tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7837881372529525579.post1726766200758889201..comments2024-01-05T10:10:53.543+00:00Comments on neetswriter: What are your characters thinking?Anita Chapmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08643609708390860371noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7837881372529525579.post-23224392202200435272012-05-16T21:40:49.181+01:002012-05-16T21:40:49.181+01:00Hi Talli, thanks for your comment. Writing in firs...Hi Talli, thanks for your comment. Writing in first person definitely makes a difference.Anita Chapmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08643609708390860371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7837881372529525579.post-79962082919009403932012-05-14T17:58:31.499+01:002012-05-14T17:58:31.499+01:00I write in first person most the time, but I try n...I write in first person most the time, but I try not to get too trapped in internal dialogue. Having a best friend handy is always good to show what a character is thinking (although a little cliched).Talli Rolandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04780882465745107715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7837881372529525579.post-28733627853685510172012-05-10T13:41:31.301+01:002012-05-10T13:41:31.301+01:00Hi Cara, thanks for your comment *downloads a Ruth...Hi Cara, thanks for your comment *downloads a Ruth Rendell novel to Kindle*Anita Chapmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08643609708390860371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7837881372529525579.post-25290896917618756832012-05-09T21:22:20.978+01:002012-05-09T21:22:20.978+01:00Ruth Rendell writes psychological crime thrillers ...Ruth Rendell writes psychological crime thrillers where you're always aware of the characters' thoughts, and she does it brilliantly.Cara Cooperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15972751301677687055noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7837881372529525579.post-5873737659240613912012-05-09T20:05:29.763+01:002012-05-09T20:05:29.763+01:00Thanks for your comment Rebecca-you're up so e...Thanks for your comment Rebecca-you're up so early!XAnita Chapmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08643609708390860371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7837881372529525579.post-39675827524509635972012-05-09T20:04:33.816+01:002012-05-09T20:04:33.816+01:00Hi Kelly, I agree that writing in first person mak...Hi Kelly, I agree that writing in first person makes it easier to show a character's thoughts. I am writing in third person and at first found it difficult to show the thoughts effectively. I've worked it out now though thankfully-looking at other novels really helped.Anita Chapmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08643609708390860371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7837881372529525579.post-41174616735682933572012-05-09T19:52:46.083+01:002012-05-09T19:52:46.083+01:00I write first person, almost all the time, and I f...I write first person, almost all the time, and I find it easy to show my MC's thoughts that way. Are you writing 1st or 3rd person POV? I think 1st person kind of forces you to open up your MC's mind for your reader.Kelly Hashwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7837881372529525579.post-34477568288540489082012-05-09T05:35:43.519+01:002012-05-09T05:35:43.519+01:00Good post, Anita, thanks. I'm not sure how I ...Good post, Anita, thanks. I'm not sure how I balance it, it's too early in the morning to analyse stuff :-) XxxRebecca Leithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12812459785355422501noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7837881372529525579.post-15640164523288969772012-05-08T18:39:59.219+01:002012-05-08T18:39:59.219+01:00Hi Alison, thanks for your comment. It's much ...Hi Alison, thanks for your comment. It's much easier to get into a character's head when writing in first person. I write in third person and found it challenging in early drafts to get my POV characters' thoughts into the novel effectively.Anita Chapmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08643609708390860371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7837881372529525579.post-58796619276831942532012-05-08T18:37:00.281+01:002012-05-08T18:37:00.281+01:00Hi Liz, thanks for your comment. I agree that it&...Hi Liz, thanks for your comment. I agree that it's easy to repeat oneself-especially around dialogue when it's already obvious what a character is thinking. I have to check that I'm putting the reaction to another character's dialogue/action instead.Anita Chapmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08643609708390860371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7837881372529525579.post-59102834526596495572012-05-08T18:33:26.348+01:002012-05-08T18:33:26.348+01:00Hi Jean, it was lovely to see a post about Siena a...Hi Jean, it was lovely to see a post about Siena and the novel, A Summer's Lease! Thanks for your comment. I agree that it's easy to get carried away with a character's thoughts.Anita Chapmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08643609708390860371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7837881372529525579.post-68516040862405657312012-05-08T09:12:37.118+01:002012-05-08T09:12:37.118+01:00Good post, Anita. I write in the first person, so ...Good post, Anita. I write in the first person, so you're in my heroine's head all the time, like it or not! I have to balance that out with the other characters' roles. But even then, sometimes I have to sit my heroine down and get her to think about where she is, what she's feeling about what's happened and anticipate what's going to happen or what she's going to do.<br /><br />We don't want to flood the reader with obvious stuff, especially when we're trying to intrigue them. It'all about balance.Alison Mortonhttp://alison-morton.com/blog/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7837881372529525579.post-13780149758620356232012-05-08T07:55:49.543+01:002012-05-08T07:55:49.543+01:00I tend to do what Jean (see above comment) does. ...I tend to do what Jean (see above comment) does. In fact, I could have written Jean's comment myself! <br /><br />I find that when I write my character's thoughts on the first day, I edit most of them out when I go through them again the next day. It's easy to repeat yourself without realising it. I'm skilled at saying exactly the same thing in two different ways - and one of those ways is, therefore, de trop. <br /><br />Liz XLiz Harrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01322513174593505885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7837881372529525579.post-12577572501560927712012-05-08T00:46:08.239+01:002012-05-08T00:46:08.239+01:00Thanks for your memories of Siena on my blog, Anit...Thanks for your memories of Siena on my blog, Anita. I shall have to read your book! As far as characters thoughts go, I put myself inside their head, and write down what I think they're thinking. I sometimes have to edit them out if I get carried away! Jean.Jean Bullnoreply@blogger.com