tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275604993904054741.post8386086466579325235..comments2023-08-01T10:07:29.695-04:00Comments on Gail Carson Levine: Change or stay just as you areGail Carson Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10098487903686296931noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275604993904054741.post-46044576703492128602010-07-12T19:19:38.070-04:002010-07-12T19:19:38.070-04:00Wow your books are amazing! I have to say that yo...Wow your books are amazing! I have to say that you’re defiantly right David Christiana illustrations are gorges! I especially like how at the beginning, Terence goes though all that work to spell Tink’s name: and she doesn’t even notice. Poor Terence. My favorite book you’ve written so far would have to be “The Two Princesses of Bamarre” it was absolutely fascinating! My favorite one of ‘The Princess Tales’ would be, it’s hard to pick but, probably “For Biddle’s Sake” or “The Princess Test.”Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275604993904054741.post-12090139189047350402010-06-13T19:42:48.963-04:002010-06-13T19:42:48.963-04:00Congratulations on your new book! Can't wait t...Congratulations on your new book! Can't wait to get my hands on it. I love all the stories in Dinsey Faires series; they're so clever! Your post was also very helpful. I got just the answer I needed. I also gathered more insight into characterization and can see new dimensions of the character I was concerned about forming already. Thank you very much!sage-in-sockshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01594664067134558163noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275604993904054741.post-31980431630776431772010-06-09T13:39:38.987-04:002010-06-09T13:39:38.987-04:00Hanna--Thank you for your very kind words!
Equusfe...Hanna--Thank you for your very kind words!<br />Equusferuscaballus--I don't understand your question about the alter ego. Are you writing in a voice that you don't like and that has sort of taken over? Can you expand on your question to help me get it? I am about to publish a new post. Please comment on the new one so I'm sure to see it.Gail Carson Levinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10098487903686296931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275604993904054741.post-37061337356484455122010-06-08T20:23:49.812-04:002010-06-08T20:23:49.812-04:00Thanks for this post, Mrs. Levine!
I really like t...Thanks for this post, Mrs. Levine!<br />I really like the baseball-themed prompt, reminds me of people I used to know!<br /><br />I have a small question about writing alter-egos, (as in the writer is quiet and the character is loud, wise-cracking) as a story I'm working on has a male elf of this caliber. I'm female and not like this at all, so I'm a little stuck. (I already looked at the post about writing from a boy's point of view, that was very helpful, thanks! I guess my question is mostly about the alter-ego thing.)<br /><br />I'm also looking for help as to how one should avoid directly copying plots or characters from a television show or different book, as I also have a habit of doing this.<br /><br />Thanks again!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275604993904054741.post-76370555152114877312010-06-08T09:34:03.174-04:002010-06-08T09:34:03.174-04:00Ms. Levine,
Thank you for your post. I've be...Ms. Levine,<br /><br />Thank you for your post. I've been debating the issue of character development for a few months, never having intentionally changed a character before, but feeling perhaps that such a lack of intentional direction might render my characters two-dimensional. I am encouraged to see your opinion that characters should go where the story takes them--and not somewhere the author has determinedly steered them.<br /><br />And slightly off-topic, I must admit that reading your blog is often a surreal experience for me. 'Ella Enchanted' is possibly my favorite book of all time (at least my favorite non-series book), and reading references to it in your posts has actually gotten me choked up before. I read 'Ella' at least once a year, and pick it up any time I am feeling disjointed or in need of comfort. So, thank you for writing it. And thank you for continuing to write books--and blog posts--that encourage readers and writers everywhere.Hanna C. Howardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03881224275689807056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275604993904054741.post-81457406499849766792010-06-07T16:26:20.821-04:002010-06-07T16:26:20.821-04:00I'm glad I found this blog. I didn't know ...I'm glad I found this blog. I didn't know you had one!<br /><br />I first was interested in your novels when my sister received 'The Two Princesses of Bamarre' for Easter. I loved that book and soon discovered Ella Enchanted in the back of a used homeschool bookstore in Seattle, WA. (I love used books). Then I stumbled upon Fairest. <br /><br />These three still remain my favorite of your novels. I also enjoyed The Fairy's Return. I've yet to read your other books, as our library doesn't have them. I live in a small town (600 people) so we don't even have a book store.Amanda L. Davishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17565133023576047696noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275604993904054741.post-22809012507589568242010-06-04T23:45:34.648-04:002010-06-04T23:45:34.648-04:00Erin Edwards and Grace--Thanks for the congratulat...Erin Edwards and Grace--Thanks for the congratulations on my new book.<br />Happiness--A TALE OF TWO CASTLES will be out some time next spring or summer. There are some ideas about publishing in the comments after my May 19, 2010 post.Gail Carson Levinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10098487903686296931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275604993904054741.post-48383532317942313642010-06-03T16:49:44.208-04:002010-06-03T16:49:44.208-04:00Great post, Mrs. Levine! when is A Tale of Two Ca...Great post, Mrs. Levine! when is A Tale of Two Castles coming out? I'm looking really forward to reading it! also, do you have an advice for writers who want to get thier work published?Gracehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06752326590162909733noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275604993904054741.post-82140483550605592392010-06-03T10:40:15.773-04:002010-06-03T10:40:15.773-04:00Thanks Ms. Levine this is awesome. In one of my pr...Thanks Ms. Levine this is awesome. In one of my projects all of the characters had somehow changed by the end of the book, all of them except one character who absolutely refused to change, but now i know that that's not a bad thing. Thanks again!