No. 4 - Time and character connectivity

Writing demands Time. And thus updating a blog on writing is not the very best way to accumulate words on the page for the stories, novels, scripts, poetry, prose, or reviews you are writing - in fact a blog is probably pretty close to procrastination.

Though I like to think, the blog enables one to practice communication of a message to an unknown other, and develop a sensible readable voice. Not a bland voice, but a voice which people might want to hear.

Besides by definition life is a procrastination from writing, and by life I include all activities including sleep, eating, breathing..........perhaps I am a tad extreme in my views.

Of course without life you would not have anything to write about. Or would you? Does a space opera require input from my life? Can my day to day domestic chores reflect on the activities of characters in a Tolkein-esque universe?

The answer is that such activities must. The reader must be able to relate to the characters on some level, else they lose interest completely and irretrievably. Which means they will place your piece of writing down, or close the book, or turn off the television, or walk out of the theater. They may shun anything with your name on it forevermore.

Such a reaction is not conducive to a career in writing. Knighthoods and royalties shall not be yours.

So allow your character to connect to the reader, if not physically, if not by locale, if not by job, then by thought or emotions. Let them buy the character is real, and thus, all could be real, if they but pause and read awhile......