Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Hard Characters

Guest post by Kathryn.
Bio: I enjoy to read, write, and volunteer with special needs kids. I've been published in Stone Soup, and am super excited to be published on TWFT!

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I was reading the entry about “Cliches in YA writing,” and absolutely loved it. And, it got me thinking about some types of characters that I REALLY wish were easy to write up, because they’re, well, funny.

1.)  The Zany, crazy, spaz-girl.

You know, the one of TV shows, (For example, Addison from Suite Life on Deck) that is always radiating with energy, as if they’re on major sugar-high. The girl that talks super fast, with no pauses, and hands are forever flapping with excitement. If you’re like me, you love those people. And, if you’re also like me, you want to have them in your writing, but find them too complex to create.
2.) The health-nut gym teacher, that confiscates junk food, and makes kids do insane tabata workouts at detention.

I have a wellness teacher like this, and I keep track of all of the things she says. For instance, she made two boys do a whole workout in the hallway, because they slammed into my sister, racing to class. But, as much as I’ve tried, I can’t seem to create a character like her, without having the issue of severe-tackiness.


3.) The popular girl, who has no visible nice thing about her.

You know how in Disney Channel movies, the popular girl always has a tiny moment where the MC overhears her talking to herself, or crying, or showing some other weakness (cough cough Radio Rebel cough cough)? And you’re always wanting to scream“NO! It isn’t like that in
real life! The popular girl doesn’t give us a big revealing moment, she just stays a nasty brat!”
 But, unfortunately, books are cheesy, if Little-Miss-Future-Prom-Queen shows no weakness. So in the end, the story has to have some Disney Channel in it. UGH!  

 4.) The teacher who acts like a total hippie.
I personally would LOVE to have a hippie-teacher in one of my stories. You know, the one who (if a girl) wears long skirts in bright floral patterns, and brings a guitar into homeroom so that the class can experience the joy of singing folk songs. But somehow, my dream-character is staying in my dreams.
 If anyone has any suggestions (or more awesome character profiles) please tell me so!

-Katy

4 comments:

  1. I have a Music teacher who I'd love to add to the list. He loves playing the recorder and accuses everyone of "nervous laughing" as well as made us -as eight-graders- sing second-grade level songs, and he didn't like anyone. He also has a punishment system that is public, so everyone can see who got a warning or whatever (as if we really care). My mom told me to "write it all down" (aka, stop complaining). I also have had an odd librarian and a tech teacher who wasn't certified and told us all about her divorce and how she worked in a doughnut factory. Ironically, her name was Ms. Champion.

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  2. That's actually kind of funny, poor you. :.(

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  3. Nice story kathryn but you got it wrong i hAD AN IMPRINT OF ONE OF THEIR STOMACCHS ON MINE AND (OH CAPS LOCK IS ON) and im proud of of you kathryn

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    1. ouch I have BAD grammer.

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