Monday 24 June 2013

New Web Site

I've been busy... I've set up a new web site!


I'd be delighted if you want to check it out. I'm open to advice and criticism.

In other news, I'm two-thirds of the way through my novel, and I've already started thinking about the next one. This is a badly timed because I really need to focus on the current one. It's not easy getting into the head of this current character - he's a bit odd, to say the least! Every so often I get the feeling he's not as bad as I need him to be, so I have to go back and re-write to stop him handing himself into the authorities or disappearing into the sunset with a trusty side-kick.

Do your characters ever work against you?
How to do pull them back into line?


75 comments:

  1. Love the website, it looks good!

    Yay for new ideas! I am constantly worried I will run out of new plots, so whenever a new one pops up, it's exciting!

    My characters usually have better ideas than me,so I let them get on with it LOL!

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    1. Thanks Kyra. You've got loads of novels stored in your head - you won't run out of ideas!

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  2. my characters have been trying to kiss for the first time after 37 years of being apart. i still can't get the right mood, description, whatever. this scene "tasks me."

    i looked at your new website. i like the stark contrasts, and your header image. the font was a little small for me to read (50 year old eyes here).

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    1. That must be a really hard scene to write, Michelle. It has to be just right, doesn't it? Good luck with it. I'm not sure how I'd feel kissing someone after 37 years.

      The difference between that font size and the next one up was quite a difference. I might look at it again in a couple of weeks time. Thanks for the input.

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  3. Oh my god yes! I created a character to be a moral compass for another, and she failed at that and didn't stop him from committing murder at all. Haven't fixed that yet though, I'll let you know.

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    1. Lol, sounds like the new character had wildly different ideas from you!

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  4. Also, just checked out your site and loved it. Currently have trouble with Google, what did you use and was it easy? Cuz I might switch, depending on if the Internet here will let me.

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    1. I used Weebly for the site - free, but basic in terms of stats etc. But the actual design side of things was pretty foolproof.

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  5. I love the new site! It looks great. :)

    Good luck with your character. I've had a few of those myself.

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    1. Thanks Dana. Unruly characters are an interesting species, aren't they?

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  6. I need a new website. I've been putting it off because...well, because that's what I do.

    And yes, my characters constantly work against me. I threatened to kill them all in a big battle scene, but it didn't seem to faze them much, so I just go with it and see where it leads. Like Kyra said, they usually have better ideas that me.

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    1. Yes, I'd been putting the web site off for a while too - I had the idea a few months ago. And in the end, once I'd decided, it was up within three or four hours. Too simple!

      I'm leading up to a big battle too, fingers crossed :-)

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  7. Sometimes it seems like my characters are giving me the silent treatment, which is when I get stuck in my writing. But they say things that surprise me, because I wasn't even thinking of them before.

    I'm on my way to see your new website now!

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    1. Characters are really surprising sometimes. Mine have done some really odd things recently!

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  8. I love the photos on the site! I have trouble reading black backgrounds, but that might just be me.

    For some reason, my "bad guy" characters are always the loudest and most "alive" in my head. Not sure what that says about me, but I don't want to analyze it too much. :)

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    1. I wanted the site to be dark because it matches the tone of most of my stories, sorry.

      Bad guys are so much more fun to write!

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  9. I always get new ideas at the worst times, thank you writer brain! And my characters always work against me, but somehow it's what makes my stories better!

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    1. Why have an easy story when you can have a load of obstacles thrown around the place? Characters know best - I know, because Kyra said it at the top of these comments :-)

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  10. The website looks great! I love the black and white. And yeah, a character in my current project just can't seem to make up his mind about if he wants to be a hard soldier or a conflicted teen. It's giving me a headache, but I'm loving the challenge.

    Karen

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    1. Thank you! That's some conflict, I hope he resolves it soon :-)

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  11. My characters work against me and fight each other for face time. I outline the story, then as I fill it out often the characters will dictate the flow, conflict, and twists and turns as I develop them further.

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    1. I never outline. My current bad guy infiltrated this novel and made it his own. I'll never understand how that happened!

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  12. It looks great! I'm going to revamp mine in a day or two. If I can't figure things out...are you open to whiney, help me emails? LOL. I think I'm going to tale advantage of college kids being home and "hire" me a programmer ;)

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    1. Feel free to ask questions, although I don't think I'm anywhere near as knowledgeable as college kids!

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  13. Looks great! Simple and easy to navigate. I like the header photo, especially in black and white.

