This week on the Story Works Round Table, Sarah Branson returns to talk about getting to know your characters. We dig into the different roles characters play, depending on their relationship to the protagonist and how well we need to know them in order to write them well. Sarah’s novel, North Country, is available now.
“You have to put yourself in their life and try and figure out what their motivations are.”
Join us at the Story Works Round Table for far-ranging, philosophical, and fun conversation about science fiction with special guests Brad C Anderson, author of Duatero,
Mark Morton, author of The Headmasters, Lance Robinson, one of the winners of the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future contest, and Kristina Rienzi, author of Among Us. From dystopias to conspiracy to environmental collapse, discover how these stories mirror our reality and spark imagination.
How are we all doing when it comes to the ever-evolving world situation? We chat about our productivity, whether or not we feel we should be speaking into these situations, and how we are handling our inputs versus outputs. In the end, we all agree to just keep writing!
What does in media res mean? And how do you use it appropriately to draw your reader into your story? What happens to the structure of your story if you choose to start in media res? And does it mean your inciting incident has to be off the page?
When should you think about time as a writer? And what can you do with time? We talk about expanding, compression, jumping, and even framing your story with time. It all comes down to being aware and careful with how you use time in your story.
How does Mag view the Hero’s Journey in relation to our lives? Has she always been observant? Why does she explore the themes of love and death? And must they be viewed together in order to be understood? We wrap up talking about the spirituality of creativity.
What was Mag’s journey to becoming a memoir writer? And how did she land on such an interesting structure? Was it difficult to bare emotional wounds to an audience? And did she do any research?
Why are titles so important to think about? How do they help with genre targeting, or getting your reader to pick up your book? Should your title say something about your book? And how memorable do you want it to be? We dive into how to explore your title, and where to get started!
Do you need a dual POV in a romance novel? How do you distinguish between the POV’s? And how important is that internal journey in these stories? We talk about the struggles of writing an intimate internal journey from a point of view different from your own, and even get a laugh talking feelings with Robert.
What is a grant? And what can they do for you as a writer? What is the process of application? And what can the funds be used for? Susan leads us through the entire process from application to acceptance for a grant, including giving her experience as both a judge, and recipient.
What defines paranormal romance? And what flavor does Frances write? How do you weave paranormal elements into your overall plot? And how important is the setting and research to Frances’s work? We dive into the importance of the romantic elements, and the choices you will need to make if you choose to write in the paranormal romance genre.