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?
@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