What was the moment(s) before we meet them?

As you set out to develop a character within a your story, there are a 1001 things you must do to give life to this new being. I feel one of the greatest discoveries is the "moment before"... this is one of the most important questions you can ask of your characters, and it helps to set the emotional tone for your character at the moment just before they walk into our lives.

What was going on just before we met them?

Well, the "moment before" is exactly what it sounds like... it’s what your character was doing or thinking immediately before they enter the that moment and become apart of the story. This questions does not only answer what your character was doing physically, but also how it will be reacting and carrying himself emotionally.

How to Discover

Uncovering the "moment before" can be accomplished through several means. The first, is to rely on the story's plot and thought of action to help give you guidelines for what your characters was doing, thinking and caring about.

If the our story doesn't indicate what your characters were physically doing before that moment scene, than they have no life to spring from. Think about the 1001 possibilities that your character would and could have been living. Answering these questions will help you cultivate the "moment before."

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Outlining your book... It could make all the difference!

Patti Larsen has a way of making you feel at home when she talks. Join me and my merry band of wonderful minds as we tackling the craft of writing a book. it can feel like an overwhelming prospect, where do we even start?

First... you want to know what you’re writing about.
Second... you do this best by generating an outline of your book.

Some of us writers... hate outlines (I was once in your camp.) Other writers live by them. I hope that we can help you discover where this process just might make your writing easier and faster.

If you were like me and approach book writing from a completely disorganized and impractical state of mind... Well, outlining could promote a logical approach and it leaves plenty of room for creativity.

Where to find Patti on the web:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorpattilarsen
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PattiLarsen
Blog: http://www.pattilarsen.com/
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Patti-Larsen/e/B005H8I3KO

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