WRITE TO EXCITE!: Developing Your Fictional Characters

Write to Excite! with Peter Biadasz

Being an author is one of the most exciting ways to be an entrepreneur. Let’s continue a discussion for those entrepreneurs who like to specialize in making things up, fiction writers.

In April you were shown how to write fiction immediately (You Can Write Fiction Today! http://thenationalnetworker.blogspot.com/2010/03/write-to-excite-write-fiction-today.html). Lately I have been teaching character development, as well as writing a fiction book, so I thought I would share a few thoughts on how to make the most of those fictional characters you are designing and placing in your stories.

As a quick reminder, there are, in my opinion, three major types of fiction writing:

1 – Writing Fiction Based On A True Story – This is one of the easiest ways to start writing fiction. Simply take a true event in your life which you deem as significant and feel passionate about, write it factually as it occurred and then re-write it in the way you really wanted it to happen or in a fashion that is either more dramatic or more relatable to others.

2 – Writing Fiction That Could Be Real (but isn’t) – This is similar to writing fiction based on a true story, but without starting with a factual frame of reference.

3 – Writing Fantasy Fiction – If you want to create a totally new world here is your chance. By writing fantasy the only rule is that there are no rules. The laws of science, or any other laws for that matter, do not matter because you can create new ones, both scientifically and legally. The challenge in writing fantasy is to be original.

To develop your characters, regardless of the type of fiction you are writing, you must have a clear idea of who they are and how they fit into the geographic locations and time periods in which you are writing about. The WORST way to develop a character is to develop him/her/it as you write the story. The BEST way to develop a character is to make a file on him/her/it from birth to death before you start writing your fiction work. You want to know the character so well you could sit down and have an interview or dinner with them. If your character is very real to you, then you can convey how real the character is to your reader.

Take the time and consider how your character was conceived, born, progressed through early childhood (friends, school, foods, etc), made it through full childhood into the teen years, the struggles (or lack thereof) in the teen years, early adulthood, adulthood, vocations, emotions, family, middle age, old age, death, eulogies, etc. Even if a particular character in your story is only being referenced too in a short part of their life, knowing their full life story will add depth and realness to your character. Plus, by fully developing each of your characters you will find that you have many more options with regard to your story lines(s).

Finally, unless you are writing just for your entertainment, when developing your characters please remember to be sure they are characters your target audience will relate too. After all, your target audience will be the ones spending their money to buy your book, or maybe even seeing the movie based on your book.

You may want to start a file of significant events, and characteristics from those who have crossed your path in the past or other people of note. In my own current fictional book, many of the characters are a combination of traits from several of my family, friends and others. These combinations make for some very interesting and relatable characters.

Feel free to post your comments about character development at the bottom of this article. I hope that as a writer you not only expand the scope of your writing by further developing your characters, but also find more passion in your life as a result of your writings.


Peter Biadasz, author of such book as Write Your First Book (available at http://www.amazon.com/Write-Your-First-Peter-Biadasz/dp/0881444243/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262270868&sr=1-1), More Leads and Increase Your Sales And Lower Your Golf Score, is President of Total Publishing And Media. To discuss with Peter publishing or marketing your book idea, or to inquire about having Peter speak to your organization or meeting, feel free to contact him at Peter@TotalPublishingAndMedia.com


For more information, please visit Peter's TNNWC Bio.

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The National Networker Companies™ and TNNWC Group, LLC

“Empowering Emerging Enterprises”

Membership in TNNWC’s Global Interactive Cooperative Business Community is free of charge and entitles you to receive both The National Networker Newsletter and The BLUE TUESDAY Report, as well as access to our unparalleled Suite of Business Services.

Join Us! Simply click on http://bit.ly/JoinTNNWC

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WRITE TO EXCITE!: Developing Your Fictional Characters

WRITE TO EXCITE!: Write About Your Vacation For Fun And Profit

Write to Excite with Peter Biadasz

We all love to take vacations! There exists an amazingly wide variety of vacations choices available. From cruises to faraway lands, from skiing to skydiving, from warm weather to the coldest of cold, it always surprises me as to how two people can have such a different experience going to the same place, sometimes at even the same exact time. Having said that, if you ever want to have some fun writing, write about your vacations.

When writing about your vacations get the reader involved in your adventures as much as possible. Let your readers experience the newness of being in a place for the first time, the emotions you felt, the sounds surrounding you, smells of the air and the tastes of the foods and drinks in your travels. Write in such a way that the reader feels as though they are on the vacation with you, but also want to experience it for themselves someday.

