Marketing Monday - Characters

Marketing your novel is more than just showcasing your cover art and giving away swag. We as authors want our readers to connect not with our book but with future books.

What’s a great way to keep readers involved and talking about your latest and past reads?

One way is to make your characters more involved.

We as authors do our duties by going around the blogosphere and doing interviews. Those can be fun but after a while the questions are the same and so are the answers. You don’t want a reader getting tired of seeing your book everywhere. You want them more excited each time that cover art pops up.

So what are some secrets that help keep your book alive using the characters in them?

Treasure Hunts – Keep other bloggers excited about your books. After all, they’ll be the ones who are not only your readers but sharing about the books. Give clues for teens and adults to acquire throughout a few weeks. The end result can be a giveaway. In the end you’ve given a book away and also provided yourself mad press from the excitement.

Swag – Books, bookmarks, and tattoos aren’t the only things that can promote a book. Pins, key chains, and things that relate to your character are other great. Does she love boas? Is he a water gun enthusiast? Giving away items that relate to your character keep people excited and they can’t help but share with others around them in the real world let alone the blogging world.

Accessories and Wear – Do you believe in your book? Show them. Have shirts made, scarves, earrings, shoes, they can all be made into wearable marketing. I have what I call my ‘book shoes’. When I wear them I get a ton of compliments and it’s my segway to share about my stories.

 There are so many other ways to market in the world… what are your marketing secrets?

S if for Splitting Up

Some characters just don’t know when to stop. They’re yelling, screaming, doing their usual tantrum and it’s all because they don’t get along. In the real world one would tell them to suck it up. There are a lot of people in this world that don’t get along and they are still forced to work with one another. But what if the character doesn’t improve their behavior?

I guess the question would be is it hurting the story?

If the answer is yes then maybe you should take one of the characters out. Are they destined to be in the spot light? Do you have two main characters on your hands, are they being diva’s and have turned uncontrollable?

This has happened to me before. Two characters that don’t want to listen to what I’ve got to say. Problem is that I’m equally at fault, had I listened that they were both strong enough to be on their own I wouldn’t have ended up with a dead plot on my hands.

Characters are messy but they are also the best part of writing (IMO) and with that being said if they become a little divaish then I’m prepared to deal with it if they’ll make me a star.

How do your characters work?

Killing characters (sort of)

Just want to share something very quickly: I've been a bad blogger. Though you see my posts I know you don't see my comments. I hope to be back after some intense editing. Just know I'm still here and miss you all!!!

Now onto killing characters...

I've been having trouble with my characters lately. It seems they've given up on me. I don't let it bother me. I cope. However I figured you might like to know the evil things I do to keep them from me.

When characters stop talking to you...

1. Create a fighting scene (something you character wouldn't like to be involved it. When they're whining they're talking. It's better than nothing).
2. Threaten to replace them (main characters don't fall easily to this one. That hasn't stopped me. If the main character isn't working they don't get the hot spot.)
3. Killing them off (again the main character will play you. The good thing is they're still talking. It works. The jokes on them.)
4. Give them caffiene (this is used after the not-so-positive approaches don't work. Shove a latte in their face they'll spill).
5. Allow time for good TV (your MC may want to watch Pretty Little Liars, don't deprive them).

So there you are. Next time your main character stops talking tell them Jen came up with awesome ideas. There's no way they'll defeat you.

Revisions Week - Collages Reveal

Characters. My favorite part of the story.

I love creating them, I love watching them come to life.

My main character comes first, they speak to me, tell me what they like, what they dislike.

We talk. I listen. We argue. I win. They stop talking. A vicious cycle that eventually works itself out.

Then I write. Let it sit. Outline. Begin Collages (sometimes before I write a story, but rarely)

Here is what before looks like.


I grab my trust accesories box. Pens, paperclips, post-it's, glue sticks, rulers, everything I'd need for the perfect collage.










Here is a side view of both boxes. My trust accessories box and my magazine and paper box. Beautiful is it not?






Just a peek inside. Glamour always has amazig stuff. But I have tons of magazines, anything I can get my hands on I tuck away, I even have a western magazine (no.I.did.not.pay.for.it.) it has been useful!






You can see my jeans (right hand corner) this is me at work, carefully planning everything, making sure I have the perfect colors, pictures, and all to make the best character collage for my peeps!





I love everyone I make. Every piece is thought out. Colors, designs, names, models, all represent something in my story. It may not mean anything to you, even after reading the story, but it's there, hidden beneath the written words.

My Traveler's Collages - I will warn you, I'll share just a little about each character, however not a whole lot. I am in revisions so there is still a lot of unknowns and a lot of secrets I'd like to keep.

Lauren

My main character. Lauren. 16 years old.











Mel, Lauren's best friend in the real world.










Tully, the first person Lauren meets for the Travelers.









Blake, an arrogant guy in the Traveler's house that thinks he is Lauren's perfect match.










Brianna, Lauren's roommate at the Traveler's house.