<br />P.S. Congrats on the book release!Gracehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06401903944614695294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275604993904054741.post-77484169441092091712010-06-03T05:14:40.793-04:002010-06-03T05:14:40.793-04:00@maybeawriter - that's what I thought too. Ell...@maybeawriter - that's what I thought too. Ella does change, even if one only counts her (SPOILER) breaking her curse. But she's the best character I've ever read. Totally refreshing.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10270749982438986443noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275604993904054741.post-68187249247837040192010-06-02T21:55:19.766-04:002010-06-02T21:55:19.766-04:00An amazing and though-provoking post, Mrs. Levine!...An amazing and though-provoking post, Mrs. Levine! I personally got the impression that Ella did change, not her overall personality, but I think she was stronger and braver by the end, and she has had a change in what she thinks is most important, from breaking the curse for the sake of being free, to (SPOILERS!) breaking the curse to save Char. Her goal doesn't change, but her motive does.<br /><br />I like the idea of making Wickham change. He irritates me, as I'm sure he does every reader, and the idea of making him decent is an interesting one...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275604993904054741.post-6091466840256036822010-06-02T17:18:14.608-04:002010-06-02T17:18:14.608-04:00I've never really thought about this question ...I've never really thought about this question before, so your insight brought new food for thought! I had always thought it was a must for a character to change, but I suppose it's not!Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10270749982438986443noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275604993904054741.post-57263782370863906792010-06-02T16:38:25.679-04:002010-06-02T16:38:25.679-04:00Sometimes it can be sad to have a character change...Sometimes it can be sad to have a character change in the course of the book. Often, they've grown up and matured a lot, and just generally become more "adult." And sometimes the reader may have wished to have the character stay young and happy and free, without all the maturity that his/her adventures have brought on. I recall some of Lloyd Alexander's books when I say this.<br />Just thought to put the idea out there.Rinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06268596359396967388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275604993904054741.post-11075551308953229092010-06-02T16:30:02.563-04:002010-06-02T16:30:02.563-04:00I can't wait to read your book! Although it&#...I can't wait to read your book! Although it'll take forever for it to show up in my library... sigh. This is a really neat post! We were talking about this in my literature class the other day, and how (I don't remember the correct vocabulary for it) there are characters that change and character that don't- like in To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, the children (Scout and Jem) changed in personality while the father/lawyer, Atticus, didn't, forming a sort of moral backbone for the rest of the story. I suppose that characters will tell whether they need to change or not as we write, seeing as they always have a way of taking a life of their own... Anyway, thanks Mrs. Levine for the post.Pippin14https://www.blogger.com/profile/05092443153838480234noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275604993904054741.post-68414107228721663882010-06-02T14:07:08.031-04:002010-06-02T14:07:08.031-04:00P.S. And congratulations on your new book release....P.S. And congratulations on your new book release. We have the other fairy books, I am sure we will *need* :) this one too!Erin Edwardshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14372798979009008131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275604993904054741.post-2966213563332732552010-06-02T14:02:13.180-04:002010-06-02T14:02:13.180-04:00Wow... this was absolutely helpful. :) I've be...Wow... this was absolutely helpful. :) I've been worrying that my characters don't seem to change; either that, or I write them in my own emotions, depending on how I'm feeling/how mature I'm feeling that day. So this really was appropriate for me right now. Thanks! :DHorsey at Hearthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17596931355549494568noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275604993904054741.post-88084733118037848912010-06-02T14:01:54.459-04:002010-06-02T14:01:54.459-04:00What a timely post. I was just talking about this ...What a timely post. I was just talking about this with my critique partner about my WIP. Your post gave me some insight in to whether or not I want my main character to change and how I should show it. <br /><br />Maybe my flaw is not in having the character change or not change, but in making it obvious which choice I have made and how that choice helps or hinders my main character.<br /><br />So now I'm going back to read this post again!Erin Edwardshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14372798979009008131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275604993904054741.post-42304368632064528922010-06-02T13:22:36.443-04:002010-06-02T13:22:36.443-04:00Your second prompt (the bossy girl who fails to ch...Your second prompt (the bossy girl who fails to change into someone truly caring) was me all through elementary school and some of middle school!<br /><br />It took quite a bit of heartache for me to really change.April Mackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12946968627887624127noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8275604993904054741.post-78425086544900312672010-06-02T12:11:30.683-04:002010-06-02T12:11:30.683-04:00Ms. Levine,
I really like that writing prompt abou...Ms. Levine,<br />I really like that writing prompt about Marnie. I may try writing it. :)Rinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06268596359396967388noreply@blogger.com