A Quick Check-In
Since I was too taxed to do this on Monday, I figured I’d just update anyone who is reading my blog on the status of the novel. This weekend, I finally went through and added character growth to my main character in chapter 7. So, to celebrate that, I stopped working on it and went back to working on the novel I’m writing with my sister.
On that novel, we are nearing the big, climatic end before the first draft is finished! Yay! After that, we have some major changes to make so that the whole plot makes sense. Fun times, fun times. But I am looking forward to making a spiffy map of the city that the story takes place in.
On a only slightly related note, I went to Borders on it’s 2nd to last day of life, and bought 10 books. Later, I might take a picture of all the books I bought from them since they started filing for bankruptcy to show you what an addict I am. I’m going to miss that store, but I’ll probably find it easier now to save up more money to go to a writing conference someday.
Other than all that, my weekend was pretty uneventful. I was sick on Friday, spent Saturday writing and book buying, and spent Sunday planning out the end to the novel I’m working on with my sister. But I was thinking the other day, what kind of person in real life inspires me to write about them most. Do I feel more like inventing a character similar to a quirky friend I love, or that annoying, jerk I’m stuck seeing all the time that with a little exaggeration would make a good antagonist. How about you? What are your thoughts on this?
Kati's storysketches 
Diana Douglas said,
04/20/2011 at 8:29 pm
For reasons I don’t really understand, I usually include a character who can’t stop talking. Come to think of it, my best friend is a little like that.
Kati Bartkowski's storysketches said,
04/26/2011 at 8:51 am
I think in my group of friends that I might be the one who can’t stop talking. 🙂 In my opinion, characters like that are great!
Billie Jo Woods said,
04/20/2011 at 10:51 pm
I like creating my protagonists, I always love them, I think they are often stronger more exciting versions of myself or someone I know.
Then the sidekick is usually my next favourite character to write, they usually have some of the traits of my friends.
I have never met anyone like my protagonists, thankfully. Usually they border on pure evil.
All the other supporting characters probably are based loosely on people I have met or watched over the years.
Kati Bartkowski's storysketches said,
04/26/2011 at 9:00 am
I think one of my antagonists is based loosely off of kind of bitchy people I’ve met in the past. One of my other antagonists I’m trying to make really charismatic, so if you weren’t necessarily involved in the conflict, he may be seen as not a bad guy.
I do the same with my antagonists though, where they seem to be cooler versions of me. Except my main character in my current novel has a extreme dislike for bad teeth. 🙂
Patricia Hollett said,
04/21/2011 at 12:48 pm
Thanks for stopping by my blog and commenting. I really appreciate it!
I like to create characters similar to the people in my life or at least take some of their attributes that I find would make good character qualities and develop a character from them. I have a couple right now that I just love… two girls who are as different as night and day even though they’re sisters.
Good blog, and nice update on what you’re doing.
By the way, I absolutely love your little drawings. Gave me a squeal of delight when I noticed them below the post and had to check them all out! Fantastic, fun stuff! 🙂
Patricia Hollett said,
04/21/2011 at 12:52 pm
By the way, are you with a writing group? Either you or your sister? I love zombie stories, and I’m with OWG, which is Kelley Armstrong’s Writing Group. Great working with other writers who share the same goals and passions as I do. I love writing about were’s and vamps and witches. You should check it out if you haven’t already, and if you need any further info…post on my blog page.
Kati Bartkowski's storysketches said,
04/26/2011 at 11:27 am
I’m actually not in a writing group yet, so I’ll be sure to check out your group later. Thank you for stopping by my blog, and I’m glad you liked my pictures, I had a lot of fun drawing them.
lunaleo said,
04/23/2011 at 10:05 am
I love writing bitchy characters. The kind of people I wouldn’t like in real life, I love in stories because they’re refreshingly open and honest, and I find that that moves the plot along. These are usually secondary characters, though, and not taken directly from anyone I know. Maybe little pieces of them are. I don’t like to base a whole character off a whole person – I think it’s more fun to just borrow different aspects and make up the rest.
jgavinallan said,
04/24/2011 at 6:15 pm
I agree with lunaleo. I love to borrow negative characteristics from people that appear to be a bit bitchy. (Regardless of gender) I say think of all the jerks you know and take the worst qualities of the total and create a “super” creep. I would hunger to read it.
I am amazed at your writing two themes at once. Do you ever mix up the character’s names and realize you have the hero of one story kissing the heroine of the other?
I have.
Jaye
Kati Bartkowski's storysketches said,
04/26/2011 at 12:03 pm
I mix up the main characters in both my stories all the time! It gets really confusing, and I’m just happy that one of the novels is just about finished, so I can just concentrate on the other one.