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Gabrielle Pollack replied to the topic Weekly Scripture 🙂 in the forum General Writing Discussions 7 years, 7 months ago
@h-jones Mmm true indeed. 🙂 It is a good reminder, especially for those of us who were raised in a Christian atmosphere. 🙂
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Gabrielle Pollack replied to the topic What's a good word count? in the forum General Writing Discussions 7 years, 7 months ago
@inkling-for-christ What they said. 😛 Some people like each chapter to contain a scene while others like to break at different parts of the scene for impact. I like both ways of doing things. As Bri said, content is king and should determine where chapter breaks are. 🙂
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Gabrielle Pollack replied to the topic NaNoWriMo-ers??? in the forum General Writing Discussions 7 years, 7 months ago
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Gabrielle Pollack replied to the topic A Proposition? If anyone is interested? in the forum General Writing Discussions 7 years, 7 months ago
@h-jones Thank you muchly. 🙂
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Gabrielle Pollack commented on the post, How to Make Tragic Backstories Count 7 years, 7 months ago
😃Ferdinand is a worthy name for such a cute creature.
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Gabrielle Pollack commented on the post, How to Make Tragic Backstories Count 7 years, 7 months ago
That’s awesome! Yay for ideas and inspiration! 😀 (Why thank you. :D)
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Gabrielle Pollack replied to the topic Pinterest for Writers in the forum General Writing Discussions 7 years, 7 months ago
@snapper Yup, that’s me. Hiding in the shadows. Mwahaha…
Anyway, welcome! Haha, the whole Pinterest thing takes a bit to figure out. XD
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Gabrielle Pollack replied to the topic NaNoWriMo-ers??? in the forum General Writing Discussions 7 years, 7 months ago
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Gabrielle Pollack replied to the topic Trello? in the forum General Writing Discussions 7 years, 7 months ago
@h-jones I have Trello (and love it :D). I mostly use it to plan my weeks and set up to-do lists, though I also plot. 🙂
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Gabrielle Pollack replied to the topic A Proposition? If anyone is interested? in the forum General Writing Discussions 7 years, 7 months ago
@h-jones I’m rather late to the discussion, but I think this is a beautiful idea! 😀 Can you tag me in the thread? 😀
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Gabrielle Pollack posted an update 7 years, 7 months ago
Hey @libby! Thank you so much for the news! I’m so sorry they don’t know what’s going on, but I’m still praying. <3 <3 Keep us updated, dear!
(I'm not in Avensbeck anymore, which is why I can't reply to the thread XD)
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Gabrielle Pollack commented on the post, How to Make Tragic Backstories Count 7 years, 7 months ago
I’m so glad you were thinking about how the MC’s backstory influenced him! That’s a fantastic start to a solid character. 😀 I’m happy this article came at a good time, too. 🙂
Love your profile btw. It’s adorable. 😀
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Gabrielle Pollack commented on the post, How to Make Tragic Backstories Count 7 years, 7 months ago
Thanks, Serenity! 😀 It’s great to see you around too! 😀 😀 😀
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Gabrielle Pollack commented on the post, How to Make Tragic Backstories Count 7 years, 7 months ago
Thanks for reading! I tend to use a lot of sad backstories for my characters as well. XD Haha, maybe I’ll have to write it someday. 😉
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Gabrielle Pollack commented on the post, How to Make Tragic Backstories Count 7 years, 7 months ago
Thanks, Josuha! Hm, good question! That’s a hard one.
I often discover that my character’s surface issues are signs of something deeper. For instance, perhaps your character believed because God is good, He won’t let anything bad happen to His people. This illusion is shattered when his grandmother passes. Outwardly, the MC is struggling with…[Read more]
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Gabrielle Pollack commented on the post, How to Make Tragic Backstories Count 7 years, 7 months ago
Yay! I’m glad. 😀
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Gabrielle Pollack wrote a new post 7 years, 7 months ago
Characters with tragic backstories are as common as parentless Disney protagonists. Depressing pasts are widespread in the fantasy genre. Want to give a protagonist a rough edge and convince readers to feel sorry […]
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This is very helpful, thank you for writing this!😃
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Yay! I’m glad. 😀
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This is an awesome article! I love writing tragic backstories into characters, and it can sometimes be tricky to figure out how to portray them realistically without seeming forced. The example with the shoemaker and the King was particularly awesome! I would definitely read that book or short story!
– Jackson E. Graham
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Thanks for reading! I tend to use a lot of sad backstories for my characters as well. XD Haha, maybe I’ll have to write it someday. 😉
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That’s an amazing article. I like whe you said,
“Connecting a character’s scar to the theme deepens the story’s meaning. The theme isn’t an abstract concept, but intimate and personal. Our character lives by her ideals, which were shaped by heartache.”
