Are characters the most important part of a fiction piece? Do they control the action? Here is Elizabeth Kirschner, author of Because the Sky is a Thousand Soft Hurts, discussing the supremacy of the characters in our stories. Please welcome Elizabeth to Choices while she's on her WOW! Women on Writing virtual book tour. The Invention and Supremacy of Character by Elizabeth Kirschner How are characters invented and why do I balk at the word “supremacy?” Yes, I put it in the title, meaning, I suppose, that the characters in our stories are the ones who dictate what may or may not happen in any given situation. There’s a myth that I’d like to debunk. Namely, the writer doesn’t have full agency over what transpires in the story. We, at best, attempt to infuse our characters, let them, how odd, be the ones who choose the scent trail of their own fates. Was it John Updike who likened the writing of stories to a game of baseball? The analogy being that we put our characters, like … [Read more...]
Some thoughts to consider
I have a dear friend who sends me wonderful and sometimes funny sayings, cartoons, and thoughts. The one that follows is especially good - serious with a little humor thrown in. After you've read it please share your own special thoughts or sayings in the Comments box below. And please enjoy this one. 1. Accept the fact that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue! 2. Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them. 3. Always read stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it. 4. Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can be recalled by their Maker. 5. If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague. 6. If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it. 7. It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others. 8. Never buy a car you can't push. 9. Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time because then you … [Read more...]
