Character Interview: Penny

I've decided to start some character interviews - from my several works in progress, just to see if I can represent them as standalone and hopefully not too cliche... this is the first...

Name: Penny but George (see third question) insists on calling me Poppet.

Title of the book you appear in: The Good Life - a light-hearted romp about emigrating to Italy

Married: Yes, to George

Children: No, I am immature enough and George just wouldn't cope. We do have a Springer Spaniel called Hector though.

Job: In between them at the moment and not sure if I'll ever have a proper job again!

Favourite Music, Song or Lyric and why: Its Raining Men because wouldn't that just be wonderful? As long as they weren't all like George. Maybe a little George Clooney mixed with a spoonful of Brad?

What happened on the day you were born: The world rejoiced… no it snowed and it snowed an it snowed and my little brother had a hissy fit and wanted me to be sent back. He still feels like that a little still today...

Do you have a hobby: No, I try many things, mostly diets and exercise but honestly none of them work. Oh, wait probably eating cakes, with cream… and chocolate. No wonder I can't fit into that dress…But when we get to Italy I'm gonna have to learn how to grow vegetables, because George says we're going all self-sufficient. I always thought I was?

What is the one thing people don't know about you: I used to be a ballet dancer. Honest! Up until I was around thirteen then I was thrown out when I got too tall for the leading man to pick me up. That's tall not fat. And I get blisters if I do the ironing.

Are you organised or do you fly by the seat of your pants: Well, I love making lists. For George that is. He doesn't like them but I tend to find if I highlight all the outstanding items at breakfast he gets on with it. And I like crossing them off once finished in red pen. I blame my father.

Who would you invite to a last supper : Sarah McGillican (comedienne), John Carter (out of ER) and the Dowager Countess from Downton.

What would be on the menu: Onion Bhajis, Steak Salad and Chips, Profiteroles and lashings of red wine.

Marmite - Love it or Hate it: Love it only if it's spread on hot buttered white toast and eaten within seconds

CHARACTER SYNOPSIS

What's Your Story?
Part of my preparation using the Snowflake method has been to develop Character Synopses. This is a little like creating a synopsis for my novel but instead of being plot based, it is character based. And I must say, it's much more exciting. Why is that I wonder? I think it's must because it becomes personal to that character and as you ask 'so what's your story?' then the characters start to tell you, and they start to make the story come alive. For me, plot based always seems a little too constrained, it can't suddenly veer off in a different direction because someone (i.e. a character) has to lead the plot. So for me character based synopsis planning has been a revelation. I've done three main characters this afternoon, around 450 words each, and I've been surprised with their responses and the development of the story as a whole, all in about 45 minutes. I feel as though I've made much bigger steps than if I'd stared at the blank screen trying to write a scene without anything to hang it on. Now I've got a number of scenes, and ones I hadn't envisaged before I started the process. So that has to be good. Doesn't it? 
More Later...

NaNoWriMo - Day Two

Characters and Composting
I'm sure you are thinking what do composts have in common with this blog post? Well quite a lot actually. As you may know I was a little behind with my preparation for NaNoWriMo. But a little preparation has been better than none which is my usual format. So I've spent the morning building on the work I'd already done and having conversations with my characters. For me this has felt a little bit like 'composting', another subject close to my heart, well the vegetable garden at least. It has a similar kind of process, you start off with an empty vessel and a blank vegetable patch. You keep adding bits and pieces here and there into your vessel, nourishing with water to help the process and develop your mulch. Bit by bit your compost heap builds, becomes more rich and nutritious with all sorts of goodness and you can feel the heat. Then you apply it to your patch, work it in and plant your seeds. Some time later, you have lots of healthy, full rounded, delicious vegetables which look and taste fabulous. That to me is my character development, getting all warm and cuddly with my stars (though I promise I do not get warm and cuddly with my compost). Enough. NaNo fever has definitely turned me a bit gaga.
Until Tomorrow...

BLOGGETTE # 2

And Counting...
Well, there is not long to go and the pressure is mounting. We've had discussions in the NaNoWriMo forum on Writers Abroad about Outlining, Plotting and Point of View. Yesterday I concentrated on my characters as for me, this is the way to drive the story and therefore the plot. There are writers who disagree and that's fine. There is no definable template for writing. Sometimes that can be frustrating, sometimes its the freedom that makes all the difference. We really wouldn't want it any other way. So I have been delving into my characters traits and habits, interviewing them for the job and fleshing out those bits of their character that make them come alive on the page. Some of them don't have names yet, but that will come. I love using the Zodiac to help me think about characters, so when I've defined their birth date, I look up their star sign. This can give you an indication of their physical attributes, their behaviour and personality, their likes and dislikes, what they are like as  a lover, friend, parent and what kind of ailments they are prone to. Of course as in real life, characters will not all meet the definitions, but that's what makes character real. Being People. So onto the next task. Settings...


Until Tomorrow (is that a line of a song?)...