Oddbean

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 #WordWeavers 2 — Who is your most intriguing character?

I can never choose anything "the most" or "the best" 😅  The MCs have intriguing past, and there is usually at least something interesting about other characters, often related to their culture. 

But maybe throughout the story, Sammah's friend Adri will be one of the most intriguing, because the reader will experience her through an unreliable narrator, thinking that she's hiding something and changing their opinion about her a few times.

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 @d73175df 

Unreliable narrators are the best!

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 @8a4a4980 I agree, they are such a great way to mislead or confuse the readers 😁

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 #WordWeavers 3 — conveying characters’ emotions

Through sensory details like sweaty palms or suddenly being super sensitive to a smell & annoyed by it; body language & internal sensations (heartbeat, warmth in their chest, breath, etc.); the way they talk, or refuse to talk; facial expressions & where they look or don't look; their thoughts. Sometimes I also just say it outright, though I know it's not the best practice, but sometimes the characters are aware of their emotions & can name them.

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 @d73175df Yes, I think when a character can identify an emotion and know why it's being triggered, it's really helpful character development.

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 @433fb3d4 It can be, in certain contexts 😊 I think if they are always able to do that, it can be a bit boring, but it's also unrealistic for someone to never know what they're feeling and why.

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 #WordWeavers 4 — Character development, world-building, plot — how much attention do you pay to each?

In my first book, it was the plot. Not that I overlooked the other 2, but they weren't deep.

In my new book, I had fun with all 3! As a sci-fi author, creating a world my readers can experience is an enjoyable challenge. Getting to know my characters, their past & reasons for doing things, & giving them satisfying arcs is very rewarding. And the plot is inseparable from the other 2.

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 @d73175df Looking forward to exploring the world you created (already pre-ordered the book!) :D

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 @66e742bb Aw, thank you so much! 😊 🧡

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 @d73175df The plot is inseparable. I think in terms of a play where a bunch of actors are all looking at one another and wondering what to do. 😆

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 @7b682b86 Haha, we don't want that 😁 I think sometimes well-developed characters and world can be enough for the plot to sort of arise on its own, but in my case, some nudging is definitely necessary 😁 I need to have at least a vague idea of what I want to happen or where I want the story to go, and then the creative juices can flow.

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 @d73175df I agree. It’s amazing what can surface in the drafting and editing phases as we go deeper and deeper. 😃

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 @7b682b86 True!

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 #WordWeavers 5 — How often do you discuss your writing with your real-life friends and family?

Very rarely with most people, and it's mostly about what stage of writing I'm at or when the book is coming out, or very generally what it's about.

I have a former colleague who is a writer too — we rarely talk, but when we do, we go all in, and it's very fun 😁 

My partner is the person I talk about it most often, and I also sometimes consult him as my "expert" on certain issues he's proficient at.