My Newsletters (Mainly Fantasy)

January 27, 2010; Characterization

As one of your Fantasy editors, my goal is to challenge you to think outside the KNOWN and to help you inject your tales with fascinating facts while jagging left and right through troublesome frolics and teethe-writhing dilemmas.

Perhaps we can help each other to safely jog through these twisty turns of radical thought, alternate viewpoint, and dynamic detail. Come! Let’s head down the Path of Dimensions, untextured by any earthly array.

In other words,

let’s drop out of reality for awhile.

Shall we?

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Characterization

I have always been an avid fan of James Herriot. I got hooked long ago in junior high school and have never quite gotten over my infatuation with his fictional vet. (Did you know that James Herriot was not the author’s real name?)

I recently purchased a video pack of James Harriet British T.V. shows and am enjoying the tales once more, this time with the eye candy of greenery, brooks and pastures full of lambs and of stone cottages and stallions that toss long, thick manes. And oh, the deliciousness of the Yorkshire tongue!

But my purpose for bringing them onboard to the Fantasy Newsletter is the last episode I watched, in which a customer of the vet’s office is so cleverly adroit at not paying his bills, he even gets the vets to extend more credit. All this, not because they feel sorry for him, for he is wealthy and well able to pay, but he is such a LIKEABLE character, everyone just wants to make him happy.

What if this were a character in one of our fantasy or science fiction tales? What if such an alien, dwarf, or wizard’s gift, (or magic, so to speak,) was in mind-altering his fellow beings into giving him what him exactly what he wanted – just because he was LIKEABLE?

What would encounters like that be like? Would the people around him start to resent his skills? Or would they continue to forgive him as the vets in Herriot’s world did? How long would this effect remain?

It was this episode that threw me into a fury of mind-searching. What if every character we met in reading, cinema, and/or T.V. could be transported into our own fiction? Isn’t that, after all, what we do? Don’t we recall in our mind the characteristics of someone we’ve met or seen?

Yet, aliens or oddballs creatures aren’t usually transfixed so matchingly – or are they? Did R2D2 really remind its author of someone he knew? Was the Wizard of Oz a friend of the family? Did the Creature From the Black Lagoon resemble someone’s principal or grouchy neighbor. Ah, food for thought, or should I say, character on a stick . . .

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Comments are a writer’s life blood!

Elle Diablo

Hello, my name is Ellie. This is my first time reading through these new letters which I usually just ignore or delete. Unfortunately I was very disappointed by your Letter's From The Editor on the 31st of December about Twilight. While I understand to each his or her own, I am disappointed that a fellow writer had such praise for the blatant gaps in character and story development and for a story that has sent us all back to pre-feminist time and reverted millions of young girls to refuse real boys for the "perfect" and fictional Edward. While I won't be juvenile and say "I WILL NEVeR READ THIS NeWSLETTER AGAIN!!!11" like most of the Twilight fans would upon finding something they don’t like; I am disappointed with your response to this scourge on literature. Perhaps after a few days of rumination, you will realize, as I did, the true nature and of this story and revile it. This is not sent to start an argument, but merely to state my opinion on this matter.{/c]



How delightful to hear from a reader of my Dec. 30th Fantasy Newsletter. I am sorry you disliked my editorial but I am pleased you responded truthfully.

I have now watched Twilight, the movie, three times. Each time, I was even more amazed at the skill of the director. As negatively prejudiced as I was originally about watching a vampire movie at first, I now freely admit that I believe the Twilight movie was brilliantly and artistically well-designed.

The first time I watched the movie, I had just finished reading Twilight. I was appalled at the changes in the story.

I saw the movie for a second time after reading book 2. While watching the movie that time, I examined the script's changes and analyzed the manner in which the director had laid out the framework for future occurrences. I realized that the changes were made for specific reasons and decided that they introduced a certain amount of mystery, music, and mood that I hadn't felt in book one.

After the conclusion of all four books, I watched the movie for a third time. Then I saw the beauty of the whole project. I shall look forward to seeing the newest movie, but since I rarely go to the theatre, I'll probably wait for the DVD.

I do agree with you that book one was slightly weak in places. It was a novel for teens. I accepted that. Still, I haven't come across anything that has grabbed me so hard for a very long time. I absolutely couldn't stop reading!

From your comments, I wonder if you have read the four-book series. This series is not about a permanently fragile woman. I can say little without spoiling what comes in the next books, but do not worry; Bella does not set back the plight of females. Although in book one, she is a young girl who lacks self-confidence, trust me, she does mature into a more positive self image.