Cameron, her friend in the real world. The only one to see her for who she really is.







All of these characters are in order of how they were introduced in the book I wrote. I hope you enjoyed.

What's your favorite part of the writing process? Do you make character collages?

She looks like what??

Stephanie over at Chronicle's of a Novice Writer had a wonderful topic last week about books vs. movies. How as readers we are often disappointed in the character choices.

It got me thinking. (my friend Nick would follow with - Oh geez)

What if what I imagine my character to look like is someone different then what you as readers would choose?

Isn't this a perfect time to play a game? Well I thought so! Below I've included a small snippet, nothing fancy, not much to go one but I want to see what your first reaction would be to the character, based soley on her attitude and way about things! I'll post what she looks like soon so you can see how close you were!!!

SNIPPET

Beaded necklaces are a girl’s best friend. At least that’s what I tell myself until my sixteenth birthday rolls around where I’ll get my very own diamond necklace. It’s been a family tradition for years.

“Royalty gets the best my dear Stella” my grandmother always said. Don’t go thinking I’m a princess, because I’m nowhere close, it’s something my grandmother desperately wishes for, she's just yet to realize that's impossible.

“Your first set of diamonds won’t be your last either dear, especially after you marry Prince Kensington” there’s the kicker, the plan. Regardless it would not be the end of diamonds because throughout the years you are given them at certain times; however my grandmother would prefer I just marry the highest of royalty, the prince himself. Problem you ask? I don't want too, but in life sometimes you don't get that choice.

END

So what does Stella look like??

Character Collages

So this is still along the lines of writings on the wall or tales from the notebook, only difference is the story is told in photos! Everything represents something about the character I'm working with.

The following people you'll be shown are from the Traveler's Series I'm working on! When I'm saying I'm working on it, I really mean it. There have been a ton of changes that no one has seen it, a lot of work in progress with this story and I figured after meeting the wonderful Miss Tera Lynn Childs at the book signing on Friday night (WAS A BLAST!!!) that it was time I try character collages since I too am a visual person!! I couldn't have been more happy with the way they've turned out!So here below I've have them! I hope you enjoy!

Eryn - MC - Recruit


Tully - Head of House


Bri - Gal Pal of Eryn's


Love Life - Blake & Eryn


So that is a sneak peak of what I'm currently working on! Several pieces will be added later on as I move through the story. I'll also be creating a collage for the world itself, but that will be slow because I need to find the right magazines! Ask questions if you have any!

So what do you do when writing your story? How is your writing going?

Determining your characters

So many of us know the importance of finding that perfect main character. The one we take time to mold, describing in detail their clothing, eyes, body type, the foods they like to eat. As a reader not all of this will matter but to a writer every little piece of this persons life must fit like a glove. They don't need to know that your character hates corn however it might have extreme relevance to why she freaks when she is kidnapped and taken into corn fields. Yes the kidnapping itself is horrifying but then to be trapped around corn! What insanity?!

Of course that was a terrible example, but you can see now why knowing your character is very important. I'm always curious to find out how a fellow writer has come to find their character. When writing the story to you just chose a male or female and run with it? As you're writing the novel does she/he just evolve and later you go back and work in the little details?

I normally allow my characters time to mold. I start off with the basics, eye color, hair color and build. I write as me and work into their personality. I have a ton of rewrites when the novel is complete but I want to really get to know my character. E. Elle does something I love on her blog, she writes from her characters perspective as an excersize. It's a wonderful read and it helps her get in touch with her characters. I have recently given it a go and I love it. It really helps me get to know them, their good side, evil sides, every aspect of them.

So how do you find your character? Is it a celebrity you choose? Do you use a nearby friend to gather up all the details? Or just a stranger in the park? Are you a molder where you work on the character while you write, or are they already set up?

I'll tell you quickly that my main character wasn't molded completely until one morning the hubs and I went to Habitat for Humanity to paint houses for the local community. I spotted this red hair, average looking and perfect for my story. It was then I realized she was my main character. You can find them in the strangest places!

the art of a character

People in general never stop to think about how much goes into creating a character. Those of us who aren't readers (which none of my fellow bloggers fit this profile) however there are people who don't read, don't really know how to relate to a character. Now those of us who read love to relate with a character, find a piece of them inside one person, maybe not the main character, but they might know what it's like to feel the pain of another character.

Do readers ever stop to think how much went into creating the character to get the emotion the writer wanted to convey? Now I don't believe that every character needs a background, a detailed description of their life, but for those main characters I find it crucial.

Common Questions to be asked... Where do they work? What do they do? Do they enjoy their job? Is he/she a people person?

There are so many questions to be asked, even basics such as how do they like their coffee? Or does your character sing in the car or are they too uptight? Now those are just silly questions, but my point is that to create a character is as much as the process as the plot. You want to know your person, feel their pain, feel as if you are them.

I truly enjoy discovering the likes and dislikes of my character, if they are well traveled, or if they prefer tea over coffee, silly little things like that allow you to be more in touch with your character and that is something I find fascinating!