No, I’m NOT Schizophrenic! I’m an ARTIST!
Scenes from yesterday, with some liberties taken with actual times and actual conversation. Ok, some liberties taken with all of it. This is, however, based on a true story.
Cast:
Marnee – the slightly frazzled stay-at-home mother of one attempting to make headway in her latest manuscript.
Sarah – the heroine of said latest manuscript, a prophet who reads the future by staring in other’s eyes.
Nik – Sarah’s hunka, hunka burning love.
9:02 AM
*Marnee sits down with a cup of coffee to check email, comment on blogs, and reread what she wrote on her WIP yesterday. She places fingers to keyboard.*
Marnee: Ok, Sarah, you are going to have to try to keep Nik from kidnapping you.
Sarah: *sighs* I’m tired. I told you these premonitions take a lot out of me and I really don’t have the strength to fight with him right now.
M: Tough it out, missie. I got you this far.
S: *heavier sigh* Fine….
9:43 AM
*Marnee sits in the same spot with her hair all askew from tugging at it in frustration. Three cups of caffeine are coursing through her veins and making her fidget like she has to pee.*
Sarah, whining: I told you that I just want to see into his future so I can see if going with him is the best way. If it isn’t, I’ll fight him.
Marnee, screeching: And I told you that you shouldn’t see his future for another chapter or two! Why aren’t you listening to me!?
S: Because your way is difficult. I’m wussing out here. I’m tired. This is the easiest way.
M, whining now: But that isn’t how I saw the story going.
S: And I’m telling you that it IS how the story goes.
*Marnee closes her computer in frustration and goes off to color with her son*
Sarah and I battled it out for the rest of the day yesterday. I’d try to force her into submission but she ended up being more stubborn than me. By last night, I gave up. She’s going to see whatever is in their future whether I wanted it to be like that or not. I’m going to have to find out what happens and rearrange my story accordingly.
I’m a plotter. These character rebellions drive me bonkers. I spend a lot of time in the beginning of my writing process asking my characters what they think is going to happen between them. Inevitably something comes up that they hadn’t made clear to me on the onset and I end up rearranging to accommodate them.
People who don’t write don’t understand this entire phenomenon. I told my husband last night at dinner that Sarah was giving me a hard time and that she wouldn’t do what she was told. He smiled, chewed his chicken thoughtfully and said nothing. But the rise in his eyebrow said clearly that he was once again questioning my sanity and the prudence of leaving our impressionable young son alone with me all day.
But I mentioned the same occurrence to our lovely Coxswain late last night and she said, “Don’t you hate it when that happens?” I sighed in relief and smiled in communion. We both know that it’s the kind of hate that we love.
Because even though we say we hate it when that happens, we also know that it’s a great sign and bodes well for my story. It means that the characters are so strong in my head and that they’re characterized so clearly for me that I’ll intuitively know if something “works” with them or not. And that I’m on the right track.
And that I’m not, in fact, losing my mind.
Do you hear your characters in your head? How do you deal with character rebellions? Are you happy or annoyed when they take things over?
Books by the Crew
43 comments:
I remember my first story...I had a nice nasty fight planned between my main character and a side character... In the midst of fight, Miranda realized she liked him...then they ended up related in a very distant fashion... The rest is history, best of friends, crucial ally, dear cousin!
Totally unplanned, loved how it turned out. And of course, my hero is always nagging me to make him taller.
Marnee, go with what she wants. It's probably for the best. And it's cheaper than the stay in the mental hospital.
Ah, character rebellion.
Go with the flow. I tried to make my first heroine do what I envisioned, and I ended up having to rewrite everything I forced her to do. She very clearly did not want me to do that.
I don't plot, but I have an idea of where the story is going. With my latest book, I had two false starts before I got it right. First try I wanted to write it so that my man was an alpha. Totally wasn't happening (delete 40 pages). Second try I wanted Rosalie to a widow not a courtesan (delete 30 pages).... I've got it right now. And I'm listening to my characters! Otherwise I'll be hitting the delete button again.
