Yahoo Image Search
Way back in October, I was a guest on Annette Rochelle Aben’s podcast called ‘Tell Me a Story‘. During the fun and festivities, it was pointed out that I talk about my characters as if they can walk into a room any minute. This got me thinking about me as an author. I can’t say this category falls into my process because it isn’t something that always leads to writing. All I can say is that this is me and always has been.
Explaining this is the hardest part because I always get people who jump in to interrupt for one reason or another. Some try to logic it to the point where it doesn’t feel special and others try to turn the conversation to their own voices. It kind of irks me because I really haven’t met anyone who fully captures what goes on in my head. Then again, I can’t say that I can find the correct words to bring the proper life to the idea. Saying that I have long conversations with my characters in my head, that I imagine being them, or they act up during writing isn’t unique. All authors get that. Yet, I feel that there is more to that like these beings are living in my mind and keep poking their head into my space to see if I need anything. Every now and again, they’re a physical presence on my senses or an influence on my behavior. Almost like there’s a symbiosis where I give them life and they give me comfort or strength?
This post isn’t going well at all because I can’t fully explain how I feel. Part of it could stem from me being rather solitary when I was younger. I had friends that I hung out with, but I spent a lot of time sitting in my room with my characters. During the years that I was working non-writing jobs, I’d take every opportunity to outline or jot down ideas. This might have caused me to maintain some connection to my imagination, which created an open channel to that part of my mind. Still, it doesn’t really explain why I default to talking about Luke Callindor like he’s my trouble-making friend instead of a character in my stories. Could it be that I’ve given him so many facets that he pretty much is alive to me? Is it possible for an author to dream something up in such personal detail that they create a ‘ghost’ that haunts them to some extent?
Another reason for me wondering about this is because of my recent stress and life upheaval. I’ve tried to talk about this before and got a lot of well wishes and support in that I’ll be back to writing. Yet, one key point keeps getting missed. I don’t really hear the voices like I used to. It isn’t like a wall has come up because I can’t even sense that they are still in my head. I’ve poked around to find specters and shadows, but it’s become rare that they turn up. (Writing this in November, so maybe this will change by the time it goes live, but work with me.) Cassidy and Lloyd became more vivid when I was editing Derailing Bedlam, but there was a sense that I was reading something written by someone else. They would fade away almost as soon as I stopped instead of sticking around for an hour to chat. It was like an automatic off switch that I never had before because I never feared having an imagination running wild until I needed it to become a honed tool.
Part of me fears that by packing away the notebooks, announcing a semi-retirement, and putting a stake in what little momentum I had has been perceived as betrayal. My characters were always comfort zones, but some people have pointed at them as the causes of my life being ‘bad’. Perhaps they’ve gone away out of guilt for causing me trouble even though they really didn’t do anything wrong. It doesn’t help that very few people around this side of the computer really try to understand how I work. Everyone thinks I can just turn the author side back on whenever I want or that I can hang out with my characters regardless of my mood. Honestly, I’m getting really worn down trying to explain myself to people who don’t seem interested in understanding. Unlike the voices in my head, they don’t really like what I am and work to make sure I never think I’m special or talented like I was beginning to feel a few years back. Eh, this is getting off topic, but this is another reasons my internal friends might be silent.
I’m just going to open the floor with a few questions. Do other authors talk about their characters like they’re physical beings? What do you do when those close to you seem to minimize your identity as an author? Have you ever had a time where the voices disappeared and you feared that they would never return?
Legends of Windemere 
This is beautiful. If I knew you in real life and it wouldn’t make my husband concerned that I’m hugging strange men, I’d want to give you a hug.
You’ve hit the nail right on the head: you’ve a connection to imagination that’s been injured by the harsh, rude, imposing interjection of real life.
My five-year-old tells me he has three imaginary friends. Others say, “Oh, how cute!” But if he were to repeat that in his adult life, they’d put him on anti-psychotics.
I’m not sure how you might balance so much real-worlding right now with imagination, but that seems the solution: that you need a re-connection.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Well, I’m definitely strange. Totally agree about how adults get strange looks at least when they use their imaginations like they did as children. It makes it difficult to speak about my writing and ideas too. Most people simply don’t get it.
Wish I knew how to do the balance. Every time I try to reconnect, something looms up to strike me back down. It’s frustrating.
