Saturday, April 30, 2011

Characters

Today, I’m at Weatherford College at the Books ‘n Authors ‘n All That Jazz conference. Author Sylvia Dickey Smith and I are leading a workshop on Characters. Specifically, we’re helping writers make their characters 3-dimensional and real. In the afternoon, we’ll both also be on a panel.

Then we have to race back south. Sylvia has to get back to Georgetown, where she’s receiving an award at a banquet. Sylvia’s novel, A War of Her Own, was chosen as best novel of the year by the Press Women of Texas, a statewide organization of women journalists and writers.

At our workshop, we’re going to focus not on the mundane, but on things that can set your protagonist apart from others and will make her/him memorable. What makes the protagonist in your book or story unique? Or what happened early in their life that set them on the path they’re on? Or what in their environment made them act they way they do? Are they trapped by their religion or upbringing?

In you're in the area of Weatherford, Texas, sign up for our workshop - it's free. 

16 comments:

  1. Wish I lived in Texas. I could use that workshop!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I like the focus of your workshop. That one trait setting apart a character is often what stays with us. Enjoy!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'd love to be at that workshop and meet you and Sylvia! Someday...

    ReplyDelete
  4. I wish I was in Texas. That would be so much fun. My blog is a lot on the psychology of characters feel free to use some of the material if you want.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Would love to attend but my trip to Texas was in January.

    ReplyDelete
  6. The conference was wonderful. I'm so glad I came across your info about it. Thanks for all the great handouts. I enjoyed your workshop. As usual you peppered the "talk" with humor. I was hoping to send you some pictures of the panel discussion but they came out too blurry and dark.
    Ann

    ReplyDelete
  7. Sorry I missed the presentation you and Sylvia gave, but I was busy in another room down the hall. Great spending time with you though.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Geez, Helen, you make me feel like a slug ... I spent Saturday watching the Tiger's lose another one (they lost Sunday too, arrrggh) ... anyway, I should be out there ... going to stuff like the Weatherford event.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Now, Judy, it's only a hop, skip and swim.

    Jean, if you come to Texas, you're supposed to give me a call!

    Thank you for coming Ann. And thanks for reminding me about pictures. I took some of Sylvia talking. I need to download them from my iPhone.

    I wish I could have gone to your workshop, too, Earl!

    You should Christopher - esp since it was free!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Glad I could attend the workshop. It was a really good day. Your session with Sylvia was excellent. I came away ready to jazz up my characters. Then the panel discussion certainly proved lively. Thanks, Helen, for sharing your knowledge with us in Weatherford.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thank you so much for coming to the workshop, Joanne. That was a lively panel discussion, wasn't it! Wow. Who would have thought.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Great topic to workshop on, and I know you and Sylvia must've done a bangup job of it. Wish I could've been there!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I know your workshop was a hit. Hope you had fun.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Looks like a really cool conference. Interesting subjects >:)

    Cold As Heaven

    ReplyDelete
  15. Wow, exciting time and you're in very good company. Hope to hear more on your workshop later on.

    Really Angelic

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...