Chance - Awh, that's cool about a fight turning to friendship. Very "let's all get along." LOL!! And it worked out for the best. That's what I need to hear. :)
Tiff - That is exactly what I want to avoid. I spent all day writing things, little snippets, that I'd delete because they weren't right. I finally figured out that I wasn't going to be happy until Sarah's happy and that's just how it's got to be.
I listen. I didn't always. Even though I started TLWH with my hero telling me what was going on, I still thought I was in control of the story. Then, while I was writing book 1 and planning the hero of book 2, another beta that I loved, a secondary character from book 1 let me know that he was going to be the hero of book 2 (only now it's book 3, I think). Since he's not at all the kind of character I'm comfortable with, I'm fearful of the process. But I am listening and discovering lots of secrets that I never suspected.
I have to agree with the others. When your characters have taken you hostage, you have to concede to their demands, even if they're demanding completely stupid crap like "sex in a tree" and "cheese in a can." Just roll with it. Sometimes those things turn out better than you think; and if they don't and finally concede your way was better, you'll still have wasted less time by writing that itty-bitty scene than sitting there, fighting and writing nothing.
And it's why I don't plot so much in the beginning now because, well, I always get to the GMC questions and wuss out...and plus writing out scenes I *know* will happen then finding out later they won't is extremely frustrating.
Janga - I think that this book is the first time I've felt out of control of the process. What a disconcerting feeling. My first set of characters were much better behaved. :)
Hellsie - Yikes, sex in a tree? That sounds dangerous. Almost as dangerous as cheese in a can....
Ugh, GMC questions. I *hope* I understand that much about them. I think I do, unless they convince me otherwise.
Are you kidding? I hear voices in my head all the time. I talk to myself. I'm missing a good chunk of my hair where I pulled it out fighting with Cin. The fact of the matter is, no matter how much control we want over the writing process, it's just a process. Our characters have the ultimate control over what happens no matter if it's coming from us or not. They have the ability to make it a great day in writing or the worse day in writing history.
My characters always overrule me. It's the way it should be. I don't want to have to "tell" the story, I want them to show me the story so I can record it in a way that the reader feels like they are there.
Hellion, you could totally write tree house sex. That would be awesome. Like having sex in the crow's nest.
I meant to add in to my previous comment that there was a reason why I've always got music on- I can't focus without it. Otherwise, my characters run my life. It isn't necessarily a bad thing, but the DR doesn't pay me to write, unfortunately.
Sin - You definitely have a way of making a reader feel like they're right there. So, you're doing a great job listening! :) And I can see how music might work to keep you focused, but for me it makes it worse. I feel pulled in too many directions when I'm listening to music when I write. That really makes me feel like I'm losing it.
Sin's comment makes me think: Even imaginary characters have FREE WILL. If they didn't, they wouldn't be human--and we wouldn't want to read about them. So yeah, they're going to do whatever they want and you're going to have to roll with it.
What happens if you write characters who aren't human? Does free will exist in characters who are human like?
I love when Marn blows smoke up my ass. I'm only sucking wind lately. There's no life in my writing.
Yep, I had the same battle yesterday. At least your character wants to do something benign. My hero told me he's going to sleep with a cute little IRA terrorist 30 minutes after sleeping with the heroine. This won't work!!!! Grrr. It's a romance - the heroine must have the gliterry hoo-haa, which means that the hero will never again want to sleep with anyone else. *Especially* not a terrorist!
But luckily in the next scene (as was explained to me yesterday - I swear I have no control at all), the bludgeoned body of the cute little terrorist will be found crumbled at the bottom of a staircase, so maybe it's okay if he sleeps with her. Cirpes.
Here's what happens to me when I'm writing, I seem to go into some zoned out place. This summer when I met up with the BB girls, I got up really early to write and one of them said they got up and started talking to me and I never even looked up.
That's freaky. I need to be more aware of my surroundings. Ranger would be pissed.
Music for me is a way to block out all the background. I try not to listen to new music when I'm writing because I'm a "behind the lyrics" meaning type of person. The song has to mean something for me to listen to it and use it to write. Music influences my writing mood and usually the scene I'm writing in some way.
Jeez, the more I talk about it, the more I'm sure I belong in mid-mo.
