Thoughts I Had While Writing My Novel

What is wrong with you characters?!

Apr 08, 2020

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*Dramatic Movie Music* It's finally here. The article you've been waiting for....

Anyway, I've been working on my novel for independent study, and thankfully, I've been making progress, even with the COVID madness and a jumping mad new kitten. Still, even though I pretty much know these characters from the back of my hand, rereading still surprises me sometimes.

1. Wow, my character talks a lot about X

It could be anything, really. One of my characters talks about hands a lot, particularly another main characters (No, I'm not a harlequin author, I suck in that department... Even if it would apparently make good money), and I'd only noticed that after reading that. I'd also noticed that any breaks from reality are indicated by ellipses, and another character is only pretending to be naive.

2. Wow... That came out of my head

I do end up waxing poetic a lot in this, although it's not exactly a cheesy romantic novel, but sometimes I blow my own mind with how tender my two main characters are with one another, even though they're simultaneously in conflict with one another.

3. COOPERATE!

My novel has two different narrators, and one of them is just a pain to work with. You'd think a character who writes himself is easy to write, but it's the opposite with this dude. Don't get me wrong, he's great, but he's the Dustin Hoffman of my characters, cooperation-wise (Though, all jokes aside, I could never see Hoffman playing him. Even young Hoffman.) What makes it worse is that half of the chapters are his POV... And taking either narrator would ruin the point of the book.

4. Worldbuilding is hard...

Being that I started out with fanfics, worldbuilding was at the back of my mind because there was already a world to work with. Even when I went original with this, I've been told that setting isn't exactly my strong suit. It's fine... All writers have a weakness, but, here, the setting is somewhat important to the plot. Oh well... Back to the drawing board.

5. I hope the ending is okay...

I don't mean too abrupt, or whatever. I finally have somewhat of an idea for an ending that makes sense, but is the shift in emotion itself too abrupt? Is it enough? Does it not tie everything up... I'm going for a book with a prequel, not a sequel? Well? I don't know... You can't please everyone, right?

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Thoughts I Had While Writing My Novel

What is wrong with you characters?!

1. Wow, my character talks a lot about X

2. Wow... That came out of my head

3. COOPERATE!

4. Worldbuilding is hard...

5. I hope the ending is okay...

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... Because life happens

1. Realizing there's no more toilet paper when it's already too late.

2. Making a cup of coffee in the morning and forgetting it in the car.

3. Pushing doors that say pull.

4. When you hear people chew.

5. When it's really quiet in a room and you hear that one person breathing like they just ran a marathon.

6. Grabbing a chocolate chip cookie, only to realize it's actually oatmeal raisin.

7. Getting comfortable in bed and then realizing you forgot to pee/turn off the light.

8. That one aunt/uncle that just always gives you that creepy vibe.

9. When your teacher makes you buy a textbook that you never even crack open.

10. Continuing to open and reopen the fridge until the food that you want magically makes its way in there.

11. Walking into a room and then automatically forgetting why you went in there.

12. People that drive without using their blinker.

13. When you have really slow wi-fi.

14. People who feel the need to scream into their phones as if the other person can't hear them.

15. The world's obsession with the Kardashian/Jenner families.

16. Advertisements before Youtube videos.

17. When people read over your shoulder.

18. A-holes that park in the handicapped spots when they, in fact, not handicapped.

19. People who cut in line.

20. The LIRR/MTA

21. Being stuck behind someone who is walking painfully slow.

22. When people smoke cigarettes right in front of the entrance to the building you have to walk into.

23. When boys think it's cool to treat girls like crap.

24. Guys that still go to high school parties even though they've been out of high school for years.

25. Celebrities that are obviously lip-syncing.

26. How you need a scissor to get the scissor out of its package.

27. When people text using that stupid "voice text" function.

28. Telling someone you can't hear them, so they use the same exact volume and just repeat what they said.

29. When someone gets in the shower right as you were about to get in the shower.

30. Saying "What?" for some reason, even though you heard what the person said.

31. When you're in a rush but the light is red.

32. Cashiers putting your change down on the counter instead of in your hand.

33. The people that go up to order food to the cashier but are still continuing their phone conversation.

34. That awkward time in the fall when it's freezing in the morning but stifling in the afternoon.

35. Emailing your professor a long winded paragraph about a problem you are having and they email back, "Sure."

36. Guys who put their car as their profile picture on Facebook.

37. Girls who have "X Years Young." in their Instagram bios.

38. Trying to find the beginning to a roll of tape.

39. When people drive your car and adjust your mirrors/seat.

40. People that talk during the movie.

41. People that decide to engage in conversation right in the middle of the hallway/sidewalk.

42. When someone says, "no offense," and then continues to say something offensive.

43. People that pop their significant others pimples.

44. Teacher's pets.

45. Going to the bathroom and someone goes into the stall right next to you.

46. When someone leaves your room and doesn't shut the door.

47. Political debates between two people who know nothing about politics.

48. When you get all ready to go out and your friend cancels plans.

49. People that drop their friends for their significant other.

50. People that don't like animals.

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Things to do in October.

1. Going to haunted houses with friends.

2. Going to Halloween parties with friends or families or both.

3. We all enjoy going to apple orchards to pick apples and to eat donuts with apple cider.

4. When you are younger or through high school, you go trick or treating in various of costumes going door to door saying "trick or treat" and you get candy or whatever they are giving you for Halloween.

5. Another fun part of October is to go to corn mazes which are sometimes fun and hard to do with friends and family.

6. Back in elementary school, we had Halloween Parties where homeroom parents were the ones who planned them for Halloween.

7. Another event that happens during the month of October is Halloween Nights at the Henry Ford in the evenings.

8. The types of candy and food that are popular during Halloween time are candy corn, caramel apples and many other fun foods.

9. I love Halloween and get to see all the interesting and fun costumes that the kids wear which is so amazing and awesome.

10. Listening and performing in Halloween concerts which are fun and get to dress up as well.

11. Carving pumpkins are always fun to carve because you get to do it with your family and friends.

A look at the treasure box, seeing what's hidden in the shadow of "Dreams," "Linger," and "Zombie"

10. “Still Can’t…” from “Everyone Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?”

9. “How” from “Everyone Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We?”

8. “Twenty One” from “No Need To Argue”

7. “Ridiculous Thoughts” from “No Need To Argue”

6. “Warchild” from “To The Faithful Departed”

5. “Bosnia” from “To The Faithful Departed”

4. “Loud And Clear “from “Bury The Hatchet”

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