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Friday, March 9, 2012

WIP The Movie Bloghop

Kyra Lennon and Rachel Schieffelbein are hosting a cool blogfest today.

This blogfest seems custom made for me since I'm having some trouble concentrating on my wip. The idea is to cast at least one character from your work in progress, post a picture of him or her on your blog and post at least one song that would be on the soundtrack. Kyra says that, if you've never imagined your book being made into a movie, your pants are probably on fire. I've checked my pants and there's not so much as a suggestion of smoke.

Before Interview With A Vampire became a movie, someone asked Anne Rice what actor she thought should play Lestat. Not only was Tom Cruise NOT even her last choice, she always thought of Lestat as a young Rutger Hauer.


Rutger Hauer
Huh? Him? WHY? I thought. He's so not Lestat (though I liked him in Blade Runner.) That's when I realized that authors should not cast their own characters. But I'm going to anyway.

That said, I have trouble picturing my protagonist. I know what she's like. I know how she feels and how she thinks. I know what would make her laugh and cry. But I only have a rough sketch of what she looks like. She's sixteen. She's tall for a girl. She's on the lanky side. She doesn't think much of her looks, so she doesn't think about her looks much. She's got short dark hair with long, in her face bangs. She's got a shock of white hair (natural) in her bangs. She wears dickies and t-shirts and bites her nails. She's actually quite beautiful - or she will be. She's a cygnet waiting to be a swan. She's also isolated by her ability to find things, especially things that want to stay hidden. It makes her lonely and awkward.

She actually looks a lot like my best friend Joyce did in high school. But if I post a picture of Joyce from high school here, she will probably never speak to me again.

So here's a bunch of pictures that give a rough approximate of what Mop (Margaret) from my wip Find Me looks like:
From Let the Right One In- Lina Leandersson

And what Lina looks like when she's not a vampire

Errata Stigmata from Love & Rockets

Gorgeous drawing of Hopey by Jaime Hernandez


And though I've been writing to the Downton Abbey soundtrack (which is totally inappropriate for the Find Me soundtrack!) I think one song that's got to be on is The Thin Man by Kristen Hersh. It's just so atmospheric and it matches the bittersweet ending I'm planning for Mop!



I'm actually SO GLAD I did this. I was apprehensive at first, about pinning the character down (which is why I did the bloghop, if it makes me nervous, I tend to want to do it!) But I actually am amped to get writing. This is a great exercise to add to the writer's arsenal of motivating tools. Thanks Kyra and Rachel!

So, how would you cast your wip? Also, go check out other's in the bloghop.







22 comments:

  1. Wow, I'm so glad it helped! I loved your explanation of the way your character looks, and the pictures and music you chose too!

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    1. I've done quite a few blogfests, Kyra and this has been my favorite. Thanks!

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  2. I like how you included the picture of the actress when she's not a vampire. Kristen Hersh is brilliant.

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    1. MJ - Kristen Hersh is awesome isn't she? It's amazing how much a song can 'flavor' writing - even if the words don't fit with the story. Sometimes it's just atmosphere. Love that!

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  3. I think it's neat that you write to music that doesn't match your story - I listen to a lot of jazz while I'm writing, and it tends to bring out emotions I don't know that I'd find otherwise. And Mop sounds really interesting, like the kind of girl I would've hung out with in high school!

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    1. Daisy - I do that all the time - For some reason, I listened to Joy Division endlessly for my last book and I swear it wasn't even a little depressing. Weird huh? And I think I DID hang out with Mop in high school ;)

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  4. I love Downton Abbey! I bet the music is amazing :) And I think it's so cool that Mop is a compilation of pictures.

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  5. I think I'm the only person on the planet who hasn't seen Interview with a Vampire. Anywho.. I love the description of your character. All the pictures compiled I could see how pieces of each of them would work. ANd great song! Listening to it now :) New follower *waves*

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    1. Hi Theresa *waves back* nice to meet you. You need to read those Anne Rice books, girl!

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  6. Lina sounds like someone I'd like to meet. :)

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  7. Love the songs and pictures you picked. It feels like I already know your character.

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  8. Love Lina Lindersson - a great visual of transformation. Something a lot of us girls can relate to :) Great job!

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  9. I really love your cast. They feel very real too me. Very good!

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  10. Great job! And I love Mop as a nickname for Margaret. (My youngest is Margaret, I may just call her that.) ;)

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    1. Rachel - thanks for co=hosting the blogfest - it's really focused my attention on my wip in a new way. And Mop is short for Moppet - it's what her mother calls her, so it makes sense!

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  11. I had a hard time picking someone too. So I went with an actress I know is too old and would never play the part but the action shots she's in totally encompass my character.

    I love that you showed the different aspects of your character!

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  12. I like how you say authors shouldn't cast their own films :-) I like the description of your character. Makes me want to read the book. So hurry up and get your wip finished :-)

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  13. Love the drawing and your character pictures! Awesome choices!

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  14. Great post! I had trouble with casting, too, but like you, it got me excited to work on my story. Your WIP sounds great!

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  15. I LOVE IT! Love that drawing as well. Beautiful!

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