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Monday, June 18, 2012

Distracting Characters Spotlight - Gregori with an I

As many of you know I had a topsy turvy week last week, but I'm still writing every day.

In addition to the curveball moments of life, I've had tough time sticking with my 100 Days of Revision for Champion in the Darkness (formerly The Crystal Sword) because of distracting characters and story ideas.

Recently a kid named Gregori popped into my thoughts.  While making breakfast on Sunday (gluten free, corn free, dairy free, egg free breakfasts always seem to require cooking in my house), Gregori jumped into my head, and I thought I would share him with you.

It's kind of a long intro, and I'm definitely not sure where this is going, but he's my latest distracting character.


I’m not that kid. You know the one you’re thinking about when you think of books about an illegitimate kid with a parent that’s never around, the kid with superhero powers that’s the son of a human and the son of some myth. I’m not him. I’m just me. I don’t have powers, and I don’t save the world, but this story is about the one time when I made a difference in someone else’s life.

            Like that kid you’re thinking of, I had a few bully-enemies at my last school, and my math teacher seemed evil in the “I don’t care about you if you’re not a star soccer player for the school team” kind of way. My mom works hard at her job, and had a crappy boyfriend a few years ago.

We ditched him and public school the same year. I don’t know how my mom does it, but she works nights, and homeschools me in the mornings.

 In the afternoon while she sleeps, I go to my best friend’s house. Dennis and I go to the same homeschool co-op on Mondays with his mom, and we’re in the same karate class, three nights a week. We actually get some of our homeschool lessons done together, before we practice karate and play on his xbox. I usually make breakfast for dinner real late so my mom and I can eat dinner together. They say families that eat dinner together stay together, you know. I think breakfasts for dinner together are better than anything else.

So I’m not that kid that you’re thinking of from that mythical hero journey book series. I’m just me.  I’m Gregori Vaclav Schulz. My mom was interested in Christian martyrs when I was born, that’s how I got my name, and it’s definitely Gregori with an “I” and not a “y”, which gets me in trouble sometimes like it did the day this whole mess started.
Wednesday: A visit from Captain Wrath, another distracting character.

Friday: Dealing with the Distracting Characters

100 Days of Revision, Day 48 Update
The last week has been bad, bad, bad. I've barely worked through 250 words every few days. I'm totally distracted by life, other ideas, and the end of school, beginning of summer feeling. On the upside, I'm actually halfway there, and my halfway mark for the count down will be on Wednesday - so I'm ahead, sort of . . .

Do you have to deal with any distracting characters that don't belong in your current WIP?

How old do you think Gregori is?

And finally, do you have any exciting news to share? any summer plans?

12 comments:

  1. I like your new kid. He's got real-life problems that need real-life solutions.

    Blessings,
    Susan :)

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  2. great voice!

    I'm currently on my last two chapters and eager to start working on draft #2!

    As for characters, I was outlining something new and a character inserted herself into the tale, much to my surprise since i thought I already knew who all the important players were. Guess not.

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  3. Gregori has me intrigued, too! It's cool to be distracted by new characters, even if it gives you trouble concentrating on your current project :)

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  4. Susan - Thanks! I usually don't write "real life" kids . . . but this guy just popped into my head yesterday.

    mshatch - Way to Go with your writing!!! Characters that insert themselves can be intersting.

    Trisha - Good! I agree, it makes me feel like I'm not losing my imagination in the midst of editing/revising.

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  5. I like this idea. I may try it with some characters in the WIP just for fun. I think it could lead to some more ideas. Thanks a bunch, Tyrean! :)

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  6. i'm guessing 11, sounds like a great mg book starter! go for it!

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  7. Tara - Thanks! I'm not ready to pursue that story whole-heartedly yet . . .too many other projects going on the burner, but I'm keeping a file open for him.

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  8. Gregori sounds about 10 or 11, and I would LOVE to read his story.

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  9. I love discovering new characters. Gregori sounds like an interesting kid, and I'm sure he'll let you know if there's a story there to write!

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  10. Oh, ps, if you still need a crit partner/beta reader, you can email me at mccal408@gmail.com

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  11. Linda - Thanks for the insight!

    Nickie - Thanks!!!

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Thanks for taking time to share your awesomeness!