My Imaginary Friends
I’ve been reading a wide variety of books recently. Some have stuck out in my mind, and others I’ve read and set down without thinking about again. One I read recently was brilliantly plotted, had a great theme, and excellent writing and pacing. But I didn’t identify with the characters. I kept thinking, this should be such a good book. On paper, it had everything, but at no point, was I drawn into the story.
Another book was less well-written from a technical standpoint. There were plot holes and adverbs and sentences of telling. Yet I couldn’t put it down for a second. When I did have to put it down, my head was swimming with the characters – what were they thinking? Feeling? What would they do next? Would they get their happy ending?
The difference was the characters – I knew them, I loved them, and I couldn’t rest until I knew how their story ended, and I couldn’t have cared less about the writing itself.
So as a writer, to get to that character depth, we have to know that character really well. To other writers, getting to know a character sounds like a normal, necessary part of writing. To non-writers, it sounds a little nut-so.
For instance, last week, I was struggling with a character. I probably had that squinty ‘what the hell am I doing?’ look on my face, because Mr. Coxswain politely said, “Everything going okay?”
“No,” I said. “I don’t really have a handle on Naomi’s emotions right now.”
*weird look out of the corner of his eye* “Oh yeah?”
“Yeah. I just need to be her for a while today.”
*weird look takes on a distinct ‘am I going to have to commit her?’ flair* “And, uh, how are you going to do that?”
“You know, just sit real still and be her.” At this point, I ran off, upstairs. Half an hour later, the hubs carefully stuck his head around the bedroom door, to find me lying on the bed, perfectly still, and staring at the ceiling.
“How’s it going?”
“Really good! Naomi’s been numb for a long time. And bam! She’s pissed. It’s a big shock to the senses.”
“Oh. Well, then. Good.” *at this point, he began thumbing through the phone book for any ads that read, ‘Have a crazy wife? Send her here!’
Luckily, he didn’t find any such ad (apparently mental health facilities use some other marketing strategy), and I’m writing away with Naomi’s emotions on a better track.
There are plenty of other ways to get in touch with a character’s emotions or stories. So, let’s hear it! Anybody else use my insane method? How do you get to know your characters? Which characters stand out in your mind, long after you set the book down?
Books by the Crew
38 comments:
My technique...well...there are always aspects of myself in my characters. So the better I get to know myself, the better I know them...
(Great now they'll all look for me in my books when they get published... Not such a bad thing, I guess...)
But I do have characters with experiences I can't fathom. I try to surround them with empathy and go from there. I also find a great place to deepen my understanding is while driving. (I am a very safe driver...I multi-task very well!) There's something about the zen of driving that opens me up to exploring my characters.
Like Chance, most of my characters have something in common with me. It's taken me a few books to see exactly what it is---there is a pesky recurring theme, so I guess I'm doing my own therapy. I have a lot of internal stuff---my agent seems to think it's okay, that it sets the mood. Right now though, I'm all about the dialogue. Time to sharpen my rapier wit, LOL.
Getting to know my characters, that is at the heart of why I have been struggling lately.
I knew who Sarah was and her background in dry facts, but she was very quiet on what made her tick.
And Drake is just driving me mad. He seems to enjoy walking on to center stage, tapping the microphone, and saying, "When will Sarah be mine? I won't wait any longer."
Finally I told him, "When you open up and tell the story of how you win her heart."
He doesn't like that he has to open up, but he's getting there and things are finally start to move along.
Great blog, Hal!!
Di
Oh and great blog!! :)
Hal - I love what you've done with Naomi. I think she's coming along great. And I use your tactic. I sit still and close my eyes and try to see the scene play out in my head, try to be them while they're going through what they're going through, try to put myself in their position.
