ROSACon2020 - Annual Conference of Romance Writers Organisation of South Africa

2020 has been the year of the parties that weren't. Weddings canceled. Theatre shows. Dream trips. Family reunions. 

But there's one show that is going on, and it will, as usual, bring all the feels: the love, the excitement, the joy, the camaraderie, all the good stuff you know you need right now. 

Of course the party I'm talking about is The Romance Writers Organisation of South Africa's annual conference.  And you don't even have to but a plane ticket or book a hotel room. 

Because #ROSACon2020 is a virtual event, and it's open to all levels of writers.  

Wait, wait. Don't log off. We know you've done a huge amount of virtual things in 2020.  We know you might have digital fatigue. So, we have prepared a programme for #ROSACon2020 that has such an intriguing array of speakers, topics and events, it will only leave you inspired and empowered. The conference will flow from local speaker to international, from workshop to presentation, from pitch to writing sprint with space in between to relax, or fetch a coffee or network, depending on your mood. 

Are you a beginner writer?  Have you started your first manuscript ever? Or are you a fledgling? Do you have a manuscript that is ready to fly the nest? Are you already down the road, manuscripts out and about, but the road has a few potholes? Are you a seasoned writer, with contracts and bestsellers? 

Each conference day includes a writing sprint or a writing exercise to keep out reason for being in focus. But, this time, you won't be alone at your desk. Find the full program HERE

Kickstarting the conference on a high note is international guest speaker, Julia Quinn, the bestselling author of the Bridgerton historical romance novels, which is coming soon as a Netflix series. We are so excited to hear what Julia has to say in the Keynote Address on Day One.

Are you writing YA? Or a high concept novel? Then make sure it's not your turn to cook dinner on 20 October 2020 because those two genres are on the programme between 17h30 and 19h30 at #ROSACon2020.

Interested in pitching your manuscript? There are six opportunities over the course of #ROSACon2020 to pitch to editors and publishers. (You need to pre-book for these.)

What about marketing? Is that your nemesis? Then Day Two is for you. In one of the presentations, Skye Warren, bestselling author and marketing maven, will share cost effective marketing strategies that work.

Stephen King said, 'To write is human but to edit is divine.'  Editor Joanne Grant will tell you more about editing, what editors expect from authors and what authors can expect from their editors. 

How about writing romance in South Africa? Do you set your books here? Do you write Afrikaans?  If you said yes to either of those, then please join us early on Day Three to hear a number of guest speakers, including Izak de Vries, who will share data about current local book sales and marketing trends.

Indie Authors, Day Four is for you, from Cover Design to Self Publishing tips. Don't miss it. 

On Saturday, we have the wonderful experienced local writer, Elsa Winckler, sharing her wisdom at the start of the day. Later on we have a talk by New York Times Best Selling author, Shirley Jump, on scenes and sequels, and then the inimitable fountain of knowledge, Jane Friedman, will talk about the thing that plagues most writers: self doubt. 

On Saturday evening all the writers who entered the 2020 Imbali and Strelitzia Contest will be on the edge of their seats at the Awards Ceremony, when the winners will be announced. Have your bubbly ready to celebrate all our published and unpublished authors at the event. 

Sunday will include a session about writing the male point of view, and #ROSACon2020 will close with an inspiring talk by bestselling author and Entangled Managing Editor, Candace Havens. She will help us to keep on dreaming big. 

Please join us. Even if you don't write romance. Yes. You. The person in the back writing Cozy Mysteries. Or Fantasy. Or Crime. Whatever you write. There is so much to learn about the craft of writing at #ROSACon2020.

But you know what the best part is? Love is not just a genre. You will find it in this tribe. A tribe who will support you, cheer for you, push you, advise you and most of all, be kind to you, throughout your journey as a writer. 

Wouldn't you agree, in the year 2020, that this is what all of us need?

Meet Elsa Winckler - Multiple Award Winner, who writes in English and Afrikaans

In an effort to really get to know each other, we thought it would be a good idea to publish a series of interviews with fellow ROSA members to learn more about who they are, what they've published and what makes them tick. We'd like ALL our members to feature, so please drop our chairperson, Romy, an email on romy@romancewriters.co.za and she'll send you some questions to answer.

Meet the lovely Elsa 

What is the last romance novel you read?

For seven nights only - Sarah Balance

What type of Romance / what genre do you write?

Contemporary

Are you published yet? If so, with whom?

Escape Publishing, Etopia Press and HarperImpulse

What do you love most about writing?

