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Cattle are dying, families are hungry and despair surrounds them. This will affect all Australians in the long term. There is so much variety in how you can help. So please pop on over and see what you can do.

Photographs of Characters and Scenes

As well as being familiar with the area where my novels are set, gleaning photographs helps  to help describe depth to the surrounds as well as to the characters. The photograph below means so much to me as it was taken on the property. Looking at it last night I said to my husband I need to go back home. There's something about an early morning mist, standing alone in a huge paddock and listening to the sounds of nature. No cars, no trucks, no voices, as nature stirs to face yet another day. *sighs* :)

Yah. We are heading back soon. I can't wait. I have a new camera so I'll be armed with more than a rifle this time. :)

Back to using photographs. I also have photographs of my characters close by and this helps to describe their features. The current hero of my wip looks a little like Stephen Amell. :) Although his hair is darker, and his eyes are a deep blue, oh and my hero smiles a lot more. lol.  So basically when I describe a character no one knows where my idea came from unless I tell them, as readers form an image in their own mind at how they perceive what that character looks like. So darkening Stephen's hair, changing his eye colour, makes him a yummy hero that could very well be in a Rural Romantic Suspense. :) Okay back to my daily word goal. 2.000 words. Have a good one. :)

Characters

I began a manuscript the other day and after 4.500 words I realised my characters aren't developed enough. They are cardboard cut outs, stiff and without personalities. So after spending the morning delving into character sheets, giving my characters good and bad traits they are almost born.

A characters history is so important to make them the people they are today. Their dislikes, their likes even knowing what they like to eat and drink is valuable. What has or is influencing how they think or feel is as important as knowing what their parents and siblings do for a living. Their education, and how they were bought up also adds to their personality. Everything during their upbringing from birth to their age on a manuscript influences what type of people they are and how they react in different circumstances.

Tomorrow I have a writers meeting and there is a workshop on developing characters. There's nothing like refreshing the mind.  Great characters are essential alongside plot and subplots in developing a novel. Refreshing the mind is essential.  It concretes the 'how to' in the important steps in writing a good novel.

I'm off to do some more developing.

It's Friday again. Have a great weekend :)

A beautiful cover

I've just arrived back from Jenn J McLeod's blog and wanted to share with you her new cover of Simmering Season. It's absolutely lovely don't you agree? Why not pop on over and read the blurb filled with romance and conflict. Sounds like a great read.  :) 

Simmering Season