tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9156334464585894857.post6767831215251210957..comments2023-10-25T05:30:54.507-04:00Comments on Oh Get A Grip!: What, Me, Worry?Ashe Barkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03390519279886657608noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9156334464585894857.post-1309616036059391502014-01-14T10:13:17.545-05:002014-01-14T10:13:17.545-05:00Garce, by now it's more question of letting m...Garce, by now it's more question of letting my granddaughter read Mad Magazine, and that's up to her father (who has quite a stash still at my house in his old room.) She wouldn't have the context for the satire of that period, though, so she'd be bored.Sacchi Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10801164916418570059noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9156334464585894857.post-15392073136833726482014-01-13T22:03:23.775-05:002014-01-13T22:03:23.775-05:00Ah, Mad magazine! Discovered some under my uncle&...Ah, Mad magazine! Discovered some under my uncle's chair when I was only about 10 and feverishly read them before we went home. He found out and true to his sense of humor, he gave my younger brother and me a subscription when I turned 13. I kept them coming all through high school, college, and in the early days, would often renew my subscription before I bought food. Hey, laughing makes your stomach feel better too, right? My magazines lapsed because they don't offer Mad anymore on the service the middle school kids are always hawking around in the neighborhood. I asked for a subscription for Christmas and one of my sons gave me a two-year one, due to start any day now...I can't wait! They skewer the pompous and self-absorbed in every media better than anyone else!<br /><br />As for worrying you didn't raise your kids right...yeah, I can really relate. Especially when they're all home and they gang up on me, reminding me of some quirky, crazy thing I did when they were young, that I figured they'd never remember. But all of the educational places I took them, all of the events we went to? Don't remember any of that! Sigh...<br /><br />I do like crawling around in my characters' heads while they worry. I don't like first-person because it's too limiting. I want to be in everyone's head as they agonize over whether or not their feelings are reciprocated, and if they are moving too fast or too slow....Fiona McGierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13495707848048468428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9156334464585894857.post-27483031951494201852014-01-13T21:19:47.373-05:002014-01-13T21:19:47.373-05:00Hi Sacchi!
Alfred E Neumann is a part of every ba...Hi Sacchi!<br /><br />Alfred E Neumann is a part of every baby boomers youth. Haven;t read it for awhile. When I read what you have here i'm struck by how personal worry is. Our worries are all our own. Definitely let your kids read Mad, especially the early issues. I still read them.<br /><br />Garce<br /><br />Garceushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11160407485298015371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9156334464585894857.post-10361599790780019812014-01-13T16:43:04.633-05:002014-01-13T16:43:04.633-05:00Although my characters may often be concerned they...Although my characters may often be concerned they'll pay for their indiscretions, they don't often worry in those terms. They're usually confident folk busy getting themselves out of whatever trouble they're in. It's one more interesting character trait to explore for our readers involvement. After all, it's something we all relate to, to some degree.Daddy Xhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12927663248424944119noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9156334464585894857.post-47056986895828016092014-01-13T08:53:57.900-05:002014-01-13T08:53:57.900-05:00Seems to me that being a "worry-wart" wo...Seems to me that being a "worry-wart" would be a fine character trait to explore. I definitely don't think such a character would be viewed as weak. Many people worry as a way to feel that they have some control over their lives.<br /><br />I've written characters who worried, though not obsessively. One who comes to mind is Ruby Jones in "Wild About That Thing". She has internalized her mother's nagging, and engages in a daily battle to liberate herself from that critical voice.<br /><br />Maybe this would make a worthwhile writing exercise.<br />Lisabet Saraihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05162514190572269660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9156334464585894857.post-38029557830382896032014-01-13T07:10:25.909-05:002014-01-13T07:10:25.909-05:00i think it's much more interesting to talk abo...i think it's much more interesting to talk about craft than personal bio ;) i'm glad you raised the issue of characters & their worries. i find i am less interested in creating characters who worry than i am about creating flawed characters who should worry more. rather than set up obstacles they must tackle, i'd rather develop the character,warts and all & then see what happens. i think this might be the difference between character vs plot based fiction. or at least i'm musing about that ;) not worrying! i do like the secondary seize & shake definition you mentioned. in that sense of the word, i am a worrier when it comes to writing. ...Amanda Earlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09059621442042833693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9156334464585894857.post-70887609235823980512014-01-13T05:44:30.130-05:002014-01-13T05:44:30.130-05:00This is really interesting, Sacchi, thanks. I do a...This is really interesting, Sacchi, thanks. I do always try to give my characters clear conflicts, but I don't think I've ever written a real worrier, which is funny because that's the experience I know. I guess I do worry that making a character a worrier would make them seem weak or the dreaded "unlikeable." (haha and I just unconsciously used the word worry for myself, which I'll leave in despite the repetition because it seems telling)Annabeth Leonghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07455191827664110878noreply@blogger.com