And I Answer

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You ask, I answer!  Here comes Part II of the question-and-answer session - and there is going to be a Part III as well, so if your particular question hasn't shown up yet, fear not.  In some cases several people have asked a similar question, and so I consolidated my answers for ease and space.

becca asked...

1. Do you plot and plan, or do you work off of a basic idea?

In general, I’m a plotter and planner. For The Soldier’s Cross I wrote a massive outline, but I seem to recall scrapping it about two points in. For Wordcrafter, which is my complete-but-never-complete novel, I had general ideas in my head and a list of chapter titles to guide me. The White Sail’s Shaking and The Running Tide were written by the seat of my pants, and it was a very difficult ride; I don’t think I’ll be doing that again any time soon!

I like to have some ideas written down before I begin, even if it’s just a corkboard of individual words to boost my memory. Right now I’m outlining Tempus Regina, and trying not to make it as detailed as the one I had for The Soldier’s Cross; I like a bit of room to maneuver!

2. How do you come up with character names?

Characters tend to present themselves to me with the glimmerings of a personality, most times with a name attached, sometimes without, sometimes with a name that I’m not sure I’ll keep. With the scraps of personality, I can usually determine what kind of letter would suit them; then I run through that letter page of a site like Behind the Name until I find one that just “clicks.” I don’t usually do it based on the meaning of the name, but it’s interesting how often that name ends up having an appropriate meaning for the character or story.

3. Has anyone ever compared your writing to another popular author’s?

Not to my knowledge! I’m sure one of these days someone will; it seems to be a common feature of professional reviews.

4. What time of day do you usually write in?

I don’t have a set time where I open up my work and dig in; in general, it’s whenever I can snatch a moment. However, I do like to start writing immediately after I get up and prepare for the day. It starts the day off productively and encourages me in my other work as well.

5. Is self publishing for mediocre writers?

Ooh, touchy question! I’ll try to answer thoroughly and honestly. I do not believe that self-publishing is only, or has to be, for mediocre writers; sometimes it is for writers who cannot find any other niche. One example of this that spring to mind is Arthur C. Custance, an anthropologist and Christian whose works probably weren’t immediately taken by a publishing company because they were so unorthodox. He self-published, and was eventually taken up by Zondervan. Self-published books can be good, and there are a number of good reasons for going this route.

That said, I do think there is an alarming trend in publishing wherein writers skip the “traditional” process either through laziness, a lack of commitment, or a belief that editors have nothing to offer them. This is a dangerous position. Traditional publication is difficult, and often frustrating; I know that. But it also offers great benefits, not least because it provides a sort of filter for the literature being funneled onto bookshelves. I’m not saying it’s a perfect filter, or that it doesn’t often seem to be broken entirely. Bad books (heaps of them!) get by, and some good books probably don’t. But if you bypass it entirely and have every Tom, Dick, and Harry author (a hairy author? Ew!) releasing their books as soon as they’ve finished typing, we will be even more swamped with poor “literature” than we are now.

Self-publishing is something I believe should be considered long and hard before an author chooses that path. It can be used well, and sometimes bypassing the publishing houses is a good idea. But it can also be, and I think is being, abused.

6. If you found out that something was going to happen, and your writing would no longer be of any importance, would you still write? 

I love this question. It’s so unique! Simple answer: yes, I would still write. I don’t do it now to make an impact, although of course I hope it might. I write because there are stories in my head and I have to express and share them, or I wouldn’t be complete. I do “write for publication” in that the desire to share my work is part and parcel of why I write in the first place. But if somehow the whole industry went bust and everyone stopped reading entirely, I’d still write. Maybe I would only be able to express the stories to my family; and that would be all right by me. Maybe I would have to work at another job during the day; that would be all right, too. The need to create is too strong for me to stop because of a piddling matter of importance.

7. Can you write as well in a notebook as you can on a computer? 

I typically find that my writing is more polished on the computer than in a notebook, probably because of the ability to backspace and rewrite. I do, however, enjoy writing in a notebook; they say you use a different part of your brain when doing so. At any rate, I feel more free when writing by hand, but have a greater sense of accomplishment when typing.

8. With writing, and blogging, and other computer related business (mine is selling photography), do you find half of your life is spent on the computer, and do you ever fear your wasting time writing? 

I do spend a great deal of time on the computer, but schoolwork, reading, and family time give me a wider range of activities. I never really feel myself to be “wasting time” if I am indeed writing or doing other related things. When I start spending time rambling through my blogger feed or Pinterest pictures, then I realize I’m procrastinating and must move on to something productive. But because writing is what I do, and because I’ve always been encouraged in it, it never gives me the sense of time lost.

9. Do you find one page chapters permissible in some cases? 

Most things are permissible in some cases! I have seen one-page chapters in a few books—only The Gammage Cup is springing to mind—and they were quite acceptable. As long as that one page is really set apart and on its own, there’s no reason it can’t be its own chapter. I personally wouldn’t make a habit of it, but one or two in a book isn’t going to end the world.

