tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6599945087910073527.post7379383937610914469..comments2023-06-28T06:36:14.559-06:00Comments on Tess Hilmo: Fat CharactersTesshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10014195715998913268noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6599945087910073527.post-27531845288006068292009-12-01T17:30:09.289-07:002009-12-01T17:30:09.289-07:00I haven't heard the term 'character tell&#...I haven't heard the term 'character tell' before ... thanks for introducing me to it! What a great point you make ... it's so true, and it's great when we can learn from books we're reading, and make improvements in our own writing as a result!Kelly H-Yhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07324529762031928328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6599945087910073527.post-77265774077214506092009-12-01T09:07:21.652-07:002009-12-01T09:07:21.652-07:00I'm really trying to get better at character t...I'm really trying to get better at character tells, especially with dialogue. That's definitely an area that I'm weak, but getting stronger. <br /><br />Have a great day!Kristen Torres-Torohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15903038121623389560noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6599945087910073527.post-89542564672606473492009-12-01T08:36:04.332-07:002009-12-01T08:36:04.332-07:00Sharon: good for you for sticking to it and gettin...Sharon: good for you for sticking to it and getting to the enjoyable part. too often, I run out of patience and set the book down. <br /><br />dirtywhitecandy: okay, I can't stop laughing at your blogger name. it's wonderfully hilarious! welcome :D and, you make an excellent point here. it isn't just the ticks/habits of the characters. anything in excess pulls the reader out of the story and isnt' a good thing. Oh, and I love the orange juice example. how did the editor not catch that??Tesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10014195715998913268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6599945087910073527.post-55561848767532688362009-12-01T06:16:00.689-07:002009-12-01T06:16:00.689-07:00Good post!
It's not just physical desciptions...Good post!<br /><br />It's not just physical desciptions that get overused in this way, but accomplishments and tastes. <br /><br />The English writer Mary Wesley was fond, in one of her books, of making a point about whether her characters could open oysters or not. The novel wasn't first person, so this wasn't a quirk of the narrator. Nor was it important to the plot or part of the subtext or metaphor. I'm sure she wasn't aware how many times she made this observation about a character. So several times during the course of the novel, an oyster opening situation would come up and we would be told whether the character made a mess of it or not. <br /><br />Also I think several of the characters, completely independently, all liked their orange juice in exactly the same quirky way. Again, there seemed no reason for the repetition - except that the author forgot she had given a previous character that same preference!Roz Morris aka @Roz_Morris . Blog: Nail Your Novelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10088813423467048081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6599945087910073527.post-31809506775640595582009-11-30T20:44:09.649-07:002009-11-30T20:44:09.649-07:00I read an adult thriller recently. It had way too...I read an adult thriller recently. It had way too many details on setting and the character's behaviors. I had to read it because I know the author, but the first third of the book was a struggle. Then it was like he found his voice and it was great.Sharon K. Mayhewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07799235347319851345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6599945087910073527.post-39054587408751707022009-11-30T18:52:46.682-07:002009-11-30T18:52:46.682-07:00LiLa: hahahaha -- that line is a keeper :D
storyq...LiLa: hahahaha -- that line is a keeper :D<br /><br />storyqueen: nah, it's all a process. I'm learning terms and stuff every single day - that's what makes this so much fun<br /><br />Davin: well, yes - but if you give tells to every single character (especially in a big cast epic) it is over the top. Pick a character, sprinkle it in. That's my thought - but rules are broken in literature every day<br /><br />Karen: THANKS!!!! SO, SO excited!Tesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10014195715998913268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6599945087910073527.post-43344049131877246662009-11-30T18:00:45.356-07:002009-11-30T18:00:45.356-07:00Tess, I feel dumb that I've never heard of a c...Tess, I feel dumb that I've never heard of a character tell before...but you explained it well to Davin, so I totally get it now. <br /><br />I think they bug me when I notice them...and they don't seem authentic.<br /><br />Shelleystoryqueenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07039684494823420722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6599945087910073527.post-67254634216797548132009-11-30T16:54:21.280-07:002009-11-30T16:54:21.280-07:00One of our writing friends said it best, you want ...One of our writing friends said it best, you want your characters to be quirky, not act like they have Turrets!<br /><br />P.S.