Today’s question:
What personal traits have you written into your character(s)?
Quite a few! I’ve always said writing my series, The Circle of Friends, was therapeutic. I dealt with a lot of issues and there were personality traits from me in every single character.
Lori got my positive optimism. Sarah got my insecurities. And it goes on and on. (If you’ve read any of the books, I’ll let you guess what part of me is in each character.)
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The genre is middle grade historical – adventure/fantasy.
For those who are confused by the genre:
Middle grade – suitable for 9 – 14 year-old children.
Historical – it must have historical aspects and be set in a time before 2000 or earlier. It just needs to be set in the past.
Adventure/fantasy – the subgenre can be either adventure OR fantasy. The fantasy genre is acceptable as there are many ancient cultures and times that believed in supernatural occurrences.
If you need examples, Dancing Lemur Press’ next release is a MG historical-adventure - Stone Man, and while not historical per se, Bubba and Squirt’s Big Dig to China has a ton of historical fantasy in it with its Chinese history mixed with the ghost of an emperor.
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Buy any print title and get an inspirational print book free. Buy two, get two books free!
Buy any eBook and get another comparable eBook free. Buy two and get two free!
Must purchase print and eBooks directly from Dancing Lemur Press. Bookmarks and other swag will be included in shipment. Free book is our choice.
Books must be purchased July 3rd, 4th, or 5th 2019.
USA orders only.
Visit Dancing Lemur Press and place your order this week!
That's a generous offer for US readers. I don't want to think about learning to write for middle grade unfortunately. I'll leave that to the experts.
ReplyDeleteWriting can definitely be therapeutic.
ReplyDeleteGood luck to everyone submitting to the anthology! Middle grade is definitely not my strong suit.
Hi,
ReplyDeleteSo is it with me too. I think there is a little part of me in almost everything I write. From goody goody two shoes to downright villain, there is some me in them.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat G @ EverythingMustChange
They always say, 'write what you know' and we sure know our traits, don't we. I think it's fun to play with character's personalities. Happy 4th.
ReplyDeleteThat's great that your writing and characters have been therapeutic. For me, I think the process is starting to be that too.
ReplyDeleteNatalie, that's good.
DeleteThat's a great offer that Dancing Lemur Press is running! I hope lots of people take you up on it.
ReplyDeleteI guess a lot of use writing as therapy instead of seeing a counselor. I'm not sure writing's cheaper and it certainly takes a lot more time.
ReplyDeleteAdd a bottle of wine and some friends and you are good to go with the therapy.
DeleteI definitely feel writing can be therapeutic. I am so glad it was for you.
ReplyDeleteI've often heard people refer to writing as therapeutic, which can only be a good thing. I'll make sure to shout-out the sale.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Tonja.
DeleteMy characters tend to be far more outgoing that I am, but there are some silimarities!
ReplyDeleteFree books are always nice!
ReplyDeleteHappy 4th!
Some Very Messy Medieval Magic by C. Lee McKenzie is also a very good example for the IWSG contest genre. :)
ReplyDeleteYes it is!
DeleteHopefully everyone understands the anthology contest genre now.
ReplyDeleteHmmm...I keep reading about the IWSG Anthology contest everywhere. And it's tempting me to start putting words to paper...or rather computer...LOL.
ReplyDeleteHappy 4th!
Please do enter. DLP loves to work with authors new to us.
DeleteI know a few writers who have characters like them and it's really therapeutic for them.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you explained about the genre. I did think I could really write a historical one but since you phrased like that maybe I can. So I will think about it again. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteJuneta, please give it a try.
DeleteI love the title 'The Circle of Friends.' Writing is indeed very therapeutic. Like you, I too add a lot of my personality traits in my characters.
ReplyDeleteGreat sale going on. I already have so many DL books, I'll have to check it out and see what teases my fancy.
ReplyDeleteSusan, that's wonderful to hear.
DeleteI've also passed pieces of myself to different characters.
ReplyDeleteGee, I don't know. I don't think about my personal traits all that much.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you explained the genre, etc. better. I tried put something together, but gave up. It became such a mess. :-)
ReplyDeleteAnna from elements of emaginette
I'll have to go back and read the Circle of Friends series. I'm not sure what character traits of your own that you transferred to each character! I wrote a short story once with the main character's name as Celine. A reader mentioned how the name was close to my own. I changed the characters name to something much different after that comment!
