Thursday, December 8, 2011

Can You Guess My Main Character's Age?

**Update: Thanks everyone for your feedback, but I decided not to enter the final contest. 


Here's some info on another great contest by Brenda Drake:

Here's how it's going down ...

Post the first 250 words of your finished, or not quite finished, manuscript (any genre) to your blogs. This contest is about voice--whether or not your character's voice matches his or her's age. So if you mention the age or school grade in the first 250 words, please edit it out or block it out for this contest. Don't list the genre or title on your posts. If your 250 words falls in the middle of a sentence, continue to the end of the sentence.

For official rules and to enter, see her blog, here.


And here is my entry:


Bronwyn placed the tip of her crutch carefully on the jagged rocks. She planted her feet and steadied herself before gazing across the chasm that separated her from the rest of the village. If her mother saw her perched this close to the ravine, she would scold. Her father, had he lived, would be perched beside her. 
Tomorrow she turned (xxxx.) For most girls, that meant old enough to marry. For her, well, who would want a crippled wife?
A gust of wind whipped her dress and pushed her toward the edge. Bronwyn leaned onto her crutch, relying on the sturdy wooden limb to restore her balance. 
“Come away, Child!” called her mother, her hands cupped round her mouth. “You’ll fall to your death. There’s a storm moving in and the geese are out.”
“I’m coming,” she said, though her mother could not have heard over the moaning of the wind. 
Bronwyn stepped back, casting one last glance toward the village. The first day of summer approached, and the festival of Calan Mai. She rolled her eyes. Wonderful. Another year of watching while other girls danced around the maypole. No dancing for her. Not now or ever. 

Thanks for stopping by, and if you comment or follow me, rest assured I will return the favor!

30 comments:

  1. She seems to have been through a lot. She's ready to marry and this has a medieval feel to it. I would say sixteen.

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  2. I'm gonna guess 16.

    One nit-pick: "If her mother saw her perched this close to the ravine, she would scold."

    The "she" refers to Bronwyn, and I'm pretty sure you mean her mother's doing the scolding. So this should be "she would be scolded." :)

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  3. Hmmm... Old enough to marry. But this feels medieval or earlier. I'm going to say 14 or 15.

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  4. I'll go with 14, which would definitely be considered old enough to marry in older cultures, which this one seems to be. Definitely a teen with her dramatic eye roll and sarcastic use of "wonderful." ;)

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  5. Old enough to marry, I'd say 16, based on the cultural cues.

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  6. I'll go with 15, as the story has a feel of medieval to it. This sounds like a very interesting story. I'm curious to know if she have her first dance?

    I'm your new follower.

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  7. I guess about to turn 15. And what's the 2012 Debut Author Challenge? Sounds exciting!

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  8. I'm going to guess 15. It seems like a medieval fantasy type story and I can totally see the eye rolling of a middle teen. I'm sure she meets someone who doesn't mind being with a crippled girl. Would like to know more about who he is.

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  9. Oh, this is lovely! I love the imagery--I could see it so clearly. I want to know what happens next. And I love her name. :D

    I'm going to guess she's turning 16.

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  10. Sounds like she is 14. She has challenges to face but it sounds like she has attitude enough to deal with whatever life throws her way next,

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  11. I'm going to go with 17, just due to her maturity about her handicap and what it means. I like how she's on the edge of a chasm in the scene. It gives a feeling that she takes risks and with the village across the way, it also illustrates her separateness. I already like her. Great job!

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  12. Oh gosh, this is a hard one. The marriage thing, and being called child are pulling me in different (but very cool) directions. I think I'll go with 17?

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  13. period piece? if so age 13 if old enough to marry? and if period piece - did they have cruthces then?

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  14. I say she's turning 14 tomorrow, but it's just a guess. :) I liked the set up. We need more YA heroines with physical disabilities.

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  15. 15 or 16? Depends on what age this is set in. Great voice!

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  16. What a fun start!! I definitely want to read on :) I would say Bronwyn is 15??
    Julia

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  17. Juliet was 14 when she met Romeo. (and look how happily that turned out) So I'd say 14 as well.

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  18. This sounds like it's set in the past...a historical. I'm gonna say 16...cause back then, that was the age many women married at. :)

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  19. My guess is 16. Wonderful start! I'm interested to know what happens next! :)

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  20. I'm going with 16 just because she is turning marrying age. Nice start. I am intrigued, and would have turned the page if I could, which is saying a lot becuase I like explosions, and there was not a bomb in sight. Nice job.

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  21. You guys are good. She's 15 turning 16. Thanks for stopping by and for all you comments and encouragement.

    I think I've followed everyone who followed me. If I missed you, let me know. I want to return the favor.

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  22. Nicely written! I'm going to guess 16.

    You have a new follower in me;) Hope you can drop by my blog.

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  23. I'm also guessing that she's turning 16.

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  24. Hi :) I hopped over from Brenda's blog.

    First of all, I'm impressed that you're writing about a crippled protagonist. It already sounds like it would be a very emotionally rewarding story.

    I'm guessing 16, mostly becuase that tends to be the age when big things happen to people in books haha. but she also sounds about that age. maybe a year younger or older

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  25. Great start! I'm already feeling for the MC and want to know what happens next. I'm guessing 15 even though in our culture that is young for marriage but she lives in a village so marriage is probably at a younger age. Also, her mother calls her "child" so I'm thinking young teen.

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  26. I love the detail about the storm moving in and the geese going out! This whole piece has sort of an ethereal, old-fashioned vibe, so I'm going to guess she's about 16.

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  27. Is it cheating if I've already read this chapter? :) BUT since I don't remember exactly, I'm going to guess anyway. 16!

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    Replies
    1. I guess each of us has moments like that, so hopefully you'll be seeing everything in a different light soon! TRIPPED ON SIDEWALK

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