My mind is buzzing with all the information I gleaned at the Storymakers 2016 writing conference. I got renewed by being around my tribe.
I also came away with more back problems. The chairs at that conference center HATE my tailbone (which I've broken twice). Ugh.
I must say that author Sarah Eden taught the best dang writing class I've ever attended. It was powerful and really resonated with me (and others who also attended). She wrote about characterization and how to go deep into understanding what motivates your characters. It was a two-hour intensive and she covered so much material and had us do a few exercises on our own characters.There were two questions she kept returning to. "Why?" and "Why does it matter?" For any bit of information you might ask about your character, you should also ask those two questions.
The bigger the problems your character faces, the more emotionally removed the reader can get. When it gets closer to your character, it gets personal. And personal is what makes the reader care.
Bottom line: If the readers don't care about the character, they won't care about the book.
Meandering #2 ...
We've submitted our application for a building permit. Hubby and I need to decide on lighting, and I've also asked him to check on wiring for things like Internet and cable. Not that we have cable. I don't find it necessary when I have the Internet. They could break ground before the end of the month.
Time to start hucking and chucking things. Gotta downsize, you know.
Meandering #3 ...
Since I've been in the marketing zone this week for that Mother's Day Book Bash, I've discovered that a different part of my brain is active when I'm marketing vs when I'm writing. I've also been trying to do some promotional things. I thought this was fun.
What did you do this weekend?
See any good movies?