Creating characters

And what is your biggest challenge as a writer?

To find time

Do you have a playlist while you write?

No, I don’t listen to music while I write, but songs definitely inspire some stories

What was the inspiration behind your last book?

An article I read about an animal communicator

What is your proudest achievement as a writer?

Three awards

What advice would you give someone who tell you they want to write?

Sit down and write

If you could give your life / dreams / goals a hashtag, what would it be?

#happy

What keeps you motivated to write?

All the voices in my head

What is your writing schedule like - do you write every day / a certain time of day?

On a perfect day, I write from 9:00 till 16:00 when I have to start cooking

(Okay, we all hate you a bit now, Elsa!)

Tell us about the first love story you ever wrote.

It was in Afrikaans. At the time I was the admin lady at the English Department at the University of Stellenbosch and we had a professor from the Engineering department who enrolled for English I. That got me thinking - what if …?

You probably get this question a lot...but are you related to Heinz Winckler?

Yes, I'm his mom!

(Okay, we love you again, Elsa!)

What is the best part about being part of ROSA?

My fellow Rosas are all formidable women and everyone is so supportive.

Connect with Elsa on Facebook. And visit her website: http://elsawinckler.com/

#ROSACon2015: Carolyn Meads on 'Wat uitgewers in Liefdesverhale begeer'

Once again thanks to Elsa Winckler for this report back on #ROSACon2015. The guest speaker, Carolyn Meads is an editor at NB Uitgewers, responsible for their Afrikaans romance lines. She spoke about what publishers look for in romances.

Wat uitgewers begeer:

Carolyn Meads, Uitgewer: Queillerie (drukkersnaam van NB Uitgewers)

Carolyn het in haar hoedanigheid as uitgewer gesels oor wat uitgewers verlang wanneer dit by die liefdesverhaal kom.

Plot/Verhaallyn:

• Die kernverhaal = ontwikkeling van verhouding tussen held en heldin. Storie van verlief en lief word.
• Die leser weet wie die held is en dat hy en die heldin uiteindelik saam sal opeindig, maar die lekkerte lê in hóé hulle die struikelblokke gaan oorkom.
• ’n Goeie liefdesverhaalplot bevat niks wat irrelevant is nie. Alles dra by tot die opbou van spanning tussen die held en heldin.
• Geen streng resep by NB-Liefdesverhale, maar sekere kern-gebeure:

◦ Ontmoeting (vroeg reeds)
◦ Struikelblokke (opbou van spanning)
◦ Klimaks
◦ Gelukkige einde

• Spanning = opbou van begeerte en konflik

Plot/Verhaallyn: Begeerte:

• Leser wil saam met heldin op die held verlief raak. Lees agter emosionele belewenis aan. Bly geboei want wag vir uiteindelike vervulling.
• Selfs sexy boeke nie net oor fisieke begeerte nie. Eerstens emosionele vervulling. Wanneer hulle besef dat hulle lief is vir mekaar en dit vir mekaar sê.
• Opbou verloop min of meer só:

◦ Ontmoet en is aangetrokke tot mekaar – al ontken hulle dit◦ Verliefdheid groei (verhouding vorder fisiek en emosioneel)
◦ Een, uiteindelik albei, besef hulle is lief vir die ander, maar sê dit nie (baie belangrike oomblik!)
◦ Liefdesverklaring geskied na aan einde (as dit vroeër gebeur is daar geen spanning nie)

Plot / Verhaallyn: konflik

• Pasop vir te veel eksterne konflik. Opeenstapeling van gebeure.
• As jy dít doen is daar nie genoeg ruimte om die hoofkarakter se gedagtes en emosies te verken nie.
• Interne, emosionele konflik is belangrik: Vloei uit verskillende geaardhede en oortuigings, hoe jy grootgemaak is, agergrond en ervarings. Lyk eers onoorkombaar.
• Baklei oënskynlik oor uiterlike kwessies, maar innerlike konflik lê daaragter. Wys gedagtes.
• Diepte en kompleksiteit aan konflik, nie eenvoudige misverstande soos in ouer verhale nie.
• Elke keer as ’n struikelblok oorkom is, ontstaan ’n meer intense een. Moenie te maklik oplos nie.

