Back in the grinder. If you note the word count on the left, I've recently updated my count on Imperfect Hope to reflect that I've put in several thousand words of late. Current total, slightly over 97k. Being a rough draft, I know that number isn't terribly accurate when it comes to the final product, but it gives me a measure of my progress. I think I'll treat myself to something when I top 100k words (probably tomorrow). Little celebrations...
Reader Matt (Thanks, Matt) sent me a note last week commenting on a posting from a bit more than a year ago about personality. Back then, I was reading up on the Meyers-Briggs personality tests, and applying that in some degree to my character development. At first, I envisioned the entire culture of the K'tath to be somewhat homogenous in their makeup, with a strong preponderance of Introverted, Intuitives. However, Matt, whose father has taught Meyers-Briggs for some 25 years, pointed out that the overall percentages of types is pretty much cross cultural. That 3% of americans who are INFP's compares to the 3% of East Germans, 3% of Nigerians, and 3% of Chileans. As usual, I got to thinking...
It would make sense if I concentrate certain 'types' within the three castes of the K'tath, much like certain types do well (and concentrate somewhat) within certain professions (And that got me to thinking about the mb-types of air traffic controllers, but that's a whole 'nother can of worms). Thus, I'm going to look at the 16 types, especially the informal names (like guardian, mentor, artisan) and allow that to concentrate the typings for me. I'm also going to look at my current thoughts on the typings of my major protagonists to make sure it fits, but I don't anticipate any changes in their personality, I used the Meyers-Briggs as merely food for thought when I was fleshing out Randir and Cerryn.
The "informal" names for the types seem to provide a clue to the typical personality of the various types. For example, a wikipedia article refers to the INFP (my type) as a healer, though not necessarily a "Physical Healer", rather it implies that an INFP is an emotional and spiritual healer (thus many INFP's do well in careers such as counselors and therapists). The INTJ's nickname is "mastermind". ISFJ is "protector". An ESFJ is a "Provider". You get the point. Using those 'non-scientific' names as a beginning, I can more easily see the makeup of the k'tath culture, at least regarding their disposition within the three castes. Sen would include ESTJ supervisors,INTP architects, and INTJ masterminds. Krath, the bulk of the k'tath, would include ESFJ providers, ENFP teachers, crafters, counselors, and so on. The Kel would include ENFP Champions, ISFJ Protectors, and possibly the ENTJ "Field marshall" (though they also might go into the Sen).
Does this help me write? Perhaps as I'm jotting down notes about characters as I write the story, having a 'type' on file helps me keep the characters actions consistent, so long as I remember to consult my notes every so often to remind myself of the details I've accumulated. Many of my notes are scattered about my desk drawer, poorly organized, but since this summer when I upgraded my writing software to a program called ywriter-5, I'm able to append notes to characters, objects, places, whatever I need, and recall them with only a few mouse clicks. By the time I've finished IH, I suspect I'll have quite a file of notes saved on my harddrive(s) that will carry over to my next project. Now, where did I put my D'oril maps...
Anyway... I'll probably get back to work on writing tonight after work, if I break 100k anytime in the next three days, Irma and I will reward ourselves (well, me for the milestone, and her for putting up with my madness) with a nice dinner somewhere. Anyone got any suggestions?
TTFN,
Jim
Reader Matt (Thanks, Matt) sent me a note last week commenting on a posting from a bit more than a year ago about personality. Back then, I was reading up on the Meyers-Briggs personality tests, and applying that in some degree to my character development. At first, I envisioned the entire culture of the K'tath to be somewhat homogenous in their makeup, with a strong preponderance of Introverted, Intuitives. However, Matt, whose father has taught Meyers-Briggs for some 25 years, pointed out that the overall percentages of types is pretty much cross cultural. That 3% of americans who are INFP's compares to the 3% of East Germans, 3% of Nigerians, and 3% of Chileans. As usual, I got to thinking...
It would make sense if I concentrate certain 'types' within the three castes of the K'tath, much like certain types do well (and concentrate somewhat) within certain professions (And that got me to thinking about the mb-types of air traffic controllers, but that's a whole 'nother can of worms). Thus, I'm going to look at the 16 types, especially the informal names (like guardian, mentor, artisan) and allow that to concentrate the typings for me. I'm also going to look at my current thoughts on the typings of my major protagonists to make sure it fits, but I don't anticipate any changes in their personality, I used the Meyers-Briggs as merely food for thought when I was fleshing out Randir and Cerryn.
The "informal" names for the types seem to provide a clue to the typical personality of the various types. For example, a wikipedia article refers to the INFP (my type) as a healer, though not necessarily a "Physical Healer", rather it implies that an INFP is an emotional and spiritual healer (thus many INFP's do well in careers such as counselors and therapists). The INTJ's nickname is "mastermind". ISFJ is "protector". An ESFJ is a "Provider". You get the point. Using those 'non-scientific' names as a beginning, I can more easily see the makeup of the k'tath culture, at least regarding their disposition within the three castes. Sen would include ESTJ supervisors,INTP architects, and INTJ masterminds. Krath, the bulk of the k'tath, would include ESFJ providers, ENFP teachers, crafters, counselors, and so on. The Kel would include ENFP Champions, ISFJ Protectors, and possibly the ENTJ "Field marshall" (though they also might go into the Sen).
Does this help me write? Perhaps as I'm jotting down notes about characters as I write the story, having a 'type' on file helps me keep the characters actions consistent, so long as I remember to consult my notes every so often to remind myself of the details I've accumulated. Many of my notes are scattered about my desk drawer, poorly organized, but since this summer when I upgraded my writing software to a program called ywriter-5, I'm able to append notes to characters, objects, places, whatever I need, and recall them with only a few mouse clicks. By the time I've finished IH, I suspect I'll have quite a file of notes saved on my harddrive(s) that will carry over to my next project. Now, where did I put my D'oril maps...
Anyway... I'll probably get back to work on writing tonight after work, if I break 100k anytime in the next three days, Irma and I will reward ourselves (well, me for the milestone, and her for putting up with my madness) with a nice dinner somewhere. Anyone got any suggestions?
TTFN,
Jim
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