Ranger always talks to me. He pushes me more than any of my own characters, but it's always been like that with him. I want him to give up the "I don't need anyone" act, and he tells me to ***k off. But then when I write a smut scene between him and Stephanie he's all about it. Typical male.
Tell George you're not crazy. All writers have wars with their characters. Most of the time I find that if listen and work harder to make what they want happen, my story is much tighter.
I usually write out an outline of the differences between where I want the story to go, and where the character is demanding it to go. I see if it's possible to take it in the direction they are guiding me, and how much rewriting it is going to take. Most of the time it takes more writing time, but I find a way to make it work both ways and compare the two. If the characters version has substance and is plausable I go with it. But if my way makes more sense I stick with my original idea, and bend the character to my will, they eventually get over it:)
Ranger would definitely be pissed - LOL
I'm trying to catch up but y'all are talking too fast. LOL! This is a great blog, Marn. And a good sign, IMO, that you're on the right track.
Even though I'm still in the first 3rd of the WIP, I've lived with these characters for what feels like forever. Back in June, I spent an entire weekend writing retreat stuck on one damn scene. I wanted it to start with Celi being late for work, and Bryan there waiting when she got there. Tried it all kinds of ways but it just wouldn't work. Finally, on the last day, got the idea to have her be there on time. Wouldn't you know, the scene flowed beautifully from there.
The witch just refused to be late for work. Why couldn't she have told me that on the first day. frickenfracken... I could have gotten a lot more written that damn weekend. LOL!
Sin, I don't know. You're opening up a philosophical discussion I'm not sure about. Because "biblically" speaking, demons, which are supposed to be fallen angels, don't have free will. Because God didn't give free will to the angels. He only gave it to humans (which is why Lucifer was so ticked.) However, if they don't have free will--how are they able to do evil?
Whenever I write Lucifer, he has free will--he reasons for himself, manipulates the situation around him for his best gain, et al. He can't beat God, of course, but he's always willing to try. (He's an optimist, I guess.) Or maybe, with the situation I have Lucifer in now he's getting to exercise free will because he's made sure God can't interfere with what he does, at the moment. That's the definition of free will, right? To exercise control over your own actions and decisions without a Higher Power interfering.
And I'm always a bit confused about it, really, because we're told we have free will--but in the end we're told this is the way God planned it all along. I'm not sure how we can have it both ways, but *shrugs* I try not to think about it too much.
Here's why I asked that. Cin can't assert her free will because she owns no soul. But I write her with the ability to think for herself, but she's unable to act for herself. Most paranormal characters are an extension of human traits; but if not, I'm afraid they won't be approachable to a reader audience.
I need to just shut up for the day. I'm running on a different wavelength than usual. Can you tell? LOL And Yahoo radio is playing some kick ass music today.
*lighting the flare*
Who made up the rule about demons and souls? Some writer somewhere who made it up. He just happened to put his story in a book called the Bible and sold it to a lot of people.
Write what you want. It's all made up.
*LOL*
There you go: Terri said it. Write what you want.
If it makes sense to you, you'll eventually make it make sense to us, Sin. Or at least to an audience who thinks like you. Believe me, there are more warped thinkers like you out there. Never worry. *LOL*
One amendment.
Write what you want, but be consistent. I know how y'all hate it when an author doesn't seem to know her own characters.
LOL!
Hmmm. Do aliens have free will? The ones I write do, but they certainly have a different set of rules on other things...
OTOH, I'm not sure I have free will when writing. I'm just the chronicler (sp?)
But the WIP I'm working on now could sure use some actual plotting. Something I generally wing. Is it too early for snort? Yup, I'll go raid my local Starbucks for some caffeine...
Waiting to hear back from a contest today. Know I didn't place, but they promised the critique today. (My tummy hurts...)
Sin - I only blow smoke that's deserved.
Hal - Wait you didn't tell me that Kersey sleeps with Jo AFTER he sleeps with Naomi? I need to read this....
Lis - I'm going to tell George that I'm not insane because my writing friends insist that talking to my characters is perfectly normal. He's going to be so relieved. LOL!! I hadn't thought of trying to compare the differences. Maybe I'll give that a shot.
