Brittany Maresh

writer

Over on Rath & Ruins we were discussing character flaws–specifically, what our favorite character’s biggest flaws were. How did these relate to each of us, individually? Why were these flaws important? What made them stick with us?

Many of us chose people we identified with. Characters of a certain type that spoke to our own faults, be it overemotional reactions, easily hurt feelings, or lack of courage. These faults become the character’s strengths, or something to be overcome. If we can overcome our faults alongside a book character, does it make us feel like we’ve accomplished something, too?

Is that why we like dynamic characters the most? Because we grow and change with them, as we read?

-Brittany Maresh

What makes my online writing group so awesome?  None of us know each other, very few of us have ever or will ever meet one another, and yet, so often, we’re still all right on the same page.

If I’ve heard of an agent, so often, one of them has, too, or they want to hear about it and get a link to their blog, website, twitter, and so on.  We follow the same general circle of interest–agent blogs, writer blogs, similar websites, writing events, contests, read books along the same vein, so on and so forth.

And (here’s a big and) I trust their opinion.  If I hear from three or four of them about something particular, it tends to be true.  I can trust them to say “your vocabular is entirely too weird” or “these characters are beyond wooden, they’re like faded chalk outlines left on the pavement.

Yeah, they’re all pretty awesome.

-Brittany Maresh

I’m fighting back my Evil Tendencies (yes, I do have them) and not talking about NaNoWriMo, this time. I’d love to gush about being behind on my word count goal (which is not 50,000 words), or to lament about the quality, but I won’t.

I’m not ashamed to be behind on my goal–the goal was a challenge, and I set it unreasonably high on purpose.  The quality of the writing is not top-notch, but some scenes are downright moving.  First drafts are like that, like geodes, in today’s comparison, because I’ve got a geode in the scene I’m writing.

We’ll see how the story turns up–if it’s something I can polish and shine and work into something that’s ready to be queried.  Maybe it’s just a pretty flash, and all my hard work will make fool’s gold.  Maybe not.  That’s for future worries.

Today, I’m just marveling at the process of writing as a group.  It’s strange, and in a way entirely comforting.  You’re surrounded by three other people on laptops–and one with a notebook, usually, and another who has an envy-inspiring typewriter.  You’re all focused inward, on your own stories.  And maybe you IM each other (we do, at least), and maybe all writing stops as someone slaps their forehead.  Until I saw it earlier today, I didn’t really think it was one of those things people really did, while writing, but lo and behold, it is.  Discussion goes for a few minutes, working out a plot kink, discussing a character trait, contemplating the flash point of human beings, and then work resumes.

It’s less lonely, and less daring, but every once in a while, it’s a nice break from the isolated process we usually undergo.  At least, I think it is. But what do I know?  I don’t write a synopsis ahead of time, and I couldn’t outline to save my life.  At least, not beforehand.

-Brittany Maresh, attempting to procrastinate and finding a measure of success