I have been doing research for Ten Night's Only, Billie Martin and Cooper Wilde's story. This story is set in Windy Wellington, New Zealand and i used this for my competition entry for the Harlequin competition.
I've been doing things like researching penthouse suites, the Plimmer Steps, Wellington Architecture and today i have done the most important of all. Which i perhaps should have done at the very beginning!
Character Interviews. All the author (published) blogs i follow have touted how important it is to really know your characters and the best way to do that is through interviewing them.Today i took a sheet of questions i'd printed from Nicola Marsh's blog under her Write Whisper series of writing tips and applied them to Billie and Cooper.
I feel i have unravelled truely deeper, rounder, better characters as a result. Sadly, or maybe even not, i think i am going to completely scrap my first chapter and a half and start again as i have discovered things about these characters i hadn't known that has thrown them into totally new positions, no pun intended ;), occupationally speaking which i hope will throw them more favourably into view with the editors at harlequin when i re-submit this story.
The premise is the same. That is, the core problem and situation that i had them in to start with the same, but their individual goals and situations are different, and i hope better.
Next week, once i am at home and at my own computer - in my new office nook (will have to get that up and operation asap!) that word count will hopefully reflect this new inspiration.
In the meantime i will be working behind the scenes to make sure it will be clean sailing as much as possible for these two rocky lovers ;)
I have a character questionnaire too :) I can't live without them! They're great for all the moments when you lose your mind and can't remember what type of car you had your hero driving ;)
ReplyDeleteYeah, i've never interviewed them before Lacey, but i do keep a file of notes that tracks things like their cars and relatives and favourite colours.
ReplyDeleteThe interviewing was much more revealing about their personalities though.
What a fantastic blog idea to post transcript of characters' interview with their creator (author).
ReplyDeleteCould be hilarious, enlightening and a superb aid for other writers in doing similar.
Ha ha, who will go first?
I'm so disappoined nobody's commented on my proposed leading man for latest project, (photo on blog. Of course I'm merely "dreaming" the book ever makes it publication and into movie. As if, in reality terms?
best
Francine
This is a brilliant idea. I'll have to give it a go.
ReplyDeleteI'd never thought about that... might have to consider it - at the moment I'm relying solely on the images I have in my mind of the characters :)
ReplyDelete