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Marilyn Horowitz

Marilyn Horowitz

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Weekend Writing Tip

November 21, 2009 by Marilyn Horowitz

It’s the weekend — How are you and your characters the same and how are you different?

A weekend is supposedly more relaxed than the week, and has its own different rituals. This slower pace can give you time to reflect more deeply on the nature and motivations of your characters.

Exercise: As you walk through your Saturday, identify your personal weekend rituals, and notice what you enjoy doing the most, and least, then ask how does my main character and obstacle feel about the same activity? I know that while I enjoy seeing my family, my character regards it as torture, and my villain become almost teary-eyed when he sees his family. My obstacle would never lower himself to do laundry, and my main character resents having to do it.

I just had an idea for a scene that will have a lot of built in conflict — a difficult discussion about their motivations (the heroine to get free from the obligations of family, and my obstacle maintaining his superior position) that will be heightened by the subtext of the laundry being done.

Let me know what you come up with!

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