There are three ways you can write about your vacation experiences:

1 – Write About A Past Vacation: This is a great way to develop your writing style. Start by picking your favorite vacation of all time and write about it in a way that not only recalls the reasons why it was such a memorable time, but also in a way that others will enjoy reading about your experiences. Let others that went on those vacations with you read your accounts to let you know if you left out any vital information in your recollections. Also ask them to critique your writing style and be open for any constructive criticism of your work. This will only make you a better writer.

2 – Write About The Vacation You Are Taking Right Now: During your next vacation make extensive notes in every aspect of your trip; from deciding where to go, planning and then the trip itself. You may even want to write about any follow-up or after the trip thoughts. Be sure to not leave out any detail and have a great time.

3 – Write About Your Dream Vacation: If you really want to stretch your horizons write about your dream vacation. This may not only be a great emotional release for you, but might actually give you some ideas and goals for a future trip. Enjoy the experience. Remember, no dream is too big and the budget is limitless.

If you are feeling especially ambitious you may want to be paid to write your travel experiences. There are many opportunities out there and I encourage you to contact your favorite travel agent, chamber of commerce, convention and visitor’s bureau or editor of the publications that you utilize to enhance your travel experiences. These contacts can inform you of the reviews that they rely on the most to ensure that their customers are happiest on their vacations. Contact the editors of these sources to inquire the process to be considered to write for their publication.

If you want to share your experiences for the greater common good for free you may want to start a travel blog. This can be utilized both during and after your travels. In addition, you can invite others to record their travel experiences on your blog.

Feel free to post your vacations stories and experiences at the bottom of this article. I hope that as a writer you not only expand the scope of your writing by performing these exercises, but also find more enjoyment from your vacations.

Peter Biadasz, author of such book as Write Your First Book (available at http://www.amazon.com/Write-Your-First-Peter-Biadasz/dp/0881444243/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262270868&sr=1-1), More Leads and Increase Your Sales And Lower Your Golf Score, is President of Total Publishing And Media. To discuss with Peter publishing or marketing your book idea, or to inquire about having Peter speak to your organization or meeting, feel free to contact him at Peter@TotalPublishingAndMedia.com


For more information, please visit Peter's TNNWC Bio.

---

The National Networker Companies™ and TNNWC Group, LLC

“Empowering Emerging Enterprises”

Membership in TNNWC’s Global Interactive Cooperative Business Community is free of charge and entitles you to receive both The National Networker Newsletter and The BLUE TUESDAY Report, as well as access to our unparalleled Suite of Business Services.

Join Us! Simply click on http://bit.ly/JoinTNNWC

Visit our website at http://www.TheNationalNetworker.com
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WRITE TO EXCITE!: Write About Your Vacation For Fun And Profit

WRITE TO EXCITE: Can Speakers Write Books?

Write to Excite with Peter Biadasz

(This article is an edited excerpt from my book, Write Your First Book – How To Start, Finish And Publish The Inside Of You).

Public speaking is what launched me into becoming an author. As a result, I have much admiration and respect for those who place themselves in front of groups of people and share substantive information. I enjoy working with speakers, pastors and teachers assisting them in turning their information into books. Your book will assist you in taking your presentations to a higher level of success, add to your credibility, and add to your income via back of the room sales.

After deciding to become a published author and by understanding the process of transforming the massive amount of information that a speaker accumulates over time into a book, you can save yourself from much frustration and save time.

The steps to convert your speech or presentation into a book are:

1. Transform your recorded message to a transcript.

2. Convert your transcript to a book manuscript.

3. Proof and edit your manuscript.

4. Design your book.

5. Publish your book – printing and distribution.

6. Promote your boo.

Each step can be performed by your and your resources, or you can pay a company like Total Publishing for any or all of the process. Either way, your goal is to get your message out to a public waiting to see it.

Let’s look at each step of the process:

1. Transform your recorded message to a transcript.

This involves transcribing the recoded message into a word document. Standard format is letter size, double spaced with 1 inch margins. You will need to decide if one or several of your presentations will give you the size of book you desire. A speaking series makes for an excellent book.

2. Convert your transcript to a book manuscript.

Usually a person with an editorial background can assist you to in taking the many pages of your transcript and format into something that looks like a book.

