I started this blog because I discovered that I like to write. What I have also discovered is that doing so isn't just a matter of pumping out the words. That is absolutely necessary, of course, but how you choose to tell a story is more important than having a story to tell in the first place.
In the hierarchy of story-telling priorities, the "who" question is the most important question to be answered by the writer. No matter how expert one may be on a given topic, a story has greater impact, "readability" if you will, when the events are related by a variety of believable individuals actions on the page.
With that realisation in mind, I found this chart for building a character:
http://www.eclectics.com/articles/character.html
If you are able to sufficiently populate your story with characters, each having a unique combination of qualities and flaws, the progression of events necessary to achieve the results of your story outline are related to you by them, in their "voice" and not your own.
A few days ago, Connie Du Toit, aka The Mrs, decided to begin a new writing project:
http://www.mrsdutoit.com/index.php/main/single/2939/
I hope she will find this useful also.
UPDATE: Robert Avrech, an actual professional writer, offers his thoughts on this subject in much greater detail on his blog Seraphic Secret:
http://www.seraphicpress.com/archives/2007/08/my_word.php
Great minds, and all that. Which poses the question, what's one of those doing in my neighborhood?
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