tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post4001603997327920667..comments2024-03-27T10:02:56.747-04:00Comments on Fiction University: Set Up or Start Up? Making Critical Character Traits Part of Your PlotJanice Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-8576202556794120522015-10-05T11:06:31.611-04:002015-10-05T11:06:31.611-04:00Thanks!Thanks!Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-5372745663223544722015-10-05T11:06:21.568-04:002015-10-05T11:06:21.568-04:00Aw, thanks! Glad you found it useful :)Aw, thanks! Glad you found it useful :)Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-32856537523897786142015-10-02T12:57:09.201-04:002015-10-02T12:57:09.201-04:00As always, another thought-provoking post. Thanks....As always, another thought-provoking post. Thanks.Carol Baldwinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10444182118975929045noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-87583111062797535452015-10-02T12:34:17.475-04:002015-10-02T12:34:17.475-04:00Every one of your posts is valuable content and ma...Every one of your posts is valuable content and makes me think about my WIP. Thank you! You've got me pondering my hero now. :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08844647108522152502noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-19838539291700952812011-07-14T19:52:18.112-04:002011-07-14T19:52:18.112-04:00Great post thanks!
sarahGreat post thanks!<br /><br />sarahSarah Ketleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13421335686195152108noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-81289015932823834062011-07-11T16:29:10.560-04:002011-07-11T16:29:10.560-04:00Samantha: Most welcome. Love how you put that. &qu...Samantha: Most welcome. Love how you put that. "Plot is derived from the inciting incident"<br /><br />Joe: If he doesn't discover it until later, odds are something else is driving the plot up until then, right? There's a problem he's trying to deal with and in the course of that, discovers he has this ability? If so, maybe just follow the plot and reveal the power when it happens. There's no reason to introduce it until it then. You most likely have goals driving the story until then.<br /><br />Paul: Thanks! I find having that simple one liner really helps when you're plotting. Keeps you focused on what's important.<br /><br />Larissa: Most welcome :) There's more about The Shifter in the "books" tab (and thanks!) if you want. It's not uncommon to setup a power, and sometimes we need to do that to figure out how we want to start our stories. Good luck with yours!<br /><br />Juliette: Thanks! I think I made every premise novel mistake with that first prophecy one.<br /><br />Mary: I double check stuff all the time in my work. Even if I'm doing it the way I should, I often find ways to make it even stronger when I look at it again. <br /><br />Natalie: Thanks!Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-80195000426657655662011-07-11T14:29:11.206-04:002011-07-11T14:29:11.206-04:00Great points. And your example, as always, makes i...Great points. And your example, as always, makes it easier to understand.Natalie Aguirrehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03756087804171246660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-82270410205767459142011-07-11T11:03:07.963-04:002011-07-11T11:03:07.963-04:00Great advice. I thing my protag has these things. ...Great advice. I thing my protag has these things. Maybe I should go back and check. Thanks for the advice.Mary E Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13119298615414367828noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-9264134070424378492011-07-11T09:19:27.926-04:002011-07-11T09:19:27.926-04:00This is a terrific post, Janice. I especially like...This is a terrific post, Janice. I especially like your observation about the place where premise novels have trouble. I've certainly seen that a lot of times.Juliette Wadehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02879627074920760712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-74422924043603904182011-07-11T00:51:33.753-04:002011-07-11T00:51:33.753-04:00Wow, so much useful information. I may have to ree...Wow, so much useful information. I may have to reexamine my first chapter of my book. Because I think ti does kinda lean on the foot about what the story is about or what the special "gift" is but there is defintely something else going on. Hmm, I'll have to double check it. Thanks for the heads up and for teasing me about th eopener about your book, The Shifter. Now I really want to know more baout it, lol.Larissahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02739647250724315874noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-61262864135205555152011-07-10T14:01:03.103-04:002011-07-10T14:01:03.103-04:00"It’s about a girl who has to save her sister..."It’s about a girl who has to save her sister"<br /><br />I love that. So simple. Perfect.Paul Anthony Shortthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14393249001158230985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-63074681811845603632011-07-10T13:14:56.563-04:002011-07-10T13:14:56.563-04:00Huh. Looks like if I use the Name/URL option I los...Huh. Looks like if I use the Name/URL option I lose the ability to get notified of follow-up comments. Guess I'll stick with commenting through Blogger.José Iriartehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03653811568201804995noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-5471936540959314632011-07-10T13:09:40.924-04:002011-07-10T13:09:40.924-04:00That's a great analysis, and in hindsight, I t...That's a great analysis, and in hindsight, I think I got lucky with the manuscript my agent is getting ready to shop around, because I never thought about it that way. My protagonist, Chris, is a boy who can disappear, who needs to get out from under the thumb of his con-man father. In the opening scene, he's in a bar parking lot slashing tires while his father hussles money out of the people inside--so that their getaway will be unimpeded. He uses his ability to hide when a new car shows up and parks right next to him.<br /><br />Here's my question, though: what about a story where the protagonist isn't sure what makes him special yet? In my new WIP, my protagonist comes from a line of people with psychic abilities, but the last few generations have first repudiated their abilities as an evil hoax, and not passed the knowledge down to their kids. (I don't think I'm explaining it well. I mean, like great-great-grandpa had psychic and mind-control powers. Great-grandpa became convinced his father's powers were unholy. By grandpa's time, there's just rumors that ggg dabbled in the dark arts. By the protag's time, there's no awareness that he was actually <i>good</i> at it.) <br /><br />So the protag has this ability, but it's dormant, and he doesn't know about it. He will discover it as he gets embroiled in a struggle with people who have this ability and recognize his power and his potential to thwart them.<br /><br />So how do I apply it there, when he doesn't know he's special yet?Joe Iriartehttp://www.labyrinthrat.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-13060877870074228952011-07-10T12:57:11.767-04:002011-07-10T12:57:11.767-04:00Hey Janice,
Great post, and so true. The opener i...Hey Janice,<br /><br />Great post, and so true. The opener is so important, setting the tone for the story, hooking the reader, and it really needs to show without telling.<br /><br />This is also a great reminder about character's place in plot. Plot is derived from the inciting incident, not from some special power.<br /><br />ThanksSamantha Clarkhttp://SamanthaClark.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.com