There I am the Expert

"But people? Their hopes, their aspirations...
There I am the expert."
- Emma (2009)

This weekend my family and I were on a short road trip, and the drive afforded me an opportunity to gather some names. You see, I have a terrible time coming up with surnames for random characters. And I've found that it is necessary to be able to do so for books like The White Sail's Shaking, as extremely minor characters who may or may not need to be named often pop up in one scene or another. Thus, I have started a notebook in which to collect names as I come across them. I found six or seven during this trip, and I thought it would be fun to take them and try to form an idea of what sort of person would have each name.

horne

A teacher or a doctor. Middle-aged and stocky with thick sandy hair (baldness is a long way off) and perhaps sideburns; he has pale blue eyes and his eyesight not being the best in consequence, he wears strong glasses. His suit is usually grey and he sometimes carries a cane with an engraved silver head. He likes to jog and his shoes do not always match his suit; his passion, however, is the study of medicine - its history, development, and practical use. Although of a decidedly no-nonsense turn of character, he is not a bad sort and quite knowledgeable in his field.

winslow

Winslow is a man of about thirty, dark-haired and -eyed, always with a black suit, an impeccable cravat (his manservant is especially good at cravats), and a silver watch that doesn't work but which looks like an antique (don't ask if it is, and don't ask him the time). He comes from a rich family, but their wealth is a new development; his grandfather began to amass it and then his father's successful speculation increased the family's standing still more. Winslow has a head for business, but I daresay the speculation will ruin him.

rhyne

A rough fellow with a strong accent (and a strong smell). Hugely blond, he keeps some of his hair and his beard plaited and on special occasions will grease the braids with some manner of fat. Rhyne falls into the category of "brawn," not brains; his life revolves around being paid and sitting in his favourite tavern until the wee hours of the morning. He works on docks and has all his life. I wouldn't get on his bad side (which is most of him), especially after his first few pints at the aforementioned tavern.

awtrey

Miss Genevieve Awtrey. Miss Awtrey is a small young lady - mouse-like, in fact - but her brunette hair has definite red highlights and so does her character, once you get to know her. Her features are pale (except for her mouth, which is too small and red) and distinctly pointed; she has light freckles and very grey eyes. She is not very pretty at first glance, particularly because of her habit of wearing a shade of grey that makes her look washed-out, but she does have character. She rides well and enjoys hawking with the other ladies, but she also likes reading poetry and Shakespeare aloud, paints landscapes well, and can embroider passably. The piano forte, however, is her Achilles' heel. (Actually, this young lady will probably make her way into one of my stories at some point.)

moreland

Moreland is one of those dark, brooding hero-types - the Count-of-Monte-Cristo-vampire kind. Of course he has black hair and eyes and shows no emotion (except maybe when his eggs are done improperly), but contrary to his staffs' belief, this is not owing to any childhood tragedy; he's always been like that. I think he never got over the annoyance of being born. However, he consoles himself passably by spending his days hunting with his three dogs, in making plans for improvement to his house (which he never puts into action), and in importing wine from the Continent. Tough life, isn't it?

Dramatis Personae - Wordcrafter

Well, that was difficult. I would like to say that after Ara (and perhaps Liz), I was the first to get excited and want to do the same sort of Meet the Characters post; as it turned out, it took me so long to dig up good photos that Jenny, Megan, and Anna all finished and posted theirs before me. Hrmph. But here at last we have the main players of my novel Wordcrafter; I do not own these photos, this is purely for my authorial delight and not for profit, etc., etc., etc.

Justin King [the wordcrafter]

Main character Justin King has two great loves: his writing and his tea. He has lived alone in his Edinburgh flat for several years at the opening of the novel, and each day of those years has fit into the same mold - until the advent of Ethan Prince, whose friendship turns Justin's life upside down and whose very existence forces Justin to accept that not all fantasy is confined to the page.

His arrival in Ethan's home world of Tera is at first a matter of great delight for the men of this other-earth and his love of writing earns him the respectful title of Wordcrafter among them, but it soon becomes clear that his coming has upset the balance of power. He becomes the spark that reignites a feud between Tera's two great races, the Horsemen and the Gypsies, and against his will he finds that he may also be the means of destroying the only friend he has - Ethan Prince.

Ethan Prince [the hound]

Known as the Hound in Tera, where "Christian" names are not used, Ethan takes his other name while in Edinburgh and introduces himself to Justin as such. He is the prince of the Horsemen, and, since the Horsemen subjugated the Gypsies a hundred years ago, the heir of all Tera; but Justin knows him simply as his friend. He is proud and shows a fiercely cold rage when angered, but he commands the love of the warrior Horsemen and the respect even of the Gypsies. Half-Horseman and half-Gypsy himself, he walks the line between the two cultures and embodies both the vivacity of the one and the cunning of the other.


Jamie Fairbairn [the vixen]

Bubbly, vivacious, and a little wild, Jamie had Justin King under her spell from the moment they met in Edinburgh. She is, indeed, a little too forward for his taste, but she makes up for it with her easy laughter and her apparent regard for him. She loves to be loved, but underneath her sweet exterior she has a mind that is ever at work and all the wiles ever possessed by a woman since the world began; she knows what she wants, and she will stop at nothing to get it. Once her disapproval has been earned, it will last forever.



