Monday, October 29, 2007

MMWUC for October 29, 2007

EXERCISE: Kate London smiles in her Jimmy Choo's and Christian Dior tailored suit. Writing students sit taller in their chairs smile broadly and watch eagerly. A gaggle of fictional characters are about to share writing wisdom. Aunt Kitty slips into the back row anticipating an introduction like the star she knew she was decades, er, years ago. Students giggle as Austin Carr sneaks out from behind the set made up to appear like the Van Trapp house in Austria or the Goff house out west. Jeanie Callahan waits off-stage to be introduced by Kate. Kitty smiles at Austin, who reminds her of Rudy Valentino, and imagines him performing in the Egyptian Theatre back home until Austin trips over the dead body attorney, Philip Parker. Austin crashes into Kate. They tumble into Jeanie Callahan, who has stepped onstage. Rachel Wilder rushes into the room cluthing a Dodo bird she found on Hispaniola. "I'll get to the bottom of this," she declares. The students applaud thinking it was all part of the act. Austin helps Kate and Jeanie to their feet, grasping buns a bit too fondly. Jeanie smiles her best salesperson smile. Rachel rushes the stage. The lawyer lies dead. Kitty clears her thought. "Close your eyes students, take a deep breath, and relax. Doesn't that feel good. For the next ten minutes, write from he protagonists POV, 'He surprised me...'."

MUSINGS: What makes a character in a story memorable? How do you know you're writing a memorable character? Damn, if I know. On "Seinfeld", they were casting Jerry's sitcom and the only person they agreed upon who was a character was Kramer. Irreverent, spastic, self-absorbed beyond belief, klutzy, adventurous, scamming, screaming loud, and ultimately bizarre Kramer. That's a character. So who's your favorite fictional character and why?

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Claire from Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. A strong woman with a quick tongue, doesn't mind getting her hands dirty, does what it takes to get the job done. Is fiercely protective of her family, and has a relationship with her husband that women everywhere envy. Makes living in a log cabin in the wilds of NC a few centuries ago sound easy...

Rick Bylina said...

Pretty weird, another writer on another list was just wondering if this Diana person was going to do any workshops this year. Two Diana references in the span of 38 seconds. What are the chances?

Yosarian...first character that ever made me laugh out loud enough that my mom came upstairs to see if I was alright. You be the judge of her answer. ;-)

Jack Getze said...

Ebenezer Scrooge. His name is part of the language.

Rick Bylina said...

Ebenezer Scrooge. Good one. That is sure one lasting impression.

Kimberly Frost said...

Rick,

Yosarian's from Catch 22, yes? He is hilarious.

Beth, I'll take Claire's husband Jamie. ;)

Anonymous said...

Oh Kimber! When my marriage was falling apart I couldn't read her books, because I kept wishing my husband was Jamie. :-) I've even dreamed about him. The big question is, who would play him in the movie???

katiebird said...

Beth and Kim, for some reason that series didn't 'take' for me.

It's been a couple of years though.

Maybe I should try it again?

Rick,
It must be late, I can't think of a single memorable character. And that can't be right.

(I'll try again in the morning)

Anonymous said...

Kb, definitely give her another chance. It's easy to get lost in her worlds, and her characters are complex. They ARE long, so you have to like long books, but that's my preference anyway. In the end it IS historical romance, but hangs off the end of the romance scale - lots more adventure than heaving breasts!

katiebird said...

OK, I've got the first & second books on a shelf somewhere....

I'll dig them out and try again.....

(I'm trusting you) :)

Nancy P said...

Bertie Wooster. :)