can't write dialogue?

If you don't know what a character will say or how they will say it exaggerate their character until you do. Keep stretching and exaggerating some characteristic until you hear how they speak. Character shows up in contrast to environment and other characters, so you only have to stretch that which creates the biggest contrast. For example, exaggerate a gangster's love of rare first editions rather than his violence: books offer a bigger contrast in his world. But for a university don- make his hobby white collar boxing.

building fictional characters #2

The question you want to be able answer about a potential character is: can I run with this? You can build up a character full of quirks and contradictions and then find he or she just doesn't move of their own accord- you're always having to cattleprod them from scene to scene. You know you're in this pickle when the thought of writing new scenes seems like a drag (or a bigger drag than usual). You want a character with LEGS which carry them around gaily and happily or even grumpily but at least carry them. So you need to keep trying on characteristics that seem to chime in with the name and character's context, seem to mix into a potent cocktail that moves. For example I spent a long time building this character X who was supposed to be an expert on the jungle, knew about plants, etc etc...but it was all a bit static. No legs. Then I had a mid-morning coffee break insight that X was tough. That was it. I had my legs. I like writing about toughness and now I had my chance. So, it is likely that the key driving characteristic may be somthing simple that appeals to YOU, gets YOU a bit excited- or excited enough to want to write about it. One must always ignore what is 'good' or 'acceptable to the audience' at this stage- it's all about charging your own generative powers with whatever fuel they need.

building fictional characters

Embark on your novel at peril if you haven't nailed your characters. Character can be done last but it involves headache inducing rewrites. Instead get 'em nailed first. Number one- get the name right, this goes hand in hand with what I call the moment of squint-truth: this cumbersome phrase refers to the inner mental squint you make to try and capture your character in some defining moment or relationship. For one of my characters it is the fact that he has an unnecessary 'enemy', for another that she has a huge first aid kit- these captured moments seem to set up the right improvising energy needed to make the character thrive. It's rather like getting the right hat for a role on stage. Wear the right hat and you know how to speak, go on stage in the wrong hat and you're tongue tied. The right defining feature will also, usually, highlight a contradiction within the character- people who are internally torn are always more interesting- and lifelike.

a picture held us captive

The question to ask is what picture/way of looking does this person have of the topic which makes them believe in the argument they put forward. The argument is almost irrelevant as it will never convince anyone who does not share the same picture which is why everyone disagrees so much. It is the pictures we have of things that decides stuff and a picture is altered by emotion, primarily, and at a distant second, experience mediated by emotion (which is why we only very slowly learn from experience). If the foregoing is true (you will only think so if you share my way of looking, my picture of how life is...) then the way to alter the way people think is to find a BRIDGE from their picture to yours. Such a bridge is a story...

resisting makes you tired

I have noticed that when a part of an activity is internally resisted it magnifies tiredness exponentially. When doing manual labour but under someone else's timetable the constant stop-start is resented. Internal opposition builds. This squanders energy like nothing else. At the end of the day you are far tireder than doing the same effort but without resistance. if you can PLAY while doing it- even better. Play is frictionless activity- energy is conserved and you will not feel anything like as tired as you do when you use 'serious' energy.

Go on an Oman desert journey of a lifetime

There is no one in the world offering a better Oman desert trip- no one following Thesiger's old routes so closely and carefully and absolutely no one with Mahmoud Mohareb's desert driving experience. I have made several trips with him and have known him for many years- he is 100% reliable. If you want a real desert experience in a wonderful and unspoilt country of deserts (and great beaches) do yourself a favour and sign up for one of his tours. Let him know your general interest and he will let you know upcoming dates. I believe the next one is Feb 13 2024- this is not on the website so you'll need to contact him through the website below.

https://tribeoman.com

riverman

the river, or going down it changes you or something in you.

you certainly feel the stress, the tension leaving.

common or garden until it becomes of vital importance

it really doesn't matter if you catch fish or not- others do

life shouldn't be confused with a holiday

so make it less like a holiday