Karakters:

• Plot groei uit geloofwaardige, volronde, gemotiveerde karakters.
• Emosionele band vorm, verstaan karakters se motivering. Realistiese emosionele reaksies.
• Die skrywer moet die karakters deur en deur ken. Maar nie alles vind neerslag in die verhaal nie. Net wat relevant is.
• Verklap inligting oor karakters bietjies-bietjies op subtiele wyse deur verloop van verhaal. (Gedagtes, stukkies dialoog, kwalifiserende teks.)
• Nie een groot blok beskrywing aan die begin nie. Pasop vir telling in plaas van showing en infodumps.
• Hoofkarakters is geïdealiseerd, maar geloofwaardig binne die konteks van die verhaal. Nie karikatuur, emosioneel kompleks.
• Moenie die leser oorweldig met te veel karakters nie.
• Elke karakter daar vir ’n spesifieke doel, nie oorvleueling.
• Newekarakters moet ook volronde karakters wees maar nie die verhaal oorheers nie. ’n Tweede paartjie moenie ewe veel aandag kry nie.
• Karakters moet deurlopend volgens hul aard optree. As hulle verander, moet dit gemotiveerd wees.
• Karakters moet met verloop van die boek groei. Held en heldin leer hoe om haakplekke tussen hulle uit te stryk sodat hulle gelukkig saam kan wees.

Carolyn het ook in detail beskryf hoe lyk die hedendaagse held en heldin.


Perspektief:

• Alomteenwoordige verteller: staan ekstern tot die aksie, ontaard in “telling” en headhopping. Vertellerstem verbreek die illusie.
• Subjektiewe derdepersoonsperspektief (“Deep POV”) kom so na as moontlik aan die fokaliseerder / perspektiefkarakter, alles word haar bewussyn filtreer. Leser beleef als deur haar.
• “Sy” word gebruik, maar impliseer ’n “ek”.
• Bewerkstellig ’n hegter band tussen leser en karakter.
• Tradisioneel net die heldin se perspektief, maar ons laat ook die held s’n toe.
• Nie meer as twee perspektiewe per boek nie. Een perspektief per toneel.

Dialoog:

• Moet soos natuurlike gesels klink. Nie info dumps, heeltyd op naam aanspreek.
• Maar moet ook doelgerig wees – die storie voortstu.
• Doellose, niksseggende (en vervelige!) dialoog is nie welkom nie, al praat ons in werklikheid so.
• Karakters moet na mekaar luister en reageer op wat die vorige een gesê het. Nie verby mekaar praat nie.
• Elke karakter met sy / haar eie stem hê. Ouer mense, mense in hul 20’s, tieners en kinders praat anders.
• Moet eerder nie fonetiese spelling van dialek gebruik nie. Gebruik sinskonstruksie om aan te dui.

Dialoog – kwalifiserende teks:

• Kwalifiserende teks / Tussen-dialoog teks: stukkies teks tussen dialoog wat ietsie meer oor die gesprek sê.
• Hoef nie heeltyd te vermeld wie praat nie, solank dit duidelik uit die dialoog blyk.
• Moenie voor die hand liggende woorde gebruik nie.

◦ “Hou op om jou broer te terg!” sê sy kwaai.

• Pas op vir te veel bywoorde en byvoeglike naamwoorde
• Gebruik kwalifiserende teks om meer oor die karakter, sy/haar gedagtes of die ruimte of die plot te verklap.
• Vermy te veel herhaling.
• Wees oorspronklik, maar moenie te hard probeer nie.

Tydsverloop en tempo:

• Hou liefs by chronologiese tydsverloop. Terugflitse is nie wenslik nie.
• Belangrike, bepalende momente in verhaalhede moet voor die leser afspeel. Moenie die karakter net daaraan laat terugdink nie.
• Agtergrondinligting moet nie in groot homp aan begin vertel word nie. Verklap relevante inligting stuk-stuk.
• Redelike vinnige tempo in liefdesverhale. Maar moenie afjaag nie. (God is in the details.) Neem tyd om sekere gebeure te wys, moenie in telling ontaard.
• Moenie heeltyd dieselfde tempo handhaaf nie (hetsy vining of stadig) want dan word dit vervelig. Vinniger dele moet afgewissel word met meer uitgesponne dele

Ruimte:

• Oriënteer leser, maar nie ellelange beskrywings nie.
• Gee hier en daar subtiel iets van die ruimte weer. Wys hoe die karakters in interaksie met die ruimtes tree.
• Beskryf net wat nodig is.
• Ruimte is funksioneel in liefdesverhaal, byvoorbeeld karakteriserend, skep atmosfeer.

