tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9014610743273803857.post4327048786919366411..comments2023-11-03T09:42:56.276-06:00Comments on The Blog That Helps You Diagnose Your Characters: Functional analysis and functional assessment part 1:Author Joshua Hoythttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01256754228034053632noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9014610743273803857.post-46981652666592801692011-04-06T07:29:34.420-06:002011-04-06T07:29:34.420-06:00Thanks for following Mathew. I hope that you find ...Thanks for following Mathew. I hope that you find my posts helpful and enjoyable to read. Dragonlance is a great story one of my all time favorites.Author Joshua Hoythttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01256754228034053632noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9014610743273803857.post-65774021908980477612011-04-06T06:26:00.126-06:002011-04-06T06:26:00.126-06:00Dude. Hi Josh. I saw your comment on Elana's b...Dude. Hi Josh. I saw your comment on Elana's blog, so I decided to come follow yours.<br /><br />Nice ta meet ya!<br /><br />Also, I noticed you like Dragonlance, which rocks.Matthew MacNishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03264738483763244969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9014610743273803857.post-32287326529558256562011-04-05T20:11:56.893-06:002011-04-05T20:11:56.893-06:00Thanks for the great comments. I agree with you We...Thanks for the great comments. I agree with you Wendy it is our job to know our characters well enough to give the best story we can. Yes and the internal problems are the things that come out in relationships especially in romances.Author Joshua Hoythttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01256754228034053632noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9014610743273803857.post-13216712735764284262011-04-05T17:55:21.317-06:002011-04-05T17:55:21.317-06:00You need to know things about your characters that...You need to know things about your characters that may never find their way onto the page. It's our job.Wendy Tyler Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10841984342368861282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9014610743273803857.post-74341155395279120672011-04-05T14:58:08.361-06:002011-04-05T14:58:08.361-06:00Yes, I think it's very important--especially i...Yes, I think it's very important--especially in romances where you're dealing with two screwed up internally flawed people trying to get over whatever their issues are before they can commit to one another. LOL Plus, digging deep can really create better motivations for their actions or wants.Jennifer Shirkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16970585847385511795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9014610743273803857.post-53426398731341009192011-04-05T08:52:35.409-06:002011-04-05T08:52:35.409-06:00At the same time, no one wants to read a book wher...At the same time, no one wants to read a book where the characters are shallow, inconsistent, or un-relatable. Having a good novel is a blend of plot and character. Without one the other still falls flat.<br /><br />I really enjoy your posts because I need to know my characters better. I am most definitely a plot driven writer and there are times I know that my characters are inconsistent and shallow and I don't know what to do about it. The information you present in this blog is the information I need to get my story that much better. Please. Keep it up. <br /><br />Your description of the topographic and functional analysis is perfect for someone like me to understand how to go about learning about my characters like I should.Emilyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13016973541553233943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9014610743273803857.post-65490094368174854522011-04-05T08:45:14.627-06:002011-04-05T08:45:14.627-06:00I agree April it is important thanks for the comme...I agree April it is important thanks for the comment.<br /><br />Emily you make an excellent point and actually I fear that by my posts I am giving readers the impression that in order to have a good story you must know the character inside and out and spend hours upon hours on getting to know the characters in your book. I think that you should know the main character very well and maybe a couple of hours on getting to know the main character but the others a topographic view is good enough. Don't get so involved with the characters that you have no plot. Going to far in anything will cause problems. Thanks again for bringing this up.Author Joshua Hoythttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01256754228034053632noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9014610743273803857.post-30628952926175971962011-04-05T08:05:45.013-06:002011-04-05T08:05:45.013-06:00In my first draft I don't know the characters ...In my first draft I don't know the characters as well as I should, but that is what the rewrite is for. Though I don't ever know the characters as well as myself, I do have a feeling about what motivates them and how they will react in certain situations. I do like putting them in different situations because my plot demands it or because it is in their history. <br /><br />I have a writer friend who knows all of her characters as if they were her best friend. She can tell you exactly what they will do in any given situation. While I find this completely amazing, I also see that it affects her writing. In all of the stories she's started, which numbers in the several dozen, she rarely finishes any of them. <br /><br />Knowing your character is important but in my mind there also has to be room for plot. Whether you have plot driven characters or character driven plot doesn't matter so long as there is something there to keep the reader involved in the story and give them a feeling of satisfaction when they finish. I love to write but even I get bored if there is no plot.Emilyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13016973541553233943noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9014610743273803857.post-9528341779703478262011-04-05T08:02:08.869-06:002011-04-05T08:02:08.869-06:00It's definitely important to understand some d...It's definitely important to understand some depth of our characters, so that we know how they will react to certain situations. Not the way WE would react, but how THEY will. So if we only have a topographic view of our character, the story won't be believable.aprilhoythttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05992485192426728917noreply@blogger.com