Writer's Block

The deadline is looming, and the brain’s decided to go on strike or take a vacation. It refuses to give you any more ideas, creating the dreaded writer’s block. This writer’s block could go on for minutes, hours, or days. When I get a block, I either skip ahead, and come back to that particular spot later, or I take a walk to try and give my brain a break. What are some of the ways you combat the awful writer’s block?

Memorable Characters

          Who doesn’t like Pride and Prejudice? Memorable characters, and a story that people are still enjoying two hundred years after it was written. A local acting troupe recently performed Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy, A Love Story, a shortened version of the play that only focused on the love story between the two main characters mentioned in the title. Elizabeth Bennett was played by a wonderful young lady, Erin H, who was more than qualified to play the role of Lizzy. Erin has the same spunk, sophisticated manner of speaking, and genteel graces the beloved Bennett daughter possessed. Erin was in an interview last week, along with a young man, Tyson W. who played Mr. Darcy, and both of them were asked what made them want to play those two characters. Erin responded with this: “It was an opportunity to do something historical, which I love, and something I’ve been reading for years.” Tyson answered with this: “A lot of people have the same struggles in their relationships today. Which I think brings a lot of people to the book over and over again.”

            Those remarks got me thinking. As authors, we want our characters to be believable, and for our readers to be able to relate to the struggles they (the characters) go through. I’m sure when Jane Austen wrote her beloved novel, she had no idea it would still be popular two centuries later. Her characters were in keeping with real people of her time, but people can still relate to them in the twenty-first century. What are some of the ways you try to make your characters realistic and reader-relatable?

Also, included is a link to my friend’s interview http://www.whas11.com/video/featured-videos/Interview-Jane-Austin-Festival-at-Locust-Grove-216170951.html

I've started working on the third book in the series! I know I'm the author, but it's going to be exciting to see what kind of twists and turns this book will take as it starts to unfold.