Lauri Fairbanks's Blog - Posts Tagged "characters"
The A.D.D. of writing
I have never thought myself as someone with A.D.D., at least not in the traditional sense. I tend to focus on a thought fairly well and finish what I start so long as I stay interested.
When I began writing a couple of years ago, I did it for several reasons but one of which was that I didn't have much else going on in my life (my, oh my how things have changed). The characters spilled out onto the page and if I thought of something that didn't fit I would create a new character. If a character didn't fit then I would create a new project.
At this point in my writing I have several projects that are complete (at least the entire draft is done) and I'm waiting to publish or working through edits. I find that I want to spend time with these characters but I really want to create new ones.
That is why I feel like my attention is all over the place. All I want to do is have a fling with a new character when I should be working on my relationship with someone that I have already written.
In the end, all of them will get the attention but I wonder how soon it will be.
When I began writing a couple of years ago, I did it for several reasons but one of which was that I didn't have much else going on in my life (my, oh my how things have changed). The characters spilled out onto the page and if I thought of something that didn't fit I would create a new character. If a character didn't fit then I would create a new project.
At this point in my writing I have several projects that are complete (at least the entire draft is done) and I'm waiting to publish or working through edits. I find that I want to spend time with these characters but I really want to create new ones.
That is why I feel like my attention is all over the place. All I want to do is have a fling with a new character when I should be working on my relationship with someone that I have already written.
In the end, all of them will get the attention but I wonder how soon it will be.
Word Addiction
I read multiple books at a time. Some of my friends think this is a fascinating trait and wonder how I keep all the details straight. I'm ridiculously organized in this endeavor (my husband would say obsessive).
I have rules that I follow when reading. For instance, I cannot read characters with the same or similar names at the same time (For instance Katsa in Graceling and Katniss in the Hunger Games).
I won't read similar storylines at the same time (so I wouldn't ready Vampire Academy and Twilight at the same time).
Reading different stories at the same time is a way that I keep myself from becoming obsessed with a story. I've been know to read into the wee hours of the morning because I cannot make myself stop.
Every now and then, I'll abandon my shielding techniques and crazily devour a book. I'll read until my eyes grow heavy and then dream about the characters for the rest of the night.
As a reader, I try to keep myself from these addictions but I hope as a writer I become the dealer.
I have rules that I follow when reading. For instance, I cannot read characters with the same or similar names at the same time (For instance Katsa in Graceling and Katniss in the Hunger Games).
I won't read similar storylines at the same time (so I wouldn't ready Vampire Academy and Twilight at the same time).
Reading different stories at the same time is a way that I keep myself from becoming obsessed with a story. I've been know to read into the wee hours of the morning because I cannot make myself stop.
Every now and then, I'll abandon my shielding techniques and crazily devour a book. I'll read until my eyes grow heavy and then dream about the characters for the rest of the night.
As a reader, I try to keep myself from these addictions but I hope as a writer I become the dealer.