Copper [the jackal's daughter]

The Gypsy Copper, daughter of the Jackal, begins to play a part in the lives of both Justin and Ethan soon after Justin's arrival in Tera. Quiet and unassuming, she is lovely rather than beautiful and wears a veil at all times, as is the custom among the women of both of Tera's races. For reasons of her own she does not have the same bitter hatred of the Horsemen that most of the other Gypsies flaunt, and she is fond of the Wordcrafter and the Hound. At very rare instances she will lay aside her gentleness and reveal the strength of spirit that underlies her nature, but for the most part she remains withdrawn from the goings-on around her.

The Lord of the Cliffs

If it were not for the fact that the Horsemen long ago defeated the Gypsies and took away their sovereignty, the Lord of the Cliffs would be the king of his people. As it is, he is known as their prince and bears the blood of royalty in his veins - and is very much aware of the fact. He is cool and cat-like and at first glance gives the impression of effeminacy, but he is a force to be reckoned with should any one be foolish enough to anger him. His mind is sharp enough to rival even Ethan's, and, driven on by a desire to see his people made a sovereign entity once more, that is exactly what the Lord of the Cliffs intends to do.


Marah [star of the horsepeople]

For centuries both the Horsemen and the Gypsies have been breeding the unicorns of Tera with the horses brought ages ago from Earth, and Marah, Ethan's mare, is the most beautiful of them all. She is what is known as "bloody-shouldered," having a white coat with rusty markings on her face and neck. With good reason she is called the Star of the Horsepeople and the Horsemen are more proud of her than of all their other horses combined; she is like a daughter to Ethan, who has raised her from a filly, and he rarely rides any other horse.



Ram

Ram, Marah's foal, is far more spirited than his mother and is a difficult horse to train. Like the other part-unicorn horses in the Horsemen's stables, he matures quickly, and when he reaches the age to be broken in Ethan gives him to Justin as his own. Unlike Marah, he is almost pure black except for his bleached hooves. The sight of Ethan on Marah and Justin on Ram is an extremely common one in the woods of Tera during a hunt.

[Threatening potential thieves seems to be The Thing to Do, so I shall follow in the footsteps of my predecessors. I own all of these characters and all things attached to said characters; their existence makes them copyrighted to me, and any use of them is against the law. If you would like to go read the copyright laws, please feel free to do so. Also, I'm part Sicilian. Enough said.]

What's in a Name?

"What's in a name? that which we call a rose
by any other name would smell as sweet;
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd,
retain that dear perfection which he owes
without that title!"

Thus philosophizes Juliet on her balcony in perhaps the most famous passage of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, referring to the fact that Romeo's surname is that of her family's sworn enemy. Philosophers will argue the validity of her idle comment that a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet, and in Anne of Green Gables the heroine (most definitely not a philosopher) makes the amusing and accurate observation, "I don't believe a rose would be as nice if it was called a thistle or a skunk cabbage."

Be that as it may, I rather wonder if Shakespeare could have written his play the way he did if Romeo's name were any different - or if it would have been half as popular. "The Tragedy of Gerald and Hepzibah" fails to pull any heartstrings in me. In Scripture a name frequently reflected something about the character of its possessor, such as Solomon's God-given name, Jedidiah, and were chosen with care by the parents to have meaning; sometimes they referred to circumstances of the child's birth (Jacob, for instance), or to appearance (as in Esau), or to some great deed that was foretold about the child's life (most notably Jesus Himself). Occasionally in Scripture there is also revealed the special name by which God called a man, as in the name Jedidiah or the covenant names God gave to His people.

In fact, the answer to Juliet's question is that there is a great deal more in a name than she would think. Names, as much in fiction as in real life, are very important and carry with them strong images; and writers, as much as parents, often face a challenge in naming their characters. Sometimes a character will present himself or herself and have a name already...and sometimes they don't. More's the pity. But if the latter is true, names are too important in a story to allow any writer to just skim over a list of baby names and pick one that sounds interesting, for characters have a tendency to rebel when their name does not reflect their character.

There are several interesting ways to find a fitting name for a character. One is to recognize that letters, as well as names, come with at least a vague impression of the sort of person who might have a name starting with that. M's, for instance, are often applied to villains (Morgoth, Morgan le Fay) and seems to fit that role. If you can consider what sort of a personality your nameless character possesses, sometimes you can find a letter, or a couple letters, that especially fit - thereby narrowing down the list of names to go through.

Another way is to take into account the meanings of names; taking whatever you already know about the personality of Unnamed, you can find names by their meanings and pick one that sounds right and fits. The meaning of whatever name your character has can often play into a story - sometimes this is planned, and sometimes it is completely unintentional.

And then there is the third way, usually necessary for the most elusive characters who are simply too shadowy to fulfill any of the requirements for the above options: go to a source and start searching through names, taking into account both letter-imagery and meanings as you go. I've found it the most tedious way to go, but sometimes nothing else will work.