Jess Andersen just told me this weekend that as a writer, the best thing we can do is just get out of our characters' way. :)
I've been struggling with Sarah this past week. I'm at their first kiss but it's also at a real turning point for her emotionally. So I've written, deleted, written, deleted, all week long. Irritating. I've been distracted with RL this week too so I think once I settle down I'll be able to get back on track.
This is a great blog. And this is something I worry about. I've been with my current WIP characters for over two years and know them very well. But it wasn't until more than a year in that I got to the point of *knowing* them. That worries me for future projects. What if it takes me that long everytime?!
Chance - now I know what to look for....lol! Driving is a good place for me too. there's something lulling about being on the highway, isn't there?
Maggie - your own therapy - I love it! Certainly cheaper than real therapy, and if it gets the job done! *g* I'm a big sucker for internal conflict in books, especially the angsty kind. Characters who are struggling with themselves always get my sympathy going. So I'm with your agent - lots of internal conflict is definitely a good thing! Good luck with the dialog!
Di - this is the exact problem I was having my with my character. I knew the facts, her background, I knew all the external things that had happened to her, but I couldn't get inside her head.
Hilarious about Drake! I love characters who get demanding (does that make me sound crazy?). He seems like a great character, just from that much info.
Marn - oh good, I'm not the only one who sits still and tries to be them! LOL! I love that advice, to "get out of the character's way."
Good luck with Sarah. I was doing the same thing last week with that sex scene - deleting, writing, deleting, writing. I'm loving both of their emotions, and I think the kiss will come out perfectly!
Ter - it does take a while to get into their heads, doesn't it? But I *think* it gets easier. I've noticed that as I'm working on one MS, especially once I really get going toward the end, new characters show up in my head and start hanging around. So I slowly get to know them while working on the previous project.
But that may have just been because I was working on a series. Anybody else have that experience, or did it work differently?
I too find driving as a great way to process the story. Since I make this crazy trip from the east coast to east Tennesee several times a year, I use the trips to work out the story. More than once I've stopped and made some notes since I know I'll forget it all if I don't.
And I hate those days when you write then delete then write and delete again. Those are the worst.
No, my method is pretty nutty too. I haven't laid in bed and thought about my characters because I tend to use the opportunity to sleep. No matter how much sleep I may have gotten. Sleep is like chocolate. I can always have more.
I have done the awkward conversations like, "OMG, Lucy's said that before!" And the person I say this to will pause significantly and say, "Lucy? Isn't that the character from your novel?" "Um, well, yes, but he did say it. It was very funny. He's so witty." "Right."
I'm no better at covering my crazy than you are, Hal. Sorry.
I told my sister once that I was having trouble figuring out how I was going to throw my H/H together into intimate situations. I explained that Bryan had taken care of everything when he suggested they work in the evenings either at her apartment or his (they live across the hall from each other). My sister tried to point out that Bryan doesn't really exist and couldn't solve anything, but she just doesn't understand. LOL!
Ter, did you tell her that her cat also couldn't understand BABY TALK?
Don't dish it out if you can't take it.
LOL! She hates when I pick on the cat thing. LOL! Spinsters can be very sensitive, you know.
Hells - my system puts me to sleep on a regular basis. It's really more a "think like I'm Naomi until I fall asleep, and when I wake up, I'll know what she's going to do next." I love that Lucy talks to you and you blurt that out - amazing. At least other writers understand the voices in our head, right?
Ter - Bryan can fix anything - your sister's just not as cool and enlightened as us to get that. LOL!
Have you tried a tape recorder while driving? I've got a little hand held one I carry in my purse so I can remember things while I'm driving. I sound like an idiot on tape, but you know, I'm the only one who has to hear it *g*
I've thought about doing the recorder thing, but never get around to it. It would certainly get me some interesting looks from the other drivers on the interstate. LOL!
I think my characters are like my family and friends in that no matter how well I think I know them they can still surprise me. The thing I find most perplexing is that the characters I understand least are those that have the most of me in them. Maybe I'm avoiding the therapy Maggie mentioned.