Of course, I agree with you that Eduard is another Superman, Spiderman kind of hero. The book and movie are fantasy, of course. But my point in the article is that what was so heroic about Eduard is the fact that he has the desire to LISTEN. Perhaps we can all learn something from such a vampire! LOL

Again, thanks for your comments. I shall include them in my January 27th newsletter comment section. I will be interested to see what others think. Remember what started my journey into the Twilight realm -- the teacher discussion where some of the readers scorned and ridiculed Twilight, calling it "cheap trash." However, many others proclaimed it the best book they'd ever read. It was that argument/discussion that sent me reading.

Please forgive my long discourse, but I just wanted to let you know that I appreciated hearing your opinion of my editorial. For me, there was considerable depth in the adventures of Bella. Perhaps that's only rationalization, but I certainly have to say that each of these books was a read I just couldn't put down.

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LJPC - the tortoise
Hi Shaara! I think you're brave to admit to the WDC world that you like Twilight. Most writers I've seen posting on WDC seem to disparage it. I thank you very much for the insight about WHY people like it. Knowing what readers want to read is very helpful to aspiring novelists. GREAT newsletter, as always!

I will always be honest. I LOVE the Twilight Series. I love it so much, I’ll be rereading the books one day, if and when I have the chance to do so again. I think Stephanie Meyers is brilliant, and I know that in rereading her books, I will learn even more about writing a novel that sucks in the reader (no pun intended – well, not much, anyway, LOL.)

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rjsimonson

You might like The new Book by her that is not 'Twilight' -'The Host'....
I have read both and the one common thing this author does that gave me something to thinkabout is indepth character development and letting the reader into the characters’ minds.

For me the appeal was, you could actually put yourself as one of the characters, if not
the main character then one of the other characters. This was true of both The Twilight
series and The Host.

Thank you for admitting to reading these books......
Reading these taught me more about the depth of characters I want to write about, and
making them real to the reader.

Renée


I have to first say, thank you for your comments. Then I have to get down on the floor and kiss your feet. (Please, don’t really make me do that. It sounds so horrible.) Anyway, I bought the HOST, and consumed it. Oh, my gosh! What a book, what a book! I waited for the first Friday night I had, sat down on the coach at 4:30 p.m. and read through until 3:30 the next morning. I forgot about dinner and sleeping. I was transported, completely enveloped. That is a book I shall never, ever forget. Thank you, thank you for your recommendation! {/c{{/b}

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Thanks for your feedback, folks. It’s why I write this newsletter.

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FEATURED ITEMS

So there I was, at that damn wood door, like Schrödinger's cat, the possibilities laid out in front of me. Let’s make a deal contestant, I thought. Will it be door number one or door number two? I took a deep breath and I waved the back of my hand at the door. it’s scanner hummed to life. It opened and I stepped inside.

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This piece will give you nightmares. It’s too almost real. Ack! The newest game show, which door does the person pick . . . Watch the result.

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Other candidates for the role cried “Fowl,” because of my ability to fly. But the casting committee was thrilled. Now they could add a serious note of realism to a fantasy.

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I like the idea of a man who learns how to fly down in the Amazon forest. This piece is full of tongue and cheek.

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The midget not-fairy advanced on me; her tiny feet shook the floor. I backed away from her. Several steps away from the closet, I tumbled onto my bed. I tucked my feet beneath me and scooted toward the headboard. She flew to the foot of the bed. I wasn’t sure if wings carried her or she could just jump really high. “Every action has consequences.”

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This story is about a mysterious creature who uses pixie/fairy dust on an unsuspecting sleeper. The result holds the scariest of consequences.

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Pioneer, no one will catch you,
now a wild westward runner
like the ones you've been named for
Only asteroid prairies to call home
No coyote can whine in your astral dusk

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This is not a fictional piece, but the idea, the concept of looking at a piece of technology as a part of our pioneering spirit really drew me to this poem. I hope the rest of you will feel the same breathlessness of newness and discovery that I did.

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“Risk is inconsequential. Each and every one of us is at risk every moment of our lives. You could step outside your home and get struck by lightning, or slip and break your neck in the shower. The only reason people take note of the risks on a mission like this is because it’s big news to everyone watching. Risk is all around us. The only time you’re truly safe is when you’re dead.” {/c]

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I love that last line. How true, how true! This is an interesting look at wormhole travel and the evolution of a species - us. May we arrive at that point soon, PLEASE.

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Zana smirked. If the humans only used their feelings rather than their eyes, what magic they would see!

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I love the concept that humans don’t see things clearly. I know that’s true. Now where do we get better instructions for seeing such things?

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The parson was certain the wren smiled at him. "If you are content with what you have, you already possess a greater gift than anything I can give you. Perhaps we shall meet again, perhaps not, but either way, live well, Corby."

Wishing Well  (13+) A parson and his wife find a well where wishes are granted, but every wish has a price. #1534092 by Xylch

This is a delightful morality tale that really deserves some conversation and debate. It is ripe for layers upon layers of reflection.

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Thanks again for any feedback, folks. I really hop up and down when I get some!