Musings on a Character: Archangel Gabriel.
Dec. 6th, 2009 04:34 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
misslj_author'It is a universal truth that must be acknowledged that a single man in possession of a large fortune must be in want of a wife.'
So wrote Jane Austen in Pride and Prejudice, and while I'm not looking for a single man in possession of a large fortune or, in fact, to be anyone's wife, I am a writer in possession of a large fortune of words in want of a story to put them in. (Do you like what I did there? 4:20am for the win!)
One of the things I do when embarking on a story with a character I haven't taken around the block for a spin a time or two is role play with that character. Sounds crazy, I know. I fully understand that it's not the most orthodox way of getting into a new character's head, but for me, it works. So when I first started playing around with the character of Archangel Gabriel, the initial concern was one of believability: could I make him be a likable, personable character who was also pretty badass?
Aparently I can, because even after an edit that shook me pretty hard (and edits never shake me up, I am the teflon coated writer 99.9% of the time), I was feeling fairly sorry for myself and wondering at the point of it all. We all do this from time to time, because writing is hard and writing well is harder. Anyway, imagine my shock when I discover that my baby, my cute little badass Archangel is currently number one most nominated original male character in an awards community. (Nota bene: Not linking, because I like to keep these things very separate, so, um, sorry about that.)
It's the little things and while this is probably to most people a fairly insignificant thing, to be nominated so much by my peers for this character I've slaved over and written and rewritten to the nth degree in order to make him the way I want him to be, is just incredibly touching. It's incredibly gratifying as well, and it's that jolt of positive reinforcement I needed at a moment when I felt particularly down on myself.
Sometimes, these jolts come along when you need them the most and this one was certainly the shot in the arm that I needed. Even if he doesn't win anything, the fact that he was, as of this weekend, number one most nominated original male character, is amazing to me. I'm touched, honoured and grateful that he's so appreciated and so enjoyed. And that his personality and voice is so appreciated - even if he's hated, which is also good, because he's supposed to be hated by Team Hell - is amazing to me. Using rp to flesh him out and make him more real in my head before putting him into novel format was definitely one of the best uses of my time and energy.
And it was - and is - fun. :)
So wrote Jane Austen in Pride and Prejudice, and while I'm not looking for a single man in possession of a large fortune or, in fact, to be anyone's wife, I am a writer in possession of a large fortune of words in want of a story to put them in. (Do you like what I did there? 4:20am for the win!)
One of the things I do when embarking on a story with a character I haven't taken around the block for a spin a time or two is role play with that character. Sounds crazy, I know. I fully understand that it's not the most orthodox way of getting into a new character's head, but for me, it works. So when I first started playing around with the character of Archangel Gabriel, the initial concern was one of believability: could I make him be a likable, personable character who was also pretty badass?
Aparently I can, because even after an edit that shook me pretty hard (and edits never shake me up, I am the teflon coated writer 99.9% of the time), I was feeling fairly sorry for myself and wondering at the point of it all. We all do this from time to time, because writing is hard and writing well is harder. Anyway, imagine my shock when I discover that my baby, my cute little badass Archangel is currently number one most nominated original male character in an awards community. (Nota bene: Not linking, because I like to keep these things very separate, so, um, sorry about that.)
It's the little things and while this is probably to most people a fairly insignificant thing, to be nominated so much by my peers for this character I've slaved over and written and rewritten to the nth degree in order to make him the way I want him to be, is just incredibly touching. It's incredibly gratifying as well, and it's that jolt of positive reinforcement I needed at a moment when I felt particularly down on myself.
Sometimes, these jolts come along when you need them the most and this one was certainly the shot in the arm that I needed. Even if he doesn't win anything, the fact that he was, as of this weekend, number one most nominated original male character, is amazing to me. I'm touched, honoured and grateful that he's so appreciated and so enjoyed. And that his personality and voice is so appreciated - even if he's hated, which is also good, because he's supposed to be hated by Team Hell - is amazing to me. Using rp to flesh him out and make him more real in my head before putting him into novel format was definitely one of the best uses of my time and energy.
And it was - and is - fun. :)
