Spin off thread to writing characters' reactions

mellymel · Dec 22, 2009

I was hoping some of you could help me out/guide me in the right direction.

My novel is complete and I even sent out a few query letters. Then I joined this site and discovered I have so much more to learn and there are so many ways to make my story a whole lot better. I have stopped querying (I only sent out five).

I was reading Mr.Write's thread and it made me realize that I'm lacking in the skill and ability to "show" a character's reactions in an interesting way that really gives the reader a clear visual of what they are doing or how they might be saying something.

How do you work on a skill like that? What resources are available to improving that skill (and yes, I do think it's a skill). I often get stuck trying to figure out word choice to show such facial or physical expressions/reactions.

I feel that learning and applying this skill could be a huge difference in the quality of my work. I have made many improvements in my skills as a writer but there's always more to learn.

TIA

Lady Ice · Dec 23, 2009

You don't just have to do facial and physical expressions:

1) Character's thoughts: 'He looked at the clock: 5:00. Yes, exactly two hours until the love of his life was due to visit. With her boyfriend.'

As a reader, you can probably infer that he's not looking forward to the event.

2) Pathetic Fallacy.
Pathetic Fallacy means that the landscape around your character is coloured by their emotion:

'He watched the rain run forlornly down the window, the pathetic little drops collecting in a puddle on the window ledge.'

3) What the character notices:
'She was smiling as she told him that, Jim thought. As if it pleased her to talk about their wedding. As if the past 10 years hadn't happened'

Etcetera.

mellymel · Dec 23, 2009

Thank you Lady Ice. I understand it would read boring to use only one of those methods throughout a novel and that you have to use a combination of them. I guess I'm wondering how one becomes good at that skill. Are there exercises I could do or something I can read, or a course I can take that helps to develop that particular skill. It just doesn't come naturally to me. It is something I am working on with great effort because I believe it will be a huge difference to becoming a good vs. great writer. I feel I have the ability to tell a story but I need to work on showing the story. One of the very best things I have read/learned so far on this site was a comment someone made about "showing" not "telling." It has turned my world and view of writing upside down..in a good way.

Lady Ice · Dec 23, 2009

Try and lose yourself in the characters, 'become' the characters. Once you've done that, their reactions will come naturally, instead of the writer trying to insert some in.

Looking at what you've written in the YA section (the prologue about love), it seems that you have a common problem- falling in love with clever sentences. Yes, it's nice to try and find a way to say something that hasn't been done before, or is particularly clever, but per se, that doesn't make a novel.

Try a scene where you cut everything down to its basics- no long sentences, no clever words. Just what happens.

mellymel · Dec 23, 2009

Thank you again. I will continue to work on it. Cutting is something I have become good at. After I cut the prologue, I cut the entire first chapter. I'm still cutting and literally going through sentence by sentence to improve the sound and flow of it and to try to show more in areas where I have told. I think it's getting better. I just get stuck sometimes on finding words that describe what I want the reader to see or feel without it being cheesy, cliche or something that has been overused.

It continues to be a WIP.

jasonleeward · Dec 23, 2009

Character Reactions

Conveying character reactions/expressions can be simple and enjoyable when you know the proper way to write them. Remember to show the response and not tell it. This can be done by using a facial expression or another physical response such as someone holding their leg or arm to show injury. Be creative in exploring ways to show and not tell (most times) when using character reactions.

NeuroFizz · Dec 23, 2009

It's hard to advise in abstract. If you haven't done so, post a chapter of your story in SYW and specifically state the areas where you want/need help. I bet you will get some direct suggestions on your work that you can apply to the remainer of the story, and to future projects. I know I don't learn as well from other people's examples as I do from identified problems with my own work.

mellymel · Dec 23, 2009

NeuroFizz said:
I know I don't learn as well from other people's examples as I do from identified problems with my own work.

Good point. Will do. Thanks!

Libbie · Dec 23, 2009

What a great question!

I really think the best resource for learning this particular skill is critiquing other people's work. Strange though it may sound, critiquing others' writing is one of the best resources for learning just about any writing skill. That's because offering a thoughtful critique makes you really consider the words, why they're working or not working, and how it could be done differently to greater (or lesser) effect.

So get thee to SYW and offer up some opinions of others' writing. Then think hard about what you critiqued, and whether you can apply the same advice you gave others to yourself!

mellymel · Dec 23, 2009

Libbie said:
What a great question!

I really think the best resource for learning this particular skill is critiquing other people's work. Strange though it may sound, critiquing others' writing is one of the best resources for learning just about any writing skill. That's because offering a thoughtful critique makes you really consider the words, why they're working or not working, and how it could be done differently to greater (or lesser) effect.

So get thee to SYW and offer up some opinions of others' writing. Then think hard about what you critiqued, and whether you can apply the same advice you gave others to yourself!

It's funny you said that because I was reading someone's work today in one of the SYW forums and as I was reading, I was picking up on little things here in there that I wanted to say, "Take that word out, it will sound better," or, "That sentence is too long it doesn't flow." But I thought to myself, who am I to judge anyone's work? I have no degree towards writing or English or anything related to writing. I only began writing seriously a year ago so I am a real novice. I feel intimidated by the more experienced people on this site. I can tell they really know what they are talking about but I also know that comments and the way someone views someone else's work is subjective.

Also, I was just wondering. My novel is one of those books that's in between YA and Adult. For those of you who have been following the "New Adult" thread in the Ask the Agents forum, I have posted my problem with where to fit my book. The characters are 18-20 and in college. Technically, my characters are too old for YA but the story has a very YA sound and feel to it. Would it be okay to post it in two separate SYW forums? I posted it in YA but wonder if I should post it in the Novel forums as well. Is that acceptable here?

Thanks again to all for your help and guidance.

bettielee · Dec 23, 2009

Yes, and reading in general! Go back and read a book you love, only read it like a writer. Pay attention to what the characters are doing and saying, how did the writer convey it to you? What worked? what left you scratching your head. How does your favorite writer balance showing, telling, expression, and all that jazz?

Spin off thread to writing characters' reactions

mellymel

Lady Ice

Makes useful distinctions

mellymel

Lady Ice

Makes useful distinctions

mellymel

jasonleeward

JasonLeeWard

NeuroFizz

The grad students did it

mellymel

Libbie

Worst song played on ugliest guitar

mellymel

bettielee

I'm a sparkly fairy princess!