Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Doing My Homework

I have 3 full critiques back on CROW'S BLOOD, for which I must give heartfelt "Thank you!" to my Epic Critique Partners: Colton Hibbs, Clare Mitchell, and Rachel Russell.

Not only did each of you trudge your way through my last revision, you took the time and effort to provide me with detailed and insightful criticism. Some of it is so obvious now that you've pointed it out that I don't know how I didn't get it right the first time. Your notes will make my work better (if I'm up to the task), and that's awesome!

All of them (and the partial Critique I received from the lovely and talented Kat Ellis) highlighted one pretty major problem: It takes far too long to connect with my main character Flynn (and even longer in some cases to like him at any level). As he's the main POV, that's... awful.

Here's the thing: I know these characters, every one of them. You can ask me a question and I can quickly tell you how each one would answer it. What sort of things they would like and dislike. How they would react under certain circumstances. I can even describe the mannerisms, idioms, and rhythms of their speech. From my main character, down the the smallest side character, (yes, even to the one guard that sucker punches my POV character).

I can't tell you what they had for breakfast (unless it's relevant), but I can get inside their heads if the need arises.  I didn't do this by building out detailed character sheets or writing throw-away scenes with them (though I did that for some more prominent characters).

It's just something I do whenever a new character is created. I put myself in their shoes/boots/socks/sandals and work my way through them. What motivates them. What are their goals in life. It usually comes pretty quickly.

Problem is: It wasn't coming across on the page. So what was wrong?

That's where the homework came in. I've spent the better part of my evenings reading, and doing exercises from a workbook on Deep POV, while it's not perfect, and I don't necessarily agree with everything in there. It's written by a professional who certainly seems to know what they're doing (at least considerably better than I do).

The best part is the exercises. I've read plenty of websites describing and giving examples of how to give good character, and great POV, but none of them went so far as to give relevant exercises in a work-book format. Something about it all just "clicked" (I think).

So I went through that workbook (it's only 60 or so pages), did all the exercises, and took a look at my own Work In Progress. What. A. Mess. I have "tells" everywhere (something I tried desperately to avoid and clean up last pass), narrative separation/distance, and my POV character does indeed seem flat and voiceless (he's NOT like that in my head). I have my work cut out for me to reel this sucker in to a deep POV.

Needless to say, it's going to take a while for me to hit my stride on this revision pass, and I may reach out to some of my CPs earlier on (if they're amenable to looking over some small chunks) to see if I'm on the right track, or ruining what good I had. I've spent most of this evening (my first night back at revising my own work) and have only worked through the first 5 or 6 paragraphs.

Like I said, slow going. But I'm trying to be careful with my new powers, to ensure that I employ them for the forces of good.

As for copy edits, and Canadian (not "British") spelling vs. American spelling, and my blatant and continued misuse of commas... I'll get to them, once I've sorted out my critical character issues.

- Alex

2 comments:

  1. I'll be more than happy to re-read CROW'S BLOOD - I'm excited for you, and can't wait to get to know Flynn better. :-)

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