I’m having a hard time trying to connect my character’s past (losing his grandmother) to my theme of Trusting God.
How would I do this?
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Thanks, Josuha! Hm, good question! That’s a hard one.
I often discover that my character’s surface issues are signs of something deeper. For instance, perhaps your character believed because God is good, He won’t let anything bad happen to His people. This illusion is shattered when his grandmother passes. Outwardly, the MC is struggling with trust issues with God but under the surface, he is being forced to change his view of how pain lines up with Christianity.
If you’re hitting a wall, I’d first try taking a break to gain perspective. Then I’d suggest talking to your character about why he doesn’t trust God and how his grandmother’s death affected him. Some people like to write out a character interview on paper, but I find it helpful to talk to my characters out loud and respond to my own questions as they would. It’s a bit unconventional, but a dialogue with your character can really help you expose who he is. A few questions that may help:
What is your goal?
Why do you want this?
Why do you believe in this way?
Why don’t you trust God?Last but not least, sometimes the theme you’re going for doesn’t match backstory and must be changed. Other times, the theme you wanted isn’t coming naturally out of backstory, and you must dive into backstory to discover a new theme.
But I’d try a little brainstorming first. 😉
Hope that helps!
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That’s an amazing article. I like whe you said,
“Connecting a character’s scar to the theme deepens the story’s meaning. The theme isn’t an abstract concept, but intimate and personal. Our character lives by her ideals, which were shaped by heartache.”
I’m having a hard time trying to connect my character’s past (losing his grandmother) to my theme of Trusting God.
How would I do this?
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Really cool, @gabrielle_pollack!
I really like how there is applicable info here. Well done!
great to hear from you, btw!-
Thanks, Serenity! 😀 It’s great to see you around too! 😀 😀 😀
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Wow, great article! The MC in my WIP has a very tragic past that haunts him continually. I have been stuggling with how to incorporate his backstory into my plot…trying to figure out the type of man his past has shaped him into and the way it impacts his choices. But this article has been really clarifying and helpful for me. I was so excited when I read the title for this article! It came at just the right time!!😁
*does a happy little dance*-
I’m so glad you were thinking about how the MC’s backstory influenced him! That’s a fantastic start to a solid character. 😀 I’m happy this article came at a good time, too. 🙂
Love your profile btw. It’s adorable. 😀
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Awww, thanks! I call him Ferdinand. 😉
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😃Ferdinand is a worthy name for such a cute creature.
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I Loved this article. It gave me quite a few ideas for improving current characters in my WIP’s. It will also help me show why they are so passionate about what they believe and why they make the choices they do in a whole new way!!! #inspired 😀
Thanks for writing!!!! (btw that story sounds amazing 🙂-
That’s awesome! Yay for ideas and inspiration! 😀 (Why thank you. :D)
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So my character has just gone through a betrayal and I’m trying to figure out what the aftermath of this will be because this is not the first time someone has detrimentally betrayed her trust (it’s part of her tragic backstory).
To keep the long story short my character is a shapeshifter. Shapeshifters are outlawed and are to be put to death. And my MC’s best friend has just betrayed the MC to the authorities.
To an extent, the MC does have at least a little understanding of why her friend did it (Shifters have hurt her friend’s family in the past and as a result, her friend is scared of shifters, and frankly so is the MC). But knowing this doesn’t make things any easier because her best friend did, in a way, just sentence her to death.
To sum it up, what will be the internal aftermath of this current betrayal considering the MC’s tragic past?
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Gabrielle Pollack commented on the post, Moonlit Poetry 7 years, 7 months ago
^^^^^^ What Daeus said.
So. Much. Beauty. I can’t handle it all.
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Gabrielle Pollack replied to the topic Pinterest for Writers in the forum General Writing Discussions 7 years, 7 months ago
*hears the word Pinterest*
*rushes over*
I love using Pinterest for platforming. 😀 It can attract a bunch of traffic to your blog.
I support what everyone has said so far. A Pinterest account should have a focus that reflects the needs of your intended audience. If you’re blogging about writing, then you’ll want a bunch of…[Read more]
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Gabrielle Pollack replied to the topic My characters don't listen to me in the forum Characters 7 years, 8 months ago
Hey @kr-lalonde ! 😀 This is a great question that I’m afraid I don’t know the perfect answer to. 😛 The start of a character can be found anywhere. Sometimes an impression forms a personality right away and we simply have to build off it. Other times a line of dialogue or an idea starts us thinking about a potential protagonist.
But this doesn’t…[Read more]
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