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    1. Thanks Alex. Once I figure it out a bit more, I might get more adventurous. But I like 'simple and easy' :-)

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  14. I like the new site. Simple and easy to navigate. :)

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  15. Nifty site.I'm quite impressed. Glad you are being prolific. I just haven't been writing a thing. Oh well. Hopefully some suppressed characters will arise soon. Good luck with your writing - you are on a roll

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    1. Thanks Joanne :-) I'm sure lots of characters will be banging on your door soon!

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  16. I love the website! It looks great and was very easy to navigate. Great work!

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  17. The new site looks great, love the photo - very atmospheric!

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    1. Thanks Suzanne. It's a great photo, isn't it? I could write a story about it!

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  18. Oh sounds like you've been hard at work-- can't wait to check out the new site.

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  19. I like how you set up the pages for your books. Very professional.

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    1. Thanks Diane! It's great to get your opinion on this :-)

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  20. Your new site looks great!
    Love the black/white theme...
    Writer In Transit

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  21. Looks crisp!

    I could swear I've seen the cover of "That Sadie Thing" somewhere else before...

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    1. Thanks Charlie. Yes, that cover's popped up in a couple of places :-)

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  22. Love the new site Annalisa and I LOVE the photo!!

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    1. Thanks Keith. It's a stock photo from the host site, so if I start to see it around too much, I'll have to change it. Fingers crossed it won't be too soon :-)

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  23. Great job! Love the new site Annalisa!
    Nutschell
    www.thewritingnut.com

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  24. The website looks AMAZING. I love the colors. When I do a site, I want to have the same kind of black and white vibe. Really cool!!!!

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  25. Oooh, beautiful! Very clean and easy to navigate. Good work!

    Sarah Allen
    (From Sarah, With Joy)

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  26. Cool site. I like the clean look of Weebly sites.

    Give the character time. I journal in a character's voice if I'm frustrated.

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    1. Thanks Medeia. A journal sounds like a good idea - I might use that. He actually writes his thoughts down a lot in the novel, although I never show what he's written.

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  27. The new site looks great. I've decided taken the plunge too with a new place. It's scary and exciting!

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    1. Thanks Heather. Now I have the new issue of getting traffic over there as well :-)

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  28. To be completely truthful, it's sort of odd, but I make a small "chat" between my characters, as though they've met in an online chat room, and just let them talk it out. Usually the characters are eager to get back to business when they're done in there!

    Nice website! (:

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    1. I do something similar - I actually talk out loud as one character and imagine what the other would reply. And yes, I did just admit I talk to my characters :-)

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  29. Great web site!

    As far as characters go, mine run all over me. But then again, so do most people in my real life- LOL

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    1. The only thing worse than characters with a mind of their own is a character without any mind at all!

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  30. I can write a narrative and make it go the way I want, but once I start on dialogue the characters take over and I have to haul them back into line. The trouble is I do like telling my stories with dialogue.

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  31. I like your website and I LOVE the pic; it's beautiful.

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    1. Thank you. It's a work-in-progress but I couldn't wait to share it :-)

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  32. characters can be ornery sometimes! but thats what makes them fun to read!

    congrats on your tour & new happenings!

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    1. Fingers crossed my character will come across as I intend him too!

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  33. Your website looks great! I like the minimalist look. Sometimes our blogs can get too cluttered up with buttons and pictures and links and lists. Your website has a wonderful "clean" look :)

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    1. Thanks Rachel! Yes, a clean slate look is just what I wanted. I'm trying to aim that blog/website towards readers, and I don't think they care I'm got a Liebster Award once :-)

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  34. Dig your sleek and Matrix-y look of your new site! Skimming through it, I was reminded you're in Cornwall. Do you live in a lovely seaside village like Portwenn (aka Port Isaac) on Doc Martin??? (I adore that show!)
    Some Dark Romantic

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    1. Ooh, Matrix! I love that comparison :-) I don't live anywhere that looks remotely Cornish. It's a town, just close to lots of nice places!

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  35. Good luck with the new blog Annalisa, it does look very well...the hard part is making it visible on the search engines...but I'm sure you know what you have to do. I wish you inspiration with your characters...

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  36. The new website is fantastic... I love it. It's clean and easy to navigate... exactly what you want:)

    Well done on the progress of your current book. I'm half way through the draft of my current project and like you, I'm thinking about the next story:)

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    1. The current WIP is slowly getting there, give or take a couple of blips along the way. Sounds like you're being very productive. Thanks for checking out the website :-)

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  37. Congratulations! I am so happy for you! Your website is beautiful and amazing and you totally deserve it. Enjoy!

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