3. Proof and edit your manuscript

Both you and several sets of trusted eyes should review the work for readability, grammar, spelling punctuation, etc. It helps if someone from your target audience can also review the book. This will let you know if there was a topic either left out or not discussed properly. In addition, it would not hurt to have an industry professional examine your work.

4. Design your book.

I have much information regarding things to consider when designing your book. For the sake of the length of this article, make sure the cover graphic design and interior typeset will appeal to your target audience.

5. Publish your book – printing and distribution.

I could write a long article on this phase of your project. Working with a publisher that cares for you and your book is important. When you have a strong working relationship many other important things seem to fall into place. By remembering that this is a business and communication must be kept open to be effective, you should enjoy a productive relationship with your publisher. After all, we all want to sell more books.

6. Promote your book.

My speech on this topic it titled, "Marketing Your Book For Fun And Profit." Let the world know you now have a book to offer to them. If, in your speaking endeavors, you have gathered a following and are promoting your book, even before it is published, you have positioned yourself for success. Market some during any day ending in “Y” and you will reap the benefits. As I always say in jest, "Remember, writing a book is good, but selling a book is gooder; and yes we do offer editing services."

Having now seen how easy it is to transform your presentations into a book, I challenge you to today take those recordings, notes and files of information and begin, finish and publish what you are most passionate about.

Feel free to post your comments about turning your speeches into published book at the bottom of this article.

Peter Biadasz, author of such book as Write Your First Book (available at http://www.amazon.com/Write-Your-First-Peter-Biadasz/dp/0881444243/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262270868&sr=1-1), More Leads and Increase Your Sales And Lower Your Golf Score, and is President of Total Publishing And Media. To discuss with Peter about publishing or marketing your book idea, or to inquire about having Peter speak to your organization or meeting, feel free to contact him at Peter@TotalPublishingAndMedia.com

For more information,please visit Peter's TNNW Bio.

---

The National Networker Companies™

“Empowering Emerging Enterprises”

Membership in TNNWC’s Global Interactive Cooperative Business Community is free of charge and entitles you to receive both The National Networker Newsletter and The BLUE TUESDAY Report, as well as access to our unparalleled Suite of Business Services.

Join Us! Simply click on http://bit.ly/JoinTNNWC

Visit our website at http://www.TheNationalNetworker.com

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WRITE TO EXCITE: Can Speakers Write Books?

WRITE TO EXCITE: Write Fiction Today!

Write to Excite with Peter Biadasz

As President of Total Publishing and Media, I am constantly approached by authors claiming that their book manuscript will be the next New York Times best seller and that their book will land them on one of the coveted spots on Oprah. Because I am an author first, with 15 books to my credit, the advice I usually give to these aspiring writers is to not worry about the best sellers lists or public appearances, but to perfect the craft of writing to express the passion and expertise that lies within them.

As I discuss in Write Your First Book, there are three phases to the successful author experience: writing, publishing and marketing. To reach one’s goals all three phases must be mastered and accomplished in that order. Thus, the mission of this column, “Write To Excite” to explain the first step of the process in becoming a successful author. If you want to discuss the publishing or marketing phases, I would love to talk with you. Feel free to utilize my contact information at the end of this article.

This month we are going to take a look at writing fiction. There are several ways to approach fiction writing. I will discuss just a few.


Writing Fiction Based On A Tue Story
In my opinion, writing fiction based on a true story this is one of the easiest ways to start writing fiction. Simply take a true event in your life which you deem significant and feel passionate about. Write it factually as it occurred and then rewrite it in the way you really wanted it to happen, or in a fashion that is either more dramatic or more relatable to others. You can even rewrite the rewrite several different ways, depending on the target audience you want to reach.

Before you go to bed tonight make a list of events either in your life or that you have been exposed to that you may want to fictionalize. Then pick an event from the list and have fun with the writing process. Let your imagination run wild. No idea is a bad idea. You can always edit later.


Writing Fiction That Could Be Real (but isn’t)
This is similar to writing fiction based on a true story, but starting without a factual frame of reference. After performing the first writing exercise above several times, writing fiction without a factual basis becomes easier. Start with any scenario and just expand it to a logical conclusion. This form of writing allows the world be the way you want it to be.


Writing Fantasy Fiction
If you want to create a totally new world here is your chance. By writing fantasy the only rule is that there are no rules. Actually, the laws of science, or any other laws for that matter, do not matter because you can create new ones, both scientifically and legally. The challenge in writing fantasy is to be original.

