Hunger for Adventure

Last week I went to see the Hunger Games. Having never read the book by Suzanne Collins, I didn't quite know what to expect. Previews had purported that it's main character was a far better role model than a certain Miss Swan, which brought up all sorts of comparisons with Twilight, but then I read that it was based partly on roman gladiatorial combat, set in a post-apocalyptic world. The icing on the cake was that the main character, Katniss Everdeen, was being played by Jennifer Lawrence.

 

I have to admit, it was rather good. Katniss is a strong female character who rises to the challenge facing her, plus she's a crack shot with that bow of hers. The film did drag a little in places, especially in the run up to the actual Hunger Games itself, but once that got going the action more than made up for it. I'll certainly be buying it when it comes out.

For me, one of the great things about the Hunger Games is as I've said, it has a very, very strong female character, which I really like. It's something that I tend to use in my own writing. I do find it difficult getting the female perspective (unsurprising, being male), and Heather happily points out any missteps I make, but the core of those characters remains. I've never been fond of sappy, weak-willed female characters, which is probably representative of the women in my life, who are all strong.

Speaking of my writing, Serial Psyence is moving at a steady pace, and I'm less than a thousand words off 50,000. I think it's about time we had another murder.

Wild Ride is pretty much done, as short stories go. I've edited it, removing a few excessive heys and darlings, and I'll be getting ready to send it off soon, once I've made a couple more passes.

That's Life

Building characters for a book is no easy task.

I've tried various methods for building their backstory, even tried writing a CV for them, and answering a series of questions about them. To be honest, I find them really boring and I'm often sat there trying to think up some interesting titbit. So I don't bother any more.

I find that often, a character will come up with their own backstory, often with surprising consequences.

For example, whilst writing Serial Psyence, one of my main characters decided he was a recovering drug addict. And not just any drug, oh no. He used Dust: a synthetic, psychic enhancement drug which can give even mundane normals a low level telepathic ability. The downside is the effects are short-lived, and the drug is horrendously addictive. How this is going to affect things, I don't know, as I hadn't planned for this. As I write the first draft, I imagine it'll rear its ugly head again.

To me, one of the most exciting things about writing is the way your own creations can surprise you in ways you never expected. To another writer, I expect that sounds quite normal, but to anyone else, I bet that sounds bizarre. Afterall, these aren't living people; they only exist in your head. That may as be, but they feel real, they feel like they have a mind of their own. I suppose that's the genius of an active imagination.

And yes, I probably look like I've just grown another head. Hey, at least it's someone interesting to talk to.