Styl:

• Wys, moenie vertel nie. (Showing vs telling)
• Vermy clichés, byvoorbeeld “stormagtige oë”.
• Maar moet ook nie so vernuwend probeer klink dat dit ongemaklik lees nie. Daar is ’n verskil tussen ’n cliché en ’n idiomatiese uitdrukking wat goed werk.
• Pas op vir komplekse, uitgerekte beelde en metafore.
• Moenie soveel aandag na jou ongewone taal- en beeldgebruik trek dat die leser uit die verhaal geruk word om te probeer sin maak daarvan nie.
• Pas op vir te veel byvoeglike naamwoorde en soetsappighede.
• Gebruik wel gelaaide woorde as jy iets meer wil sê.

Versorging:

• Goeie taalversorging van ’n manuskrip skep onmiddellik ’n goeie indruk.
• Belê in ’n goeie speltoetser (maar moenie net daarop staatmaak nie).
• Kry ’n goeie woordeboek, byvoorbeeld Pharos Online www.pharosonline.co.za
• Bekyk die Afrikaanse Woordelys en Spelreëls
• Skryf Afrikaans van A tot Z
• Redigeer- / proefleeskursus? www.nbakademie.co.za
• Anglisismes en sleng net toelaatbaar in dialoog en direkte gedagtemonoloog (indien dit by karakter pas).
• Ons is nie so streng oor ’n vloekwoordjie hier en daar nie, mits dit gemotiveerd is.
• Elke uitgewery het spesifieke tegniese vereistes vir voorleggings.
• NB-liefdesverhale se vereistes: www.liefdesverhale.co.za

Carolyn het afgesluit deur na die hele proses te verwys vandat ’n manuskrip aanvaar work vir publikasie totdat dit op die rakke verskyn.

Sy beveel die volgende bronne aan vir voornemende skrywers:

• Die Afrikaanse Skryfgids, saamgestel deur Riana Scheepers en Leti Kleyn
• Writing a Romance Novel for Dummies deur Leslie Wainger

Vir meer inligting oor NB-uitgewers se liefdesverhale, besoek hulle webtuiste: www.liefdesverhale.co.za, sluit aan by hulle Facebook-blad, https://www.facebook.com/NBLiefdesverhale of stuur ’n e-pos aan Carolyn by carolyn.meads@nb.co.za

#ROSACon2015: Die Gesprek

Thank you to Elsa Winckler for this report on the panel discussion which she not only arranged but also took part in.

Hoe warm mag dit onder die lakens raak?

Gesprek gelei deur Madri Victor

Deelnemers: Malene Breytenbach, Kristel Loots, Carolyn Meads en Elsa Winckler

1. Graad van hitte
Madri vra vrae oor die volgende:
Hoekom is dit so moeilik om ʼn goeie sekstoneel te skryf? Hoekom skram sommige van julle weg daarvan? En wat moet ʼn mens doen voor jy begin skryf? Waar skryf julle? Maak dit jou ongemaklik om oor die liefde en liefdesdaad te skryf? Kan jy dit doen terwyl ander mense om jou is (soos in ʼn koffiewinkel)?

Die konsensus is dat die Afrikaanse leser op die oog af heelwat meer konserwatief is as haar Engelse eweknie en nie hou van te grafiese tonele nie. Volgens Carolyn Meads, uitgewer by NB, verkoop “warmer” fiksie wel redelik goed in Suid-Afrika, byvoorbeeld Boer kry ‘n vrou, maar wat liefdesverhale spesifiek betref, word liefdestonele steeds grotendeels in vae romantiese terme beskryf.

2. Die perfekte liefdestoneel.
Wat is die perfekte liefdestoneel: alles wat ʼn mens skryf, is tog ʼn produk van jou verbeelding. Skryf ʼn mens dan jou ideale romantiese date of liefdestoneel – ook sekstoneel, in ʼn romanse? Is dit dus die droom – nie net jou leser sʼn nie, maar ook jou eie? (Dink hier aan die manier waarop die held die heldin benader, soen, met haar liefde maak.)

Hoe voel julle daaroor om uit die manlike perspektief seks te beskryf? Moet dit in ʼn romanse uit die vroulike perspektief wees?
Ons besluit (ook na aanleiding van Madri se vroeëre praatjie oor die hedendaagse man) dat ’n skrywer heelwaarskynlik ’n prentjie van haar ideale held in gedagte het wanneer sy ’n liefdestoneel beskryf. Die leser wil die heldin se gevoelens ervaar, maar sy hou ook daarvan om te weet wat die held dink. Vroue wil begeer word en dis soms lekker om uit die manlike oogpunt te lees hoe hy die heldin bewonder.