I once had a writer come to me with what he thought was a great idea for a fantasy book. He expressed it to me with much passion and in amazing detail. After his presentation he sat in eager anticipation of my opinion. After weighing my words for a few seconds all I could ask was “Doesn’t that sound a lot like Star Wars?” He quickly agreed and I encouraged him to expand the world in which to write fantasy, or try another form of fiction.

Make the decision to write some fiction today. The hurdle I had to overcome in dabbling in the fiction realm is that I even though I publish fiction and non-fiction works, all of the books I had authored were non-fiction. Once I overcame the sense that I was telling a lie when writing fiction, the words flowed very easily.

Feel free to post your comments about writing fiction at the bottom of this article. I hope that as a writer, you not only expand the scope of your writing by performing the exercises mentioned above, but also find more passion in your life as a result of your writings.


Peter Biadasz, author of such books as Write Your First Book (available at http://www.amazon.com/Write-Your-First-Peter-Biadasz/dp/0881444243/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262270868&sr=1-1), More Leads, and Increase Your Sales And Lower Your Golf Score, is President of Total Publishing and Media. To discuss with Peter publishing or marketing your book idea, or to inquire about having Peter speak to your organization or meeting, feel free to contact him at Peter@TotalPublishingAndMedia.com


For more information, please visit Peter's TNNW Bio.

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The National Networker Companies

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WRITE TO EXCITE: Write Fiction Today!

WRITE TO EXCITE: Write Romance, Or Whatever, Into Your Relationships!

Write to Excite with Peter Biadasz

We started this year by looking into the future and discussed how to write 2010 into reality. (What Do You Want In 2010?). Last month we wrote about what your greatest successes and victories as a networker (Your Networking Success Story) – and thanks for the great feedback. This month we will look at romance or relationships (depending on how you feel about “all that”) and spice it up.


Okay, I am approaching this topic as a male, which means that I may be starting with a handicap. (I can hear my girlfriend laughing now.) But it is what it is!


FICTION – Write an article, poem or book describing your ideal relationship. Describe every aspect of your perfect partner – height, weight, temperament, redeeming qualities, profession, extended family, occupation, income, etc. Also discuss what you do together socially, personally, etc. Go for it! No detail is too small. Tell us how this person makes you feel when you are with him or her, and the loss you experience in their absence. This person is your fantasy come true, at least on paper. Write until you are satisfied, then write some more.


Hopefully, you will find that person in your real life.


As a publisher I know that fiction romance is a huge category of books and articles. What amazed me is that the primary readership is females in bad relationships looking for an escape, or females in no relationship fantasizing about the “other side.” My female friends gave me an earful about this.


NON-FICTION – Is your primary relationship a 10? If it is, I am so happy for you. I want to publish and read your book on the topic. If it not a 10, then one of the best ways to better any relationship is to talk about it with your partner. Before you have “the talk,” write down what you want to say. Not only will writing down what you want to say serve as a great memory jogger when the discussion gets emotional, but by reading it before you say it, you may better understand the reasonableness, or lack thereof, regarding your expectations.

Be as thorough as possible, keeping in mind your target audience, the one you have in your life whom you love and want to build up by presenting your written masterpiece to them. For every negative point, there should be a solution as well as praise. Remember, this is supposed to be a constructive piece that betters your relationship, not a piece to be presented as a break-up.


Or maybe you just don’t share the piece with your partner.


If you are currently not in a relationship, place your ideal relationship expectations on paper in the details described above. Pardon the allegory, but it is much easier to find all the things you are looking for in the grocery store if you have a list. There is nothing worse that cooking a complex dish only to learn that you left a few key ingredients out of the recipe. As you write, enjoy the trip down each aisle of the grocery store of fulfilling relationships.


Feel free to post your fiction and non-fiction accounts at the bottom of this article. I hope that as a writer you not only expand the scope of your writing by performing these exercises, but also find more romance in your primary relationship.



Peter Biadasz, author of Write Your First Book (available at http://www.amazon.com/Write-Your-First-Peter-Biadasz/dp/0881444243/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1262270868&sr=1-1), More Leads, and Increase Your Sales And Lower Your Golf Score, is President of Total Publishing And Media. To discuss with Peter publishing or marketing your book idea, or to inquire about having Peter speak to your organization or meeting, feel free to contact him at Peter@TotalPublishingAndMedia.com


For more information, please visit Peter's TNNW Bio.

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The National Networker Companies

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WRITE TO EXCITE: Write Romance, Or Whatever, Into Your Relationships!