ReplyDeleteLynn, of all the characters, Lori is who I aspire to be, Sarah is who I usually am.
DeleteI tend to populate my characters with traits that I wish I didn't have, along with traits that I wish that I did have. For example, my characters are always much braver than I would be under the circumstances.
ReplyDeleteI like to think the parts of ourselves that "might" find their way into our characters, are the parts others can relate to the most. Thanks for dropping by my blog!
ReplyDeleteWriting is definitely therapeutic, Diane. Working on my memoir has certainly resolved a number of painful issues for me. Thanks for the generous 4th of July Special. I hope lots of people take advantage of it!
ReplyDeleteThank you for taking advantage of it! Just wait until you get your goodie bag of books.
DeleteI can't wait, Diane!
DeleteIt's great. Diane, that writing has helped you deal with issues. Also, thanks for explaining about the Anthology. I confuse easily.
ReplyDeleteIt's definitely one you should enter.
DeleteTherapeutic it sure can be indeed. Hopefully all know what to submit now indeed.
ReplyDeleteYes, channeling your problems and challenges into your writing is sometimes the only way to deal with them.
ReplyDeleteI'd also second Chemist Ken: my characters are always braver than I'm. They are my dream self, something I want to be.
Writing can be theraputic in so many ways. I must admit that I use characteristics of some bad actors I've known. Those characters always come to a bad end. That's what I call therapudic! Also, wine. Lots of wine.
ReplyDeleteHi L. Diane,
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree, writing is very therapeutic, but it can also bring up some very unpleasant memories from out past. When writing my second book, there were many times I had to stop writing because it was so painful. Even in the rewrites, but I'm sure it helped in the long run. We can make our characters go through so much of our dramas and hurts, and through them, our readers will feel they are not alone when life is unkind to them. They many help cope with their burdens.
Michael, there were elements in my books just like that.
DeleteHa, I started writing as a therapy, though I hadn't realized it at the time.
ReplyDeleteWriting is therapeutic and an escape! Sometimes it's just plain fun to live in your characters world.
ReplyDeleteI can relate to optimism and insecurity.
ReplyDeleteYes writing is therapeutic I'd be a mess if I didn't have this outlet.
ReplyDeleteNow you'll have me reading all sorts of things into your characters ;)
ReplyDeleteI think it's only normal for us to insert bits and pieces of our personalities into our work. I can see how writing could be therapeutic, too, but it takes a lot of courage to put some things into words. More courage than I have.
ReplyDeleteHappy 4th of July!
I'm with you. Writing is very therapeutic for me too. There's something about putting pen to paper or I guess fingers to keyboard that's freeing.
ReplyDeleteElsie
Happy 4th, Di! Wonderful sale, by the way.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sandra.
DeleteWhat a great sale! Happy Fourth to you and your family. :)
ReplyDeleteI hope the sale is going well.
ReplyDeleteAs to personality traits, some of mine can be a little snarky, which I can be at time.
I always say that writing is my therapy, so I get you on that.
ReplyDeleteA lot of my characters come from the ideal of who I'd like to be.
ReplyDeleteHope your day has been productive and your evening pleasant.
ReplyDeleteSo like Abe Lincoln: Vampire Hunter?
ReplyDeleteI sometimes have to edit myself out of some of my characters. But at least I get to be somebody else for a while, lol. But yeah, some of my traits always end up in my characters. Even the bad guys; love the bad guys!
ReplyDeleteThat was a great sale! Hopefully lots of people took advantage of it!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing about the MG HF Anthology and explaining the specifics. I hadn't heard about it before- or if I did it didn't register.
There's a little of me in all my characters too. :)
~Jess
Getting many entrants for the anthology?
ReplyDeleteI'm sure a bit of us is in each of our characters somehow!
ReplyDelete"Therapeutic" is a good way to describe writing. At least that's what writing has been for me much of the time.
ReplyDeleteLee
OH, and happy summer! (I wanted to check the "Notify me" box)
ReplyDeleteI’m rather late to this party! But better late than never, right? 😜
ReplyDeleteSo I'm trying to play catch up--
I've never thought of writing for middle grade...
Hope the sales are good, Diane!