Writing Excuses 8.45: GenCon Q&A with Wesley Chu

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

Writing Excuses 8.45: GenCon Q&A with Wesley Chu

From http://www.writingexcuses.com/2013/11/10/writing-excuses-8-45-gencon-qa-with-wes-chu/

Key points:
Q. How do you write first-person POV from another or different gender?
A. The same way you write anyone who is not you -- what is important to them, what do they want, how does their past affect how they view things. Do your homework. Practice writing the other. Know the stereotypes. Pay attention to what's different and interesting.
Q. Do you have a set schedule for writing time?
A. I'm a night writer. Writing dates and productivity through peer pressure. Set deadlines. Find time, and write when you can.
Q. How do you expand scenes without adding characters?
A. Beware padding. Add complications, locations, subplots, but make sure they move the plot forward. Replace telling with showing -- unpack and get specific.
Q.How can prose be used to convey emotion without overtly stating feelings?
A. Use your point of view character. How do they look at something and interact with it? Clues to emotional state. Imply emotions. Deny yourself thought verbs.
( What was your question? )

[Howard] Now you have the writing prompt, which is deny yourself thought verbs and communicate thought awareness on the part of the character in other ways. This has been Writing Excuses. You are out of excuses. Now go write.
[Applause]