Wednesday, October 4, 2017

IWSG October, Conference Report, and Links!

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IWSG Poster Child




Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds! Co-Hosts: Olga Godim, Chemist Ken, Jennifer Hawes, and Tamara Narayan!

October Question
Have you ever slipped any of your personal information into your characters, either by accident or on purpose?

Short Answer: 
Of course! Why recreate the wheel? ;-)

Long Answer:
My main character is a retired history teacher who is recently widowed and childless not by choice. I'm a retired teacher, childless not by choice whose husband is very much alive and a wicked plot-twist generator. My hubby is the body model, as am I for the two characters. In fact, all that my MC says about her hubby--elementary teacher, tall, blonde, gorgeous, etc. is all about my man. Like I said, why recreate a person who isn't like the one who still makes my heart beat after forty years? 

Many of my characters are drawn from real people. Why not? After the hours I've invested in people watching, it's only to be expected. Right? 

Conference Report:
I've just returned from the 2017 ACFW conference. I came home with four agents looking for my proposal. One's already said no. Three to go. Cross your fingers for me. 

Links!
Next post: The Book Pusher for September to fill all your reading needs...uh...for awhile. ;-)

26 comments:

  1. Personally I don't like to use myself, or those I know, as an entire character – but if it's working for you and your husband is happy with it, then, as you say, why not? We all create different stories in different ways.

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    1. That's the only two characters that are nearly whole cloth. He gets a kick out of saying I've killed him off. ;-)

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  2. My son is a great plot-twister as well. I guess, we're both very lucky. :-)

    Anna from elements of emaginette

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  3. Good luck with those three agents.
    Hey, write what you know well.
    Like the photo!

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    1. My setting a largely like my hometown, but my hubby is the only person who knows where all the "real" bones are buried.

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  4. Fingers crossed! I'm with you: I use the many fascinating people I've met to create characters, though my process is more like mashing together bits of Play-Doh to create something/someone new.

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    1. Play-Doh is right! Always a bit of truth, a bit of fancy with the right amount of mashing. ;-)

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  5. Great link round up!And good luck with the querying. Be persistent! :D

    Here is my October IWSG post

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  6. My DH spots things about our life in my writing. Sometimes it's deliberate, sometimes it sneaks in. No character is a direct recreation of any one person I know, although without a doubt the content of my YA draw on real experiences. Best of luck with your queries.

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    1. Rose, you would know so many teens, like I do, that drawing on experience would be automatic. Thanks!

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  7. Congrats on getting the attention of 4 agents!
    Fingers crossed. xx

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    1. Thanks for the fingers. I'm about ready to send the proposal to each of them.

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  8. We think alike...Good luck on the other 3 agents!!!!

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    1. Good to know, Cathrina! Thanks for the wishes!

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  9. I love your take on sharing parts of your real life in your writing.
    And I love the pic

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  10. Oh, wow, thanks for the links!
    You're right, I forgot about people watching. It's not just the people we know, but random observations that can strike a chord. I got an entire short story out of a guy on a bus with a tattoo, after all :-)

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    1. LOL! You did, didn't you? Yes, you know... ;-)

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  11. Fun picture!
    My fingers are crossed for you!
    Thanks for participating!
    Heather M. Gardner

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