Goal, Motivation and Conflict

GMC. You know the term. Every main character (hero/heroine) must have one in your story to make their actions ring true. Even if your character doesn't understand why she wants what she wants, your reader will want to know, so YOU must know. Ah, so what does a character do when conflict gets in her way? Push through that conflict so that the character can have a happy ending. (Of course, you don't want it to be too easy, and boring, so the reader stops reading).

As I contemplate my character's GMC, I'm also contemplating mine:

GOAL: finish ms

MOTIVATION: to be published (and because I love to write!)

CONFLICT: life, full time job, business partnership with husband (I do the financials and tax season is upon us)

HOW TO OVERCOME: make a schedule and stick to it

***

GOAL: to attend the DARA conference

MOTIVATION: to meet other authors and have a chance to pitch my novel

CONFLICT: money (I have a tooth problem that is going to cost $1000!)

HOW TO OVERCOME: save, make extra money, get loan or don't go

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GOAL: to get my website back up and running

MOTIVATION: because all authors should have one

CONFLICT: lack of knowledge

HOW TO OVERCOME: learn all I can and get help where needed

***

I've had my head down in editing my current WIP and in plotting my new novel. You probably won't hear from me except sporadically for now, but I am going to try to get back into a routine. Still, my writing is most important and so things like blogging are put on the back burner. :)

The Twelve Tales of Christmas

If you are looking for a nice gift for yourself or someone else, I highly recommend THE TWELVE TALES OF CHRISTMAS by my dear friend, Miranda Koerner. I'm not biased because she's my friend! I had the joy of reading these stories and I loved them all! Filled with short stories that will warm your heart, make you smile and even bring tears to your eyes, it gives me that magical, whimsical Christmasy feeling I love so much. It's also full of good stories to read to the special people in your life, because you will want others to enjoy it, too. Click on the title to go to the order page.

Water For Elephants

It's been awhile since I've posted a book review, but this was one of those I felt deserved my attention. I didn't expect to like it. Too much hype. I hate hype and will usually avoid books or movies with too much hype (okay, except the Pirates movies, superhero movies and...I could go on). Still, I normally read thrillers, suspense, and romance and normally avoid hype, though not always. You can't publish enough romantic suspense for my taste. This was none of those.

I confess that I decided to read WATER FOR ELEPHANTS because of an article in the Poets and Writers magazine by Sara Gruen's agent and because I thought reading outside my normal genre might help inspire me.

I was not disappointed. I started it on Wednesday before Thanksgiving and only read for the hour and a half long trip it took to get to my destination. Then I read it going home that Friday (didn't get a chance during the Thanksgiving holiday) and I couldn't put it down, even after the drive. (Thank goodness I was only a passenger, huh?) All in all, it took me 2 days.

There was something about the writing that just drew me in to the story, as if I was actually reading the man's account of his time at the circus. Even when he was brought back into his present reality (a 90 year old man in a nursing home remembering his time in the circus during the great depression) I didn't feel like I was being jerked out of the story.

The characters were real, even written from a first POV. Actually, they were made more real in that way. I was disappointed to finish it, because now I feel I have nothing to read. You know how it is when you're finished with a good story and nothing seems to compare. I'll have to let it sit in my brain for a few days before I can get into another one.

So if you love to read and haven't yet read this one, I highly recommend it. WATER FOR ELEPHANTS by Sara Gruen.

I killed off a character today...

At first, I didn’t like the character, but as I wrote more about him and realized his vulnerabilities, I started to feel a kinship toward him and felt bad about killing him. Though I tried to think of ways to save him, I had to kill him to advance my story.

He isn’t a main character, nor is he the main villain, so it was time for him to go, and killing him was the only way. I always hate watching movies where I get to know the character and then they kill him. I don’t want reality in my fantasy world! In my world, the good characters are supposed to live forever and the villains are the ones who die! Unfortunately, even in fiction, that isn’t always the case. I guess time will tell what happens to the villain. Right now, I have to watch my back. He may pop up at any moment...

13 of My Favorite Characters

Happy Halloween everyone! Because it's Halloween, I thought it would be fun to list my 13 favorite characters, though it doesn't mean they're my favorite costume dress-up characters. In fiction, these characters were made real with their personalites and background. And I just love their attitudes! These are the tpe of characters who will live on forever. Characters I can watch over and over again and not grow bored. Do you see any similarities? Who are your favorites?

(These are in no specific order)

1. Captain Jack Sparrow
2. Jason Bourne
3. Bruce Wayne, AKA Batman
4. Peter Parker, AKA Spiderman
5. Clark Kent, AKA Superman
6. Scarlet O’Hara
7. Will Turner
8. Puss N’Boots
9. Iron-Man
10. Elizabeth Swann
11. Wolverine
12. Lightning McQueen
13. Bridget Jones