I went viral for asking a weird question.
Disclaimer: this is a copy of the newsletter. Actual subscribers get all the prizes, votes, and exclusives.
“Tell me a little quirk you have (PLEASE), so I can use it for a character.”
22,000 views and 681 comments later, I realized my 8-second video had gone viral (link coming later, along with my favorite picks).
Granted, over my 35 years of life, I’ve gone viral before. Some of my best hits have been…
- Rhino (common cold)
- Influenza (flu)
- Noro (stomach bug)
But this is the first time I was actually GLAD I went viral.
You might be wondering WHY I would ask people to share their quirks with me.
When you write so many characters, it’s very hard to make them feel UNIQUE. Granted, speech patterns and tone can be conveyed well on the pages, but many people can share similar vocal traits when you write them down.
Two characters can have a stern tone, such as the Arbiter and the Iridium Imperator.
Two characters can use sarcasm, like Sophia and Bella.
Just like in our real life, it isn’t just a voice that makes someone unmistakably them, it’s their quirks too.
It’s how my daughter Evelon (6) passionately expresses herself with wide eyes and hand gestures as she shares her plans to build her own trading card game.
Or how my son Levi will stop and stare at the fan when it makes an unusual sound, while everyone else doesn’t even notice.
While I have traits to pull from within my own family, I’ve got a whole lot more than 4 people to write. So as I’m working on book 2 (slowly, but surely), I wanted to get more quirks to potentially use for my characters to make them, well, more human.
THAT is why I made the post that ended up going viral. Here are two of my favorite quirks:
“I’ll listen to one song on repeat for 5 hours and then get mad when I decided to change it.”
@ailish.thespider I 100% binge the same song, listening on repeat until I get sick of it for a year. XD
“I’m dead.”
@macueditz *loads shotgun since they’re for sure a zombie*
So now let me pose the question to YOU.
What’s a quirk of yours?
Hit reply to this email and share what it is. Who knows, you may end up seeing a character one day with a similar trait (wink wink).
Also, everyone who responds, I’ll give you a sneak peek at the concept art for the BIG commission we’re doing with 10 characters in an EPIC backdrop.
So hit reply, and share that thing you do that is just, well, YOU.
Want a free, early copy of The First Stone?
In celebration of getting our FIRST Goodreads review from an ARC reader, we’re giving away 5 more ebook early release copies. Check out the first review:
[5 STARS]
“Robert Biehn’s book First Stone is a must read.
I was mesmerized right from the beginning. I was drawn into the world of Exousia and wanted to know how Cass would protect his sister. So many times I was on the edge of my seat wondering how the two would escape the situations they found themselves in…I couldn’t stop reading it. I could go on and on but I don’t want to spoil it.
I highly recommend giving it a read…or two.”
Melissa Hewett (read the full review on Goodreads)
Just like Melissa got her ARC copy way before everyone else, so can you!
We’re going to be giving out another 5 ARC (ebook copies) of the book in the next 48 hours for those who pre-order the book (as a big thank you for supporting our dream).
If you want a copy of The First Stone to binge this weekend, be one of the first 5 to pre-order and get the ARC. It is out now for pre-order.
P.S. Here’s the link to the viral post. Make sure to follow me so you don’t miss these random moments. And then head over to Goodreads to leave a review or add The First Stone to your TBR/READ.
Not sure where you stand in this world yet? Take the Faction Quiz.
~Robert
Disclaimer: this is a copy of the newsletter. Actual subscribers get all the prizes, votes, and exclusives.
