Saturday, June 8, 2013

What Are You Best At in Writing Novels?

by June Shaw

All of us have strengths in many areas of our lives and weaknesses in others. I'm so glad life works that way and gives us variety.

One of the areas where writers vary is their talent for creating stories.Some bring the most strength to creating characters. Others gloss over their characters and press on with their plots. Some others show their power to their voices that are unique. The best, of course, do an exceptional job with blending everything, making us really care for the people in their stories and pulling us along at an exciting pace with their plotting. They also have a writing voice we remember.

My main strength, I believe, is creating characters. The books I've always been drawn to make me care about the people in them. I love developing those who will live in my stories. Readers and reviewers often comment about my characters. For instance the main charcter in my mystery series, which Five Star published in hardcover and Untreed Reads will put on as e-books in July, August, and September, is Cealie Gunther. She's a spunky widow who wants to avoid her hunky ex-lover Gil Thurman so she can rediscover herself. But he opens Cajun restaurants wherever she travels -- and she is so bad at avoiding tempting dishes and men.

Lots of people say they love Cealie (and want Gil.) Some want Cealie in their families or as their best friends. She's fun and there's no telling what she'll say or do. That's what made her so much fun for me to be with her to see where she'll take me.

How about you? If you're a writer, what are your strengths? What area would you like to develop more?

www.juneshaw.com

11 comments:

Alice Duncan said...

Interesting blog, June! I think Cealie's a peach :-) As for me, I guess it's characters and voice. I could really use help with plotting. Sigh.

Jacqueline Seewald said...

Alice definitely has a strong and unique voice in her writing. Myself, I believe I'm about even in creating character, plot and setting. I agree with you, June, I think it's important for the main character to be sympathetic, someone the reader will care about.

Mary F. Schoenecker Writes said...

I think characters and my voice stand out best in my books. I love getting comments from readers about my characters.

Alice Duncan said...

Boy, I sure agree with you, Jacqui. I can't read books in which I can't like at least one character!

Jean Henry Mead said...

Dialogue has always been my forte, and I'm afraid that I write too much of it. :)

June Shaw said...

Thanks, Alice. I love being around Cealie, too. And I also would like to have stronger plotting skills.

June Shaw said...

Yes, Jacqui, Alice does have a strong and unique voice.

Years ago I read the first book in an extremely popular mystery author's series and could not understand why anyone would want to spend more time with such an annoying main character.

June Shaw said...

Jean, I never heard an author say she used too much dialogue. I don't find that you use too much.

June Shaw said...

Mary, having a strong voice is terrific. I love to get reader comments, too, and keep those that really touch my heart.

Jaden Terrell said...

Character and dialogue for me. I'm with Alice on plotting--it's a bear!

June Shaw said...

Plotting seems to be a challenge for many of us, Jaden.