3. Inspirasie
Lees julle erotika? Kry jy “inspirasie” uit ander romanses met warm sekstonele? Hoe verskil oorsese romanses van die SA weergawe? Is hulle warmer?

Wat in Afrikaans as stomend beskryf word, is in oorsese romanse taamlik mak.

4. Beskryf jy nog wanneer die held die heldin beskerm tydens die liefdestoneel?
Daardie praktiese dinge: moet jou held ʼn kondoom gebruik? Romanse is ʼn ontvlugting, maar dit skram nie weg van moeilike kwessies nie. Dink jy dit is nodig om te verwys na ʼn kondoom?

Daar is tog ’n gevoel dat jonger lesers ons stories lees en alhoewel die skrywer nie ’n plig het om voorligting te verskaf nie, is daar wel ’n argument te maak om wel na voorbehoeding te verwys – maak dit humoristies, verwys skrams daarna, ens.

5. Waar vind jou liefdestoneel plaas?
Is dit belangrik waar ʼn sekstoneel of warm liefdestoneel afspeel? Mag ʼn mens dit maar in die openbaar (soos op ʼn strand) plaas?

Daar is die fantasie en die werklikheid. Liefdestonele vind gewoonlik binnenshuis plaas.

6. Watter woorde gebruik jy?
Toe Die AA tot OE van seks verskyn het, het Karin Elof in ʼn resensie gesê: “Riette (Rust) verdien regtig spesiale erkenning vir haar oorspronklike name vir seksposisies en -speelgoed, soos vloerwoer, kopgalop, wysneus, snoeswoes en vibreerbroekie! Dis absoluut pragtig, maar wragtie nie soos ek al ooit enigiemand hoor praat het nie. “Ag, skatlief, bring gou my vibreerbroekie sodat ons ’n bietjie kan hang-pangelang, toe?” Uhm, I don't think so.” Kan ons ʼn bietjie praat oor die regte woorde vir die spel? Moet ʼn mens wegbly van woorde soos “vagina” / “penis” of is dit juis verkieslik bo iets soos “oester”/ “meneer”?

In Afrikaanse liefdesverhale word geslagsdele nie op die naam genoem nie. Die klem is eerder op ’n beskrywing van die die heldin se gevoel.

7. Wanneer het jy genoeg beskryf?
Hoeveel momentum bou ʼn mens op na ʼn liefdestoneel toe en waar stop jy? Mag jy heel vroeg in die verhaal al ʼn warm toneel hê? Moet dit dan warmer raak soos jou verhaal verloop?

’n Liefdestoneel moet die storie bevorder, nie net iewers ingedruk word nie. Die konflik moet verdiep, ons moet iets meer omtrent die karakters leer, ens. Wanneer ’n liefdestoneel vroeg in die storie reeds plaasvind, moet iets anders hulle weer uitmekaar hou sodat die spanning kan voortbou.

Seks moet nie met liefde verwar word nie. Daar kan vroeër reeds ‘n sekstoneel plaasvind, maar dan moet hulle nog nie hulle liefde vir mekaar verklaar nie. Die liefdesverklaring is die werklike klimaks van die liefdesverhaal, nie die seks nie. Wanneer die held en heldin albei besef dat hulle mekaar lief het en hulle gevoelens openlik met mekaar deel. Maar eers moet daar ‘n opbou van spanning tot daardie punt wees. Seks ontlont nie noodwendig die spanning nie, maar kan dit selfs verhoog, want nou weet die held en heldin hoe goed dit voel om bymekaar te wees, tog hou struikelblokke hul uitmekaar en groei hul verlange. Ek moet egter erken dat in die meeste Afrikaanse liefdesverhale slaap die held en heldin eers naby aan die einde van die verhaal saam wanneer daar reeds ‘n commitment (verbintenis?) aan mekaar gemaak is.

Ons wou ook nog gesels oor die beskrywing van die liefdesdaad self, besluit hoe vinnig die karakters in die bed kan spring en hoe jy die oomblikke na die liefdestoneel beskryf, maar die tyd het ons ongelukkig ingehaal.

Conference Report: Talk on Character Development by Elsa Winckler

Author Elsa Winckler presented a talk on Karakterontwikkeling in Afrikaans at ROSACon2014. Thanks to Anthony Ehlers for this article on Elsa's talk.


