Who are you?

That's right, "Who are you?" who are you people of my stories? You characters that walk about in my mind and create a setting, a time, a new beginning. I know you have likes, dislikes, fears and baggage. But who are you? If I saw you on the street today, would I recognize you?
If my answer is 'yes', then I've done part of my job as a writer and have gotten to know you fairly well.
But if my answer is 'no', well then, I best be getting back to the drawing board and start 'hanging out' with you.
There's no worse thing than an underdeveloped character. I fear I've had many of them. I don't know them enough to keep their eye color the same, let alone keep their likes the same. A character should be someone you know inside and out. After all, who is easier to write about, yourself or someone you've never met?
I've done the Character Trait Questionnaires, but they're the same-old, same-old. I always end up having too many similarities because I feel forced to put something down. In my mind it's like I'm interviewing them!
I mean, can you really get to know that celebrity through a couple interviews? No, you can't. You'd have to hang out with them, get close to them, talk with them. Now I know this is completely impossible when it comes to a character that I've created in my own mind, but the equivalent to it is writing. Let me explain:
I think the best way to get to know a character is to write about them. Not just in 'their' story, but do small subplots of their life outside of the "Work in Progress".
See how they react when they aren't in a life-or-death situation.
See how they react when they aren't head-over-heels in love.
Put them in a situation that they'd never come across in 'their' novel. Pull them out of the pages of the red book and put them into the pages of a blue book. See what happens, I'm sure you'll discover something you never would have otherwise.

What creative ways do you get to know your characters?

A Revelation.

So I've discovered why it's been so doggon hard for me to write!
I've been editing and creating at the same time! Instead of me just getting my ideas out onto paper I've been fussing over the "correctness" and the "does this flow" which I should, eventually, but not while I'm trying to get the basic idea out.
To put it simply I was meshing the editing and creating process, which I've discovered makes a mess!

Why am I doing that now, when I didn't before? Because before I wrote completely for myself, I didn't expect people to read it, I didn't plan for people to read it. But then I went to a writers workshop and the idea of "publishing" made me feel as though my writing had to be perfect right off the bat. Also, I began sharing my writing more often with my friends, so I wanted it to be perfect before sharing it with them. What happened because of my perfectionism? That's right, a stunted writing process.

So does anyone else have a 'perfectionist personality' causing them grief in the writing world? If so what tips do you have on getting around that?
What other challenges do you face when writing?

Apology.

So I must apologize for the lack of attention that I've been giving you all. I've been so busy this month it's crazy! My writing has suffered also, I don't think I've wrote a sentence in my writings since I last posted in here.
Alas, my business will continue...
But will my writing?

Delays.

So I'd like to apologize for my lack in posting these past couple days, but the month of July has been crazy! I just moved so I haven't really had access to my laptop but now I do, until Saturday that is.
I will be out of town, so you all will have to survive another week without my posts. Not that it should be too hard to get by.
Now to get back to the subject of this blog... I've taken a break from writing, to give my imagination a time to "refuel" ... I don't know how effective this approach will be but I can't make myself write as of now. I haven't even had the desire to write lately. So while I'm out of town I guess I'll pick up some life experience to where I'll be able to intertwine it into a story. Maybe?
Wish me luck!

Where's the Spark?

Lately I really haven't had the desire to write, somehow I always find something "better" to do. Now, this is bothersome because I remember the days when I could sit down and write for hours on end and literally lose myself in my work. My mom's first question would be "what writing are you working on?"

So, where did that spark go?

Why is it that now, after I decided I wanted to write a novel, I can't even write a short story? Am I being too critical of my ideas because I second guess them wondering "could that ever get published?" Maybe I should go back to square one, forget about being published one day and just write because I enjoy writing, find that joy that allowed me to 'escape' my reality for a time.

I did some research and found a couple steps that may help spark my desire to write again.

"Read. A really good book makes me remember why I love to write and often makes me want to write."

"Study self. Go back and read some of your writing. Perhaps doing so will ignite the urge to write."

Well I've got the first idea down, that is for sure. I read a lot and it's true, reading those books helps me remember that I want others reading my work and falling in love with my characters someday -- but I'm always left with the same question: "How?"
The second step is painful :) although looking at old works shows me how far I've come, they're very bland and choppy. But, I guess if it can help me remember some of my own ideas and remind me of some forgotten plot line... maybe I could recreate them? rewrite them?

hmm... now I kind of want to go and reread them. Perhaps I could rewrite the forgotten?

Okay, well I guess I'm off to reread... I just hope I find my spark buried in the bits of my unfinished work.