forget to be awesome! Okay, what is it about RWBY's soundtrack that just gets me jazzed? I have like four or five songs from that series on my YouTube playlist. Seriously, pick any of them and you're ready to see bad ass warriors, usually female, kick some serious ass. Red Like Roses - Pt 2. This one has particular one doesn't just have the awesome grit of I Burn, (and the amazing vocals of Casey Lee Williams and Sandy Casey) but the play between the two vocalists is incredible. It really builds that feeling of a guilt one has for putting someone on another, even when you have no choice. I have parts in my grand story that definitely take inspiration from this, though nothing that has manifested in The Paladin quite yet. Still, planning is key to a long and engaging story. So, for now, please enjoy Red Like Roses - Pt. 2 with Casey Lee Williams and Sandy Casey. DFTBA This has been on my mind for a while, and even talking about this could potentially be hazardous. It's just the world we live in, which is awkward for writers. So... with that said, let me preface this blog post: if I say anything in this that comes off as offensive or insensitive, please understand it was never intended as such. I merely believe that we as a society, and especially artists exploring themes, should be free and able to speak about any subject that moves them.
So... there's a lot of things in writing that are hard to talk about. Religion. Race. Physical disabilities. Sexual preferences and gender identity. Mental health issues. Domestic abuse. The list goes on and on and on. It feels like a mine field when daring to even discuss these topics. I mean, that's why we have sensitivity editors for our work! So where do you go when you have to deal with these issues in your writing? Can you only writing about sensitive subjects if you yourself are a member of that community? But if you ignore those portions of the community, are you guilty of non-inclusion? It feels like walking the edge of a knife. You're easily screwed whether you do it or don't do it. I can see the allure of writing in complete fantasy worlds where you don't have to acknowledge certain things. So I have problems, since my world isn't entirely unique. I work in Urban Fantasy, which is layering fantasy elements over the real world. That means, on top of having a world where there are vampires and werewolves, this is still a world that has child abuse, conflicting religious dogmas, LGBTQ people, and people who suffer from depression. How do these factor into my work? It's... hard. As I said before, you can't just ignore it all and hope no one cares, but at the same time, any mentions need to be done with sensitivity and tact. I won't speak to what issues my novel currently includes (I won't say "addresses," but they aren't the main issue, just a piece of the story), but know that I, like so many other writers, am dealing with this, too. From deciding what a character's sexual orientation is, even if it never comes up, to just deciding if I should mention that a character is black or Asian. It's.. exhausting. But that's what edits are about, I suppose. Just know, everyone out there, writers rarely go into these subjects to upset anyone. We see the world and we want to represent it. Sometimes that means representing delicate issues or issues that most would rather not acknowledge. But we need to be true to our art. That means the good, the bad, and the unique, should all be permitted, all be allowed to be seen in the light, examined, and commented on. It's done with honesty, never hostility. Curiosity, never cruelty. And sincerity, never mockery. Remember. Be Excellent to Each Other. |
Matias TautimezKeep your eyes open for my debut novel, The Paladin. Archives
January 2023
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