Finding Characters Ripe for a Romantic Journey – with Elsa Winckler

Characters are the central medium to tell a story. This is the belief of Elsa Winckler.

A romance author in both English and Afrikaans, Elsa often finds inspiration for her characters in newspaper or magazine articles. She believes you can’t separate plot from characters when you have the central idea for a story.

Ask questions

For example, for her latest Afrikaans title, Van altyd af, her heroine was drawn from a real-life story about a horse whisperer.

 This raised the questions: What kind of character would communicate with animals? Maybe she would be ostracised because of this gift. Maybe she would be guided by her emotions, ruled by intuition.

How could an author use this to create conflict? Maybe the hero’s mother was killed by a horse. When she meets the hero and is attracted to him, she can’t trust her emotions and is bewildered by her attraction to him.

Internal and external conflict

These were the genesis of her engaging, steamy novel. From this, she makes sure that the character’s external conflict forces them to face their internal conflict. The hero whose mother was killed by a horse has unresolved issues with opposite sex – having to deal with a pretty horse whisperer makes him confront his inner demons.

This creates tension between your hero and heroine. How the character faces their external conflicts helps them resolve the internal conflict.

Another important piece of advice when creating characters is to ask yourself: How did they get to that place in their lives before the story starts that makes them ripe for this journey into love? In the first few pages of the story, the readers must get an idea of just how ready they are for this journey.

ELSA’S TOP TIPS:

Here are some of her tips for getting to grips with characterisation.

Star Signs. These are a great resource for getting to the dominant traits of a character.

Environment. A character will have different views and morals if they come from a city or the country.

Find the unique characteristic. Find the one telling detail that sets them apart from other cliched characters.

Decide on a type. Use the four Greek archetypes (melancholic, choleric, sanguine, or phlegmatic) to decide a character type. The Briggs-Meyer template of 16 personalities is another resource.

Social background. A character who grew up in a orphanage will have a different set of language, needs, etc., than someone from a comfortable middle class family.

Pin It. Elsa uses Pinterest to put together wardrobes, accessories and other elements of her characters. It creates a mood through colour.

Music. Music is another element to use – either to inspire you while your write, or to tease out in the narrative.

Food. Eating and drinking is one of our most primal needs. Find a way to bring it in in a way that illuminates the character.

Dislikes. Maybe your character doesn’t like dogs, or doesn’t eat chillis. These quirks makes them more authentic.

Show contrast. Don’t make characters one-dimensional. Maybe the sarcastic hero is a secret sentimentalist. The strong heroine is afraid of the dark.

Limit secondary characters. Don’t bring in too many subplots or characters, and if you do give them an interesting story of their own to follow.

Find out more about this engaging author on ElsaWinckler.com

Conference Report: Elsa Winckler's talk on Karakterontwikkeling

Elsa Winckler presented a talk on Character Development in Afrikaans at #ROSACon2014. The talk was poorly attended, but we hope to see a good del more Afrikaans writers join us next year!


Report by Erich Viedge

It's one thing reading about how to create and develop characters in a book. But somehow when there's a live Romance author sitting in front of you, telling you how she does it, the lessons sink in faster and deeper. Winckler (like every author I've ever met) was at pains to point out that this is the process that she follows; every writer has to find a process that works for her.

She spoke Afrikaans, and the content was so engaging and her passion so evident that the language difference didn't intrude on the session at all.

Her process is very structured. She had hand-outs with scores of questions to consider about your character, from the obvious traits like hair colour to the family dynamics in the character's family of origin. For example, she asks: is your character the black sheep of the family? Or if it's another relative, what did the character do to earn them that title?

One of the many tips that stuck with me is that your characters should have a somewhat contradictory nature. For example, she said, one of her main characters was arrogant, and at the same time, he was sentimental. He collected items that reminded him of important relationships in his past.
This makes for a more rounded character, and one that is more believable.

After designing the character, Winckler gave us tips on how to develop the character. She spoke of the importance of putting a character in an external situation that mirrors her internal conflict -- and she illustrated it with examples from her own work.

Just those 10 minutes helped make my own characters more believable, and helped drive the action of the first scenes of my own first novel.

It was a tough choice, having to choose between different breakaway sessions. But I felt this one has made a tangible difference to my characters, my novel and my readers' enjoyment of my writing.


You can find out more about Elsa Winckler at her website: elsawinckler.com