Ter - I agree. I think being bossed around by our characters is a sign of good things to come. They are what they are, in our heads, so we shouldn't really fight their (our) natures to change them. :)
On the demon debate.... My demons do not have free will. But I agree with Ter; write what you want. :)
Chance - good luck with the critique. It's always nice to get feedback. No need to be nervous. :)
I actually like it when characters take over but when they do something really annoying like stop talking!!!Yeah, I get annoyed.lol. Is this the sequel to the 'guardian' book! More witches?
Also, nine out of the ten voices in my head tell me I'm sane, too! We have so very much in common!:)
And , Hal, he better not sleep with her!!I could never forgive him! Gosh, what a thing to want!! Is he not actually with the heroine yet even though he's slept with her?
And LOL, Hal! I'm already emotionally invested in your book. That'a good thing!:)
Kelly - no, this isn't the sequel to the guardian book. It's something new. Not witches this time; angels and demons. :) LOL! How's your writing going, sweets?
Oh Marnee ... so sorry but I am feeling rather long winded today...
View From My Couch: A reader’s take on your characters taking over your WIP.
Don’t like your characters to misbehave? Well really my dear , you have no one to blame but your self. You created them. You gave them personalities and flaws and hopes and dreams. Then you had the nerve to inflict conflict or angst or black moments upon their little lives? For gosh sakes who wouldn’t rebel? I’m surprised that your characters don’t slap at your little fingers as they fly across the keyboard…. Whilst they yell “Bad writer, Bad” or “I’m telling your CP, you cretin!”
To you, The Writer, character rebellion might make you feel how ’Marie Antoinette felt when she heard the peasants were rebelling … “Stop those characters before someone gets hurt … like me!”
Take a deep breath.
There is no reason to lose your head over this. Character Rebellion can be the best thing that ever happened to your manuscript.
As long as its not a Hostile Takeover, character rebellion can be a Good thing! Why? Because there is nothing more interesting than a literary character exploring and exploiting their unique presence across the pages of a book. Sure A Romance Lit Reader wants adventure, sparks, passion, emotion! But we also want characters who act in interesting & unexpected ways. Other wise you risk boring your readers. This means that you cannot rely on pure plotting on your part. Let your characters plot too. Let them scheme . If you Let them surprise you with The unexpected Twist I guarantee that they’ll surprise me too. IMO, a writer needs to allow a bit of gorilla warfare among their characters … a coup d'état!
So what is this coup-dee-thingidy-bob and why should you be happy about it? The American Heritage Dictionary describes coup d'état as
‘The sudden overthrow of a government by a usually small group of persons in or previously in positions of authority.”
WTH? Right … OK if you are a writer think of yourself as “The Government”. You are in charge. The “small group of persons” are your WIP’s characters. That “sudden overthrow of authority” is a Eureka Moment. One of those moments when a unique plot twist or turn occurs to you. It occurs to you because that’s how a character would react in that situation… not how you think they Should react.
So are you experiencing a coup d'état? Congratulations. That means that you are no longer merely writing with your head. You are writing with your Heart. You are allowing your character’s emotions and feelings and God help you … their wants & desires …to flow out of into your words…. Their voice becomes Your Voice.
Remember , its Their Story told through your Voice.
Your characters might annoy you. But they live in your head. They are a part of you. So you might as well Embrace them. Trust them when they are being honest. Argue with them. Discipline them if you must. But let them “live” their pretend lives on paper as honestly … as true to their nature …. as possible… Trust your characters and trust the readers too. Trust that Readers can tell the difference between a Voice that is trying to be Unique and Creative verses one that is Phony and Condescending.
Your Voice is what sets you apart from every other writer. Your characters, and their Voices, are what sets each one of your stories apart from another. Unless you want to write the same story over & over I feel that you must allow the people that live in your head to speak. And you must let them have some influence over their ‘lives”.
You might call this process Annoying.
I call it … Creativity.
Oh, I love angels and demons!! Is it a contemp or historical?
And my writing is not going at all! I keep promising myself I'll start again next month...and then next month...and then,well, you see where this is going.lol.