As for the writing and deleting, writing and deleting, I thought that was the writing process with just enough damn-that's-good moments granted to keep us working. :)
Hal - You have no idea that statement regarding my sister not being enlightened really is. LOL! Though she does read Romance, so I'll give her credit for that. She just lacks a bit of imagination.
dude - life's no fun without imagination! No romance, no imaginary friends....what does she do with her time? lol!
Janga - I agree, those characters are the hardest. I had a character that was too much like me - I hated her and kept killing her off (which doesn't work, as she was the heroine. lol). I had to change a few things about her to like her. (I'm avoiding the therapy thing too - lol!)
"writing and deleting with just enough damn-that’s-good moments granted to keep us working" - that's the perfect description of writing.
She lives for the people in the little electric box. Her entire life revolves around it. Instead of getting a DVR, she has TWO VCR's so she can make sure she doesn't miss anything. That includes her daytime soap operas. LOL!
whoa! She'd get along very well with my hubby. He's considering buying a new computer so he can hook it to the new TV to make his own DVR with a bigger hard drive. Seriously. How can there possibly be so many interesting things on TV that you have to build your own DVR? lol!
Hal - Yeah, done that. Have other characters really let me know they expect their story to be told. And my lead is always pestering me to be taller!
Terrio - DH does the call his own cellphone and leave himself messages instead of writing stuff down... I've been thinking about the mini tape recorder also. (CA has this new law about not driving and chatting on the cell...a good law... If you have a wireless headset you're OK. Just no holding the phone...)
I think that being a good writing almost requires being a good actor—you have to learn to tap into the "other" and their thoughts and words and deeds.
If I'm having trouble with it, I do try to feel what the character would feel (sometimes that hurts, esp since I have to do this for black moments a lot!).
My other fave technique is to sit down and write about some important event in the story from that character's POV in first person. Sometimes even my handwriting starts to change.
Hey Jordan - I never thought of it in terms of acting, but you're right - it's a very similar process to tap into a character.
I've heard writing in 1st person suggested, but haven't tried it myself. That's amazing that it gets far enough into your head to change your handwriting. I'll definitely have to try it now!
I think Jordan wins the woo woo award for today. :)
Thanks, Ter. . . . I mean, that does merit a thank you, right?
Totally a good thing, Jordan. LOL!
Great blog today, Hal. I've been trying to comment today but it's complete chaos inside my own hell.
I normally have to tap into my character first through music choice. I make a new playlist depending on how my character is emotionally. I have to get into the groove of how they act and speak. Sadie was much easier to get intuned with because of her sarcastic approach to everything. (Not that I'm sarcastic or anything.) Cin has been another story. She's very detached, not only physically but emotionally. For her, I've been trying to tap into that denial mechanism that we all have. So there are lots of quiet moments while reflecting.
Oh, I love using music for this, too, Sin! I also like using it to set the scene—espeically in a "historical" (I wrote one set in the 70s, so it's not technically a 'historical,' but I had a lot of fun with the music!).
Jordan, I'm the same way. Music is everything to my writing.
I can only imagine the scene setting for the 70's. The drugs and the disco, wild times.
Jordan, Con Artist had such a cool 70s vibe about it too. :) I could definitely feel the music vibe in it.
I find that talking to my CP about my characters really helps me to get into them. This works especially well when they are at their most elusive. I tend to get really emotional when I finally 'get it' and most people, as you guys have pointed it out, don't understand this part of the process. Not that they understand any other part of the process but that's a discussion for another day.
sorry I'm so late - I got caught up in a work crisis....oh who am I kidding? I started reading "Whitney, my Love," and just now realized that four hours had passed.
Sin - I love music for this. For whatever reason, it really helps me with my heroine. The hero, not so much. Maybe I'm just weird like that *g*
Santa - aren't CP's the best for that? And generally having other writers around who *do* get the process and can aid in our process :)
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