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?
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
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
But I did enter the contest you mentioned :D Thanks.
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.
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. ;)
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?
Although, if you wanr something else to call me, my parents insist on calling me Sarah.
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 :)
Stale is the perfect word! Mine too.
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!
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.
That sketch with the mannerisms things is great! So true. LOL You just reminded me of something I'd forgotten! Thank you!
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.
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!
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.
Lawd, I hope I don't have repetitive actions in my character(s) but I'm sure some slipped by
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!
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
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