To continue what I said last week. Reading is all about the Visuals to me.

As an author,
The first thing I do when i start a series or a new novel. I pick out what my characters look like. I pick a location (95 percent of the time it's a place I've been. 5 Percent of the time it is a figment of my imagination, completely made up).

Character Selection:
Let me start by saying I don't do anything special to find characters. I think of some characteristics i want them to have and I either get on Pinterest or google to find the best possible match. I love having my characters packed in a little folder so I can look it over to make sure I'm accurately describing them. 
By doing this it solves a number of issues for me. 
1. Consistency since I have pictures of what I expect my characters to look like I consistently describe what they look like without accidentally changing their eye color or hair color half way through. (I've seen this in books and it's a pet peeve of mine.)
2. It gives me something to inspire me to write. I can start mauling over a scene and imagine what It will look like with my chosen characters. 
3. I'm ahead of the game if there is a movie made. (lol J/K).

I guess it is time to pose my question? Writers how do you come up with the physical attributes of your characters? Readers, do you think having that image of the character is helpful before you read the book?? 


TTFN,

LL

I wanted to write this post about another oddity I have. My posts are starting to be all of random reading and writing Quirks I have discovered over the years.. 

As a reader:
This week it's about being Visual. As an avid reader for my entire life. There is always something I do when reading a book. I picture the characters and sort of play out the story in movie form in my head. For example, Kim Harrison's series The Hollows (If you didn't already know. I am OBSESSED with this series) I have cast this book in my head. Every single character my personal favorite Trent (Alex Pettyfer). 

Back to my point, I personally like being given detail but sometimes I take some creative liberations and don't like to be pigeon holed into my images. (Movies where the characters don't match in my head.) Does anyone else do this? How do you picture the books you read? Do you imagine anything at all?

TTFN, 
LL

Tune in Next Thursday to see the Author interpretation of Let's Get Visual.

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Book News: 69 days until the Release of Familiar (Book 3 in The Rena Files)!

I skipped Musical Tuesday.... if you didn't know it's Wednesday. 

To more important matters. This girl typing has not only finally graduated from graduate school, but stumbled upon a job, and found a new apartment close by in a matter of days. I didn't realize I was that good until it was all wrapped up. On top of the job hunt and apartment hunt, I have had so much free time to write. I don't think I'm using it effectively enough. 

For example, yesterday I sat down and wrote 2,500 words. That's pretty big for me now. Before gradschool (B.G.) i easily wrote 5000 or more words a day. I've lost a little steam with all the work and haven't been able to write that much in almost 2 years. I'm so happy to be picking up again. I don't write based on my count but it feels good to make a dent in what you are writing and feel like you are getting somewhere. 

I guess I will just pose a question for everyone. Fellow writers, do you set limits for yourself? Word Limits? Chapter Limits?
Why?