<br />We think you're all kinds of awesome. We think you rock and we're proud to be your writing friends!lisa and laurahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18144863275895761642noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6599945087910073527.post-28369861907716260592009-11-30T16:03:52.748-07:002009-11-30T16:03:52.748-07:00Thanks, Tess. I see. I'd guess the value of a ...Thanks, Tess. I see. I'd guess the value of a tell could depend on the story. If you have an epic with a lot of characters (Iliad, Anna Karenina) it might make it a whole lot easier if many of the characters have a tell. You may need to exaggerate for each character to get the attention they need. With a smaller story, a tell will probably get old quick.Davin Malasarnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09385823575081492949noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6599945087910073527.post-40875892351305432702009-11-30T14:21:17.952-07:002009-11-30T14:21:17.952-07:00Congrats on winning the giveaway at Market My Word...Congrats on winning the giveaway at Market My Words!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13380826220166366026noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6599945087910073527.post-64415533253362095172009-11-30T14:17:21.788-07:002009-11-30T14:17:21.788-07:00Corey: I never even thought about it in movies .. ...Corey: I never even thought about it in movies .. now I'll be looking.<br /><br />SusanRMills: me too!<br /><br />Danyelle: hello there...how are you? I need to pop over and see how the move went...<br /><br />Linda: I'm amazed at how many things I am oblivious to...funny, but true.<br /><br />Janna: thanks, I think it's on my mind because it is something I need to work on.<br /><br />Amy: well said, friend. And, I wonder if action is the same as a tell. I mean, if you have a character do something once or twice at a given moment, that is different than this book where the villan licks his lips every single scene, with every single thought. Like you said, it's all about how it is done.<br /><br />Davin: good question! a tell is something that the character does .. like a habit. Not a one time or two time action, but more like a tick or habit. Say you have a character who likes to run his fingers through his hair or another character who drinks Dr. Pepper. In moderation, it can help add dimension to the character -- but when it is done in excess OR if it is with every single character in the book (like the example I gave in the post), it gets a little comical and slap stick...in my opinion.<br /><br />lotusgirl: exactly. and, I can get carried away w/ this as well. But, I've read your work and you don't really have a problem here.<br /><br />Jackee: that is a great line, but if he scratches that stubble every time he goes to say something, then it gets a bit much. as you have it, though, it is lovely writing.<br /><br />Amy: glad you got the joke ... tried to tie it into how I was feeling after an overload of pumplin pie!<br /><br />Cynthia: I am getting frustrated with this novel I'm reading. Isn't that an interesting response?Tesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10014195715998913268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6599945087910073527.post-38590859238213472562009-11-30T14:12:31.718-07:002009-11-30T14:12:31.718-07:00Wait...are you the same TESS who won the contest a...Wait...are you the same TESS who won the contest at MARKET MY WORDS?!Anitahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06333494452915600562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6599945087910073527.post-18447383328658053692009-11-30T12:07:20.915-07:002009-11-30T12:07:20.915-07:00Great, great post, Tess! I agree: Too many charact...Great, great post, Tess! I agree: Too many character traits and descriptions can be distracting. They frustrate me when I'm reading and I definitely try to get rid of them in my writing. A few go a long way.Cynthia Chapman Willishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12408985785062180536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6599945087910073527.post-51691382973933569942009-11-30T10:40:41.831-07:002009-11-30T10:40:41.831-07:00LOL! I've never thought of characters as being...LOL! I've never thought of characters as being fat. But you're right - there needs to be more dieting out there.Clementinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08745982305618408952noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6599945087910073527.post-57278703593255284012009-11-30T10:30:54.705-07:002009-11-30T10:30:54.705-07:00I just saw this in the revisions I'm working o...I just saw this in the revisions I'm working on just as I read this:<br /><br />Squeezle scratched the gray stubble on his chin thoughtfully. “Bangor’s near twenty miles from here."<br /><br />So obviously I believe it's overkill, but only in theory. Thank goodness for revisions to trim fat!Jackeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03351019926958000627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6599945087910073527.post-25022181518792605852009-11-30T10:24:04.007-07:002009-11-30T10:24:04.007-07:00I do this sometimes, but I work not to. It's e...I do this sometimes, but I work not to. It's easy to get carried away. When I put too many ticks and tells in I generally remove the excess when I go back through. It's nice to have beta readers to help see them though. Too many tells make the characters cartoonish and unless that's what you're going for, you gotta be careful.lotusgirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06663641163048764869noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6599945087910073527.post-46107236835376726712009-11-30T10:13:37.703-07:002009-11-30T10:13:37.703-07:00Tess, I think I kind of get what you are saying, b...Tess, I think I kind of get what you are saying, but would you mind explaining what exactly you mean by "tell." Sorry if I'm being dense.Davin Malasarnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09385823575081492949noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6599945087910073527.post-13183043359728162002009-11-30T09:29:51.643-07:002009-11-30T09:29:51.643-07:00I LOVE using tells to slow down dialogue. Sometim...I LOVE using tells to slow down dialogue. Sometimes you need a beat before the reader goes to the next line. It gives the line before so much power...especially if the line is short, like "No." but the 'no' needs to be super powerful. Like, 'no, I don't want to marry you.' We need a moment for the reader to catch their breath and widen their eyes.