Some questions. - Writers Forum

Olivia · 11-22-2005, 12:41 PM

Do you guys have any tips on how to get your actors to act more mature? At the moment alot of my characters are acting very childish!I have these two guys who are around 19 and 17 but are acting like pre-teens! So what is it that make readers to realize what ages they are?And is it a good idea to go into details when you are writing a fantasy book? Are prologues a good thing? Or do they just make readers not wanting to read the book?

heiningerhl · 11-22-2005, 01:14 PM

I can't help with the majority of your questions, but I may be able to help with the age problem.

first of all, listen to how young adults talk. use the vocabulary of a young adult, or what ever age group you are writing in. don't use words above or below, depending on what kind of picture you are painting.

--

ie:

Robby looked upon his girlfriend in pain and frustration. Eyes narrowed, he stated flatly, "Hello. Listen to me, babe. We are not breaking up. Okay? Now listen to what you are saying."

Bev sighed heavily and shifted her weight as she rolled her eyes. "Robby, that's all you ever say. 'Listen to what you are saying.' Listen to your self for once! Present a good fight! You are so stupid sometimes!"

--

okay. that wasn't the best of examples, but hopefully i got my point across.

another thing you could do is read a book with the age level of charractures you are writing at. that may help immensely.

hope i helped...

(edit:

about the details in the fantasy books. i have to have details, or i become uninterested. so in my opinion, details=good.... )

suzakugaiden · 11-22-2005, 04:44 PM

""Hello. Listen to me, babe. We are not breaking up. Okay? Now listen to what you are saying.""

I don't talk like that and I'm 18. I don't know anyone that talks like that.

Anyway, "oh my god" and "random" are the current overused phrases and words of the moment. I think I may be responsbile for the latter.

Also, the 16-22 age demographic isn't really the apex of maturity anyway.

ravravrav · 11-22-2005, 06:46 PM

they are practically pre-teens aren't they?

mammamaia · 11-23-2005, 09:22 AM

olivia...
the best way to learn how to do this well is to read/study lots of the best-selling books with characters the age range of your own... and, as noted above, listen to kids in shopping malls, on the street, in school [if you're there] and in family situations, to hear see how they act and to hear how they speak...

as has been also noted, guys that age DO often act and sound like pre-teens [LOS], so you'll have to make their real ages known in other ways... how they dress, relationships, etc....

as for:

Quote:

And is it a good idea to go into details when you are writing a fantasy book?

...that depends on what you mean by 'details'... you certainly DO have to 'set' the scene of the world you're writing about, which will of necessity involve a significant amount of detail in re locale, native critters, etc...

Quote:

Are prologues a good thing? Or do they just make readers not wanting to read the book?

...they can occasionally [rarely!] be a good thing, or often be an awful thing... it depends on how good the writer is and how necessary [or not] the prologue is... a poor/unnecessary one can definitely be a turn-off and lose the buyers/readers...

...hope this is some help... hugs, maia