I came to a startling conclusion today. I need some inspiration. I'm a little over 80 pages into my next book and I don't know what my characters look like. I know THEM. I know their attitudes, their mannerisms, their wants and needs but I have no idea what color eyes they have. Or whether they have a tattoo or pierced ears. Oh, I've filled in the blanks as I've written but I know my hero has changed eye colors at least twice so far. Yes, I could smooth out these details later because honestly, at this stage in my writing process it doesn't much matter to me. Except now that I've noticed the problem, every time I write down blue eyes I second guess myself and wonder if they're really supposed to be brown and that just interrupts the whole process.What I need is a really good picture for both my hero and heroine. I've scoured my hero and heroine files. I have several dozen pictures in each. Nothing fits either of my characters. I've looked at a couple of online sites for models/actors. None of them have really been right either.
I'm hoping my friends on the playground can help me solve this problem. I need to broaden my search for pictures of sexy men and women but I've exhausted my resources. Anyone have any good links/sites they use for inspiration? If you use pictures to help you visualize your characters where do you find them? Do the characters start out in your mind like someone you've seen before, like an actor or model?
Instigator
P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MAVEN LJ! We hope you have a wonderful day.
P.P.S. The winners from Rocki's blog yesterday are Lynn (signed ARC of THEN YOU HIDE) and Sherry (signed copy of FIRST YOU RUN). Please email PM here to claim your prize. Prizes not claimed within seven days will be re-awarded.
P.P.P.S. There have been so many wonderful things happening on the playground this week that we've decided to throw a Festive Friday party to celebrate. Please join us tomorrow as we congratulate our friends on some fantastic news.
11 comments:
Oh, my dear, I have an entire folder in my favorites devoted to "Hunk Sites."
Start with Squirt's Place and see what you can find there. I'll post more as the day goes on. ;-)
PM
Ya know, Instigator, I often don't have a picture. Sometimes I do but mostly I don't. If you know all the other stuff about the h/h just let your mind fill in the blanks about some of the physical stuff.
Every once in a while I'll have a picture, but for the most part I just see them in my head. And on the front end of a book, I keep a stat sheet so I don't forget. :-)
Instigator is the one who taught me that pictures could be so helpful when writing a book! Now I do it for all my characters. I just have to search until I find THE ONE. Sometimes it is someone I already know, like an actor, sometimes I don't know it until I see it.
If I know it, I just google. Otherwise, I check out PM's list of sites. ;)
Angel
Usually, I don't have a picture--just an idea of the basics (hair, eyes, build, etc). I guess since I like to picture my own hunk de jour when I read other folks' books, I want to provide that same freedom to my reader.
I hate it when authors use actual names--"He looked like a young Brad Pitt"--because usually that's not the picture I had in my head. Plus, what if I'm not a fan of Brad Pitt?
Okay - PM, that site is NSFW! (I should've known with the hunky pics she posts with strategically placed Christmas lights and birthday cakes.) I just got a whole eyefull of some really nice @ss, which is always nice, but not when The Man is monitoring your web traffic. Just so everyone knows...
I usually shop around the Ford Models' site to find a picture. Just something basic to work with.
ROFL, SP!!! I'm sure your company is double checking the traffic right this instant. A FEDEX box with a cell phone will be arriving any second so that Laurence Fishburne can talk you out of there... :)
I'm SO excited to have won the ARC!!!!! Man, all these good things in ONE week. :) I'm afraid I'm going to wake up. :)
I don't usually do pictures, but now that I have to finish that certain book about a certain Spanish magnate, I went surfing for pics. I'm with PC in that I don't like names, but I have to admit that the best pics I've found SO FAR for Alejandro are of Antonio Banderas. Not that I would EVER say he looks like Antonio. Even I don't always like Antonio. :) (For the GH finalist, I have that yummy pic of David Beckham in his underwear that I seem to find extremely inspiring...)
I never seem to need a heroine picture, though. Just heroes. :)
Howdy All
Now before the heckling begins, please hear me out.
I am a country boy. Instigator has met my friends and they are REALLY country.
Actors, models, and celebrities are good places to start. But give these a try:
1. Farm and Ranch Living (for heros)
2. Pro Bull Riding web site (for heros)
3. Now dont laugh----the FBI most wanted list for visions of villians
Had to give it a shot
ROFLMAO!!! Oh my Birdzilla I don't think you'll ever live this one down.
She's not going to let you play on the swings with her any longer but that was funny.
I have a great suggestion, go to flickr.com and check out the group "happy couples"
16,344 pictures (as of this morning) of couples in love all over the world, its a great resource to find a look and if it doesn't put a smile on your face, then probably nothing will!
Sorry I've been away -- doctor's appointment and then lunch with friends.
Here's another hunk site. It's male models. And Maximum Talent also has female models.
I had to think about what NSFW meant. Oops! Sorry.
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