Do you have runaway characters?
I thought I had a plan for my novel, plotted out 15 story beats, whole 9 yards. Then I started writing it, and my characters started making their own choices as I helplessly watched, screaming "what are you doing?!?!"
Do I need a therapist? Or is this normal?
@cwgrody I'm ok with my characters doing the heavy lifting.
@DanIsWriting I read an interview with James Clavell about his writing a novel called GAI-JIN. He said he was absolutely shocked when the main character died halfway through and someone else ended up being the protagonist.
@researchbuzz that's amazing. I feel like I can relate. One of my characters went off the rails and I don't know if they're going to make it.
@DanIsWriting Follow your muse! OMG I love the feeling of the characters coming to life.
@ToolPackinMama Me too. Now half the joy of writing is finding out what happens next.
@DanIsWriting Welcome to pantsing. Imagine you're the director of a movie and all your actors are method. They will insist on what their characters will and won't do, but you're still the director, you have a movie to make, and you need to find a compromise, put your foot down, or rework the script.
There. That's what an author does. Now, action. :)
@jeffschanz_author I like that way of looking at it. I really feel like I'm dealing with a Marlon Brando / apocalypse now situation and I'm like "We'll fix it in editing" 😆
@DanIsWriting There are 2 ways of writing, You're following the second. If you can make the story interesting with the characters making their own choices, then I'd go with that method. If not, you may have to recreate the character because your errant storyline is telling you the character you built would not do what you want them to do.
@TrueBloodNet I think it will work out, if not, thats what the delete key is for. 😆
Wouldn’t be the first time.
@DanIsWriting Good! :) I hope it goes well.
@DanIsWriting #Writing processes are highly variable. What you are experiencing is one kind of normal, though many writers will never experience it and don’t understand it. I prefer the term #DiscoveryWriter over #pantser to describe the experience: I plan enough of the story to get started, then discover whole new realms of coolness I could not have predicted until I was deep into the work. Here’s an article I always recommend about this stuff: https://locusmag.com/2013/01/cory-doctorow-where-characters-come-from/
@DanIsWriting Good luck with your project!
@SarahAvery thanks, I'll have to check it out. I never liked pantser either. Its like "hey, I have a plan, my characters just aren't following the rules!" 😂
@DanIsWriting That's perfectly normal, if a bit disconcerting.
It means that your characters are becoming real enough to you to speak for themselves.
What's truly scary is when the characters in your head have a wrap party but don't invite you.
@mrfumblethumbs that's why I need to make sure none of them survive. I can't bear the rejection of not being invited.
@DanIsWriting If your characters are anything like mine, after hours they don't care about the plot or if they survive. They all get together for drinks and laughs, whether or not I've killed them off or not, or whether or not they're at odds in the story.
Wretched creatures that they are.
@mrfumblethumbs I really like that idea. What would they talk about if they all went out for drinks instead of killing eachother.
@DanIsWriting Not sure.
But it seems to involve lots of laughing...sometimes when they make sideglances at me.
Very disconcerting.
And rude.
@mrfumblethumbs yeah, totally. I'm thinking like 'Golden Girls' energy
@DanIsWriting Without revealing too much, I had a sidekick to the main character take on a life of her own. Her role grew and grew until I had to figure out a way to put her into 2 other books. I even found myself imagining a whole series just about her.
Since this is happening to you, I think you're right where you need to be. Enjoy the ride!
#amwriting #books #writingcommunity #writing
@WriterTaylor that sounds amazing. I'm sure that added a lot of depth to your story.
@DanIsWriting Pretty normal, especially in a first draft. The outline is the roadmap, not a prison. If you trust your characters (aka your subconscious) they generally take you where you need to go and you can work on structure, beats, rhythm, et al, in revisions. Enjoy!
@DevonEllington I feel like this isn't just writing advice, but a deeper philosophy of life in general.
@DanIsWriting HAHA runaway characters is how I acquire a plot. 🙂
@lizmonster thats true, they will find trouble on their own, you just have to follow along.
@DanIsWriting — Pretty normal, although I remember Connie Willis saying this doesn’t happen to her because she’s the one in charge. 😊