<br /><br />Too many tells, though, start to become more like blocking in a play. They don't add anything except direction for the actors. Neat post!!Amy Allgeyer Cookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02918884239971760853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6599945087910073527.post-34646919679406193642009-11-30T09:29:40.562-07:002009-11-30T09:29:40.562-07:00Definitely sounds overwhelming! I have many instan...Definitely sounds overwhelming! I have many instances with this now, but know I'll fix it when I revise this first draft.<br /><br />Like the way you think. ;)Janna Leadbetterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06339705935553160673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6599945087910073527.post-76073965706222969942009-11-30T09:16:01.607-07:002009-11-30T09:16:01.607-07:00Oh, I think everything can be overdone, especially...Oh, I think everything can be overdone, especially character tells. I'm just thankful my crit partners help me catch things when I begin to go too far...because I'm usually oblivious to the overuse.Linda Kagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00259042112816376940noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6599945087910073527.post-88367604456774290642009-11-30T09:05:08.857-07:002009-11-30T09:05:08.857-07:00Definitely there can be too much information on so...Definitely there can be too much information on some characters. I think I tend to be more sparse in my descriptions though. I hope. O:)Danyelle L.https://www.blogger.com/profile/10366276085080565870noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6599945087910073527.post-82403197951130709162009-11-30T07:30:58.003-07:002009-11-30T07:30:58.003-07:00I have read books with overdone character tells. ...I have read books with overdone character tells. I agree that they can be distracting. I'll have to watch for this when I do my next read through.Susan R. Millshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09578747592345750650noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6599945087910073527.post-22097783947111496592009-11-30T07:24:24.767-07:002009-11-30T07:24:24.767-07:00Tricia: you hit it exactly. I love a good tell, bu...Tricia: you hit it exactly. I love a good tell, but moderation and not in every single character (imho)<br /><br />Dominique: me too! I think that is why this is on my mind .. something I need to learn from.<br /><br />Susan: how are you friend? I've read your writing and don't remember you having issue with this - no problem for you but still good to think of.<br /><br />Solvang Sherrie: yes! critique groups are wonderful for catching these things in my writing -- sooo thankful!<br /><br />Robyn: It certainly changes the tone of the book to comical when it is overdone. But, sometimes as a writer I feel so clever in my work that I can't see it. <br /><br />Jody: that's it exactly, it keeps pulling me out of the story. Those are the words I should have used.<br /><br />Suzy: of course I remember Quinn (hottie that he is)! Nothing overdone there :) And...cha-ching, eh? hmmmm....<br /><br />Scott: I can always count on you for a giggle - thanks! And, you make a good point. Character tells can make our fiction more realistic. I love how you phase them out a bit as the novel progresses. That is great advice.Tesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10014195715998913268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6599945087910073527.post-58549136412577324862009-11-30T07:22:24.541-07:002009-11-30T07:22:24.541-07:00Love this post, Tess. I have seen it overdone in ...Love this post, Tess. I have seen it overdone in books. I think I notice it even more in movies. When it's well-done, a great character quirk can make a film so much more memorable and enjoyable. I did not especially like My Big Fat Greek Wedding, but I'll always remember the old guy who Windexed everything!Corey Schwartzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03883689227283545602noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6599945087910073527.post-24541992253727420462009-11-30T07:08:11.236-07:002009-11-30T07:08:11.236-07:00I have a family of characters that consistently ar...I have a family of characters that consistently arch their right eyebrows. I have a character who bites his lower lip. I have a character that drums his fingers on the table. I have a co-worker who yawns very loudly and dramatically . . . oh, wait, we're talking about characters and not real people . . . sorry.<br /><br />I use these specific traits (i.e. tells) more often early in the novel, and less often as the novel progresses. I think that most readers, after a while, know the tells of a character and don't need to be told about the tells. : )<br /><br />I think when an author uses tells way too often, it does become a bit overdone, just like your turkey! <br /><br />SScotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06905515473737579937noreply@blogger.com