Linkage

Here's some interesting links I found recently.

First, Susan is having a contest. Wanna win a free book? Check out her blog.

Second, you've probably heard of the Kindle and other e-readers. Have you thought about what it might mean for the future of publishing? Check out this interesting article by Time.

Third, does anyone ever have trouble diversifying actions to describe emotions? Or do you use the same ones over and over, like me? (my crit partner suggested my heroine get some lip balm, for surely her lips would be dry with all the nervous licking of them she does. lol) Well, this blog has an emotion thesaurus. Extremely helpful!

So, how do you diversify the actions your characters use to convey emotion? And....do you think you'll ever use an e-reader?

Comments

Jennifer Shirk said…
I have an e-reader and really love it. I wasnt so sure I would. I hate reading off my PC but reading off the reader is different. And I love that I don't have books taking up anymore space in my house.
The only drawback is I can't take my reader to the beach.

I'm going to go check out that blog. I seem to have my characters "looking" or "gazing" all over the place. LOL
Jessica Nelson said…
It's nice that the reader is more "bookish". I don't like reading off the PC either.
Angie Ledbetter said…
Emotion Thesaurus? Who knew? As for readers, nope. (Except for the kind that perch on my nose.) :) I love the books and especially when they are author-signed!
Angela Ackerman said…
Glad you find the Emotion Thesaurus helpful! Thanks for the link!
Captain Hook said…
E-readers? Can't stand the thought.

But I did enter the contest you mentioned :D Thanks.
Jessica Nelson said…
I know Angie. Isn't it great? Hehee. I love books too. I can't imagine laying on the couch trying to prop the e-reader on my hip.
Jessica Nelson said…
I do Angela! I'm planning to go back and restudy it. LOL
Jessica Nelson said…
Okay Captain Hook! What is your real name??
Hehe. Glad you entered the contest. I enjoyed that book.
Yeah, I can't stand the thought of them either, but unfortunately, I think they're here to stay.
What a great point your crit partner had! Those are the kinds of things we miss, because we're so "close" to our work.

I like the idea of an e-reader, especially if I were to go on vacation somewhere - it'd be so much easier for travel! One could never replace paperbacks for me, though, I love them too much. I can't justify the cost quite yet though... it'll have to wait 'til my advance. ;)
Jessica Nelson said…
LOL My crit partner totally made me laugh but she was completely right.
That's true. I do think e-readers are going to have to go down in price for the average person to buy one. Though that article mentioned people in Japan reading books on their cell. Can you imagine?
Captain Hook said…
My name, Jessica? Why does no one ever believe that's my real name? I just don't get it.

Although, if you wanr something else to call me, my parents insist on calling me Sarah.
Hi Jess -

Thanks for the link to my contest!

I've got to look up that emotion thesaurus. My descriptions are getting a bit stale.

Blessings,
Susan :)
Jessica Nelson said…
Susan,
Stale is the perfect word! Mine too.
Anonymous said…
I think I probably don't diversify my character's emotions enough. I know I probably don't "show" enough either in my writing (it's been pretty dialogue heavy). Thanks for that link to the emotion thesaurus--I'll be using it.

As for the e-Reader...I don't think I'll use one anytime soon. Not until they go down dramatically in price and I'm able to put library eBooks on there (Unless it's an author who's books I already know, I don't buy a book unless I've read it from the library first and think I'll read it more than once).

Oh and thanks for commenting on my blog!
No e-reader for me, as of yet, anyway. I'm kinda old-fashioned I guess.

As for actions for emotions. I usually utilize the character sketch and mannerisms profile I give my characters to discover their tics. Since humans do tend to be repetitive, using the same action for similar emotional states, I guess the trick in writing would be to vary how you describe that action so it doesn't seem so obtrusive. Much easier to shut the action out in the visual world then when you have it written out a thousand times in a single manuscript. Maybe save defining it for when the character is really emotionally struggling so it doesn't become a broken record. Just my two-cents, if that.
Jessica Nelson said…
Dara, I love dialogue. It can go a long way towards showing, imo. LOL Library e-books? Awesome concept. .
Jessica Nelson said…
Eileen, I'll be old-fashioned with you. :-)
That sketch with the mannerisms things is great! So true. LOL You just reminded me of something I'd forgotten! Thank you!
Rita Gerlach said…
Hi Jessica,

Just remember to show not tell. If your character is angry, don't say it, show it. He balls up his fist. He kicks a can across the yard. Action and dialogue are the perfect mix.
Jessica Nelson said…
Thanks Rita. That's something I try to remember, but is it hard! LOL
Anonymous said…
No e-books for me, until they give me no other choice. I love the smell, feel, and sound (pages turning) of a book.

E-books offer no sensorial stimulation, other than optical. It's like being shut up in a plastic box with words pouring down around you. Just seems cold and sterile to me. Hmm.

Oh, and I LOVE that emotions thesaurus. Thanks for that!
Jessica Nelson said…
Anita,
I feel the same way. Even though, technically, it's the words themselves that lend to the emotion. It was pointed out on another blog that the sensory details of books have always been changing so it's the words that count.
But I'm so used to the smell and feel that the e-reader will have to resemble a book in a lot of ways for me to want to read it. And it'll have to be WAY cheaper.
Will check out that Time link - curious what they have to say.

Lawd, I hope I don't have repetitive actions in my character(s) but I'm sure some slipped by
Jessica Nelson said…
Hey Kathryn,
I'm sure the repetitiveness isn't too bad, since there are certain actions that show a character trait. :-) It's when it distracts the reader instead of adding to the story that there's a problem. LOL I bet you're fine!
Captain Hook said…
Kathryn, some repetitiveness works - a teenager who shrugs a lot (mine do), a chronic pacer, a whiner who cries a lot and easily. These can become distinctive personality traits that no other character shares. Even dialogue phrases. In my WIP Cassandra's Secrets, one of the kidnappers always calls Cassie "dear girl" so even with no dialogue tag at all, everyone knows it's him.
Jessica Nelson said…
That sounds great, CH. I have a character like that who always refers to the heroine a certain way.
Kevin said…
Jessica: something that really grates on my nerves is when an author uses the same verb over and over to describe a certain character's action, i.e.: "she dashed her tears away," 345 times in one book! Some books by very well known writers are full of these, and I wonder why the editors never caught it. Oh, well.
I will not use an ereader until i'm forced to-- I love the feel and smell of a book too much. I also like to underline, highlight and put stars on the pages. I even argue in the margin if i disagree with a point!
Jen
Jessica Nelson said…
That's funny! You write in your books. LOL
I think once an author has become successful, editors may not be so picky with reading their material. But yes, that would be annoying. Are you thinking of a particular book? LOL

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