Uh, Marn, yeah I left that part out. I'm pretty sure he sleeps with Naomi, is so emotionally wrecked that he walks directly from Naomi's room to Jo's room. This is SO not going to work in a romance novel.
Kelly - I know!!! This is like the biggest no-no in romance. And he's not actually with the heroine when he sleeps with her. It's complicated :) I'm trying to get him under control. We'll see who wins.
Heck, I'm last in today and have been missing all this interesting discussion.
Its worst than I thought. Sin and Helli are getting philosophical.
Sex in a crow's nest!?
Surely you jest. Unless the pirates have built an extension, where would the feet go?
Free will in non-humans? If you have ever owned a dog or a cat you wouldn't need to ask that.
Oh you are talking Heaven and Hell. Well there is no scientific evidence to support either concept.
I think that all living creatures have a certain level of intelligent behaviour and therefore free will.
If the demons can't decide which humans to torture then they will lack plausibility. Having read JK's 'My Immortal' I feel sure that she would agree. QED *grin*
Terri's got the right idea on this.
Marnee if your characters are alive then from the above argument they have free will and are bound to argue with you. Put another way, because they argue then they must be alive.
Though if something is controlling a demon's mind, then the free will might belong to that thing.
Crumbs I think I'm losing my way on this ship today. :?
Will someone please point me at the scotch bottle...its urgent!!
*passes Q a scotch and some extra rum to Julie*
Well said, both of you.
Julie - I love when you get long winded. Always wise and funny and TRUE.
Q - Only one has to have their feet on the floor, dear.
I went to an uber-christian school for undergrad, and if you had a boy in your room, you had to leave the door open. RA's would patrol the halls, and look in each room to make sure all four feet were flat on the floor, because they assumed you couldn't possibly have sex if both your feet were on the floor *g*
Julie - Maybe you're right. I'm looking at this from entirely the wrong angle. I need to stop being such a control freak. It's true, that the more I try to wrestle them into submission, the more bland my writing becomes. I end up using the delete key. I need to just let me be the voice and them be the part that I'm voicing. Brava. You are wise.
Q - But if my demons are arguing on behalf of another, they aren't expressing their own free will, but someone else's, correct?
And my characters who are arguing with me sure feel alive. Only something alive to me could be so frustrating.
Depends Ter. You just gotta get creative with it.
And I'm needing some Scotch.
I have to agree with Marn- if they are non-human, animals may have free will regardless if placed in a home with a family. My take from this is the same. You can have really great animals in really great homes with lots of love, attention and care, and on the other hand, is the complete opposite. There is still free will there, but its so repressed they can't act on it.
Wow, so philosophical of all ye! The crows nest is a perfectly fine place for some tumbling, long as there is line nearby ta cling ta...
Free will, ah...the whole chicken and the egg debate. Seems ta recall a debate some months past 'bout fate vs. choice. Same music, different words?
Me cat has free will, but mine be the voice of authority...when I'm there and the question be one of lettin' 'er outta the house. Otherwise, she be the rulin' the house.
Julie, some awesome ruminatin' there! Nice how ya link it all together like a braid a' hair...
Terri, I hadn't thought that pirates could be so creative! :lol:
Hi Haleigh. I'm looking forward to your debut blog!
Both feet on the floor eh....that could be a nice title. *grin*
Marnee, Yep thats right. I would assume that Satan himself could be controlling their actions.
Sin, does your creativity extend to drinking scotch while performing in the crow's nest?
Now I wouldn't have thought of that...sounds good!
On free will there is a nice readable book by Jeremy Narby called 'Intelligence in Nature' which provides evidence for intelligence in very primitive creatures as well as pets.
I must be really out of it today, because I'm not following this demon free will thing at all. But it's likely because I don't read that stuff and really have no idea what y'all are talking about. :)
Would demons be constricted by actual rules or would it be more like us, constricted by what is expected and believed acceptable by their society? (Is that "ible" or "able"?)
Hal, if you need help reining him in, I can help!!! I have much experience.lol. I mean, how can I trust he loves the heroine if he's wanting that after being with the heroine?*sniff*lol. I'm such a whiner.lol. Please forgive me! I'm convinced anything you write will be good- after all, I like Shae!:) And the more I read of her...the more I like her.
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