LikeLiked by 1 person
If I knew, I’d tell you.
And even if I did, It’s going to be unique to you.
Some ideas: doodling, painting, films, reading other fiction, or taking a really boring math class.
LikeLike
My weekdays do start with math, but I have to pay attention. I tried working on an outline this weekend, but things got hectic. Doodling might work though.
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a lovely response, Chelsea.
LikeLiked by 1 person
😀 Thanks.
LikeLike
Reblogged this on Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog and commented:
Let Charles know your answers to one, or all three, of his questions, in the comments under his original blog post 😎
LikeLike
Thanks for sharing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Welcome, Charles 👍😃
LikeLike
“Yet, I feel that there is more to that like these beings are living in my mind and keep poking their head into my space to see if I need anything. Every now and again, they’re a physical presence on my senses or an influence on my behavior.” As much as it’s possible for anyone to understand something said with only words, I understand this. I won’t go into detail — you expressed a dislike of anyone talking about their own “voices” in response — but much of what you said in this post could describe my experiences, too.
LikeLike
Had to check what I said. I think I’m more irked in conversations that start specifically about my stories then another author tries to make it about them. So, it’s more the ‘theft’ of focus that you see a lot among authors. Feel free to share on this post since it’s an open floor. Sorry I wasn’t more specific there.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It sounds like a bit of a crisis of confidence to me, Charles. Maybe with everything that you have gone through recently and going back into a paycheck job has knocked you and this is how it is manifesting. I am quite sure your creativity will return to you if you just give yourself a bit of a rest.
LikeLike
It’s not really confidence from what I can tell. I think it’s more emotional stress that is overriding everything else. My mind drifts to the life upheaval instead of my writing once it’s unleashed. So resting hasn’t done much if anything. To be honest, I’ve been resting since August in this arena and nothing has improved.
LikeLike
Your post strikes a chord Charles. One’s characters do take on a life of their own, all part of the alchemy that’s writing. Significant ones seem to rise from the depths of the subconscious, and engage in dialogue that serves to teach us much.
When they cease speaking to us, our Muse(s) see fit to plunge us into a desert wasteland to reassess our reasons for writing. Maybe the ‘seclusion’ serves to dissipate the emotional stress and initiate healing. Or so it seems. I’ve been through it many times and have despaired. Yet, light does break through.
LikeLike
Read that as dessert wasteland at first. I wish. Good point on the seclusion factor. Though I’m thinking about other people here and how they can intrude enough that you can’t get the motor running. Happens enough and you might have trouble even when alone.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dessert wasteland? I can heartily recommend feeding the body and soul with something delicious. Joking aside, it’s a complex issue admittedly. There’s no way round facing being alone. Sometimes it’s the only way of listening to what our spirit is wanting to tell us.
LikeLike
That’s probably one of the reasons meditation is so helpful.
LikeLiked by 1 person
You’re right. It reins in the unpredictability of the mind and its accompanying anxieties.
LikeLike
Yes, I talk to my characters. I also allow my characters to input into the story. They usually have good ideas which I appreciate.
LikeLike
They do seem to have a handle on the situation at times. 😁
LikeLiked by 1 person
They do.
LikeLike
Yes, definitely, Charles. My characters have been with me the same as yours have been with you. I won’t try and explain it either, but I know exactly what you mean. I am lucky now that I’m with Becca, before, it was dreadful, my ex-husband would constantly berate me, my writing was rubbish, cook his tea instead of wasting time writing, etc. Now I get constant support from Becca and believe in my writing again. I’m also lucky in that the voices never disappear completely although yes, a few have gone silent over the years and I have been terrified. I am writing these responses with butterflies in my stomach just thinking of them disappearing. I don’t have answers for you, I’m sorry, wish I did, but I do wish with all my heart that your characters return to you. I’d be lost without mine. x
LikeLiked by 1 person
It does get tempting to explain even if you know it won’t go anywhere. Congrats on the constant support. Hoping the characters come back this weekend when I try to write again. Fingers crossed.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mine crossed for you too. x
LikeLike
Thanks.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hi Charles, your post tugged at my heartstrings a touch. It’s such a shame that people connect with books, movies, TV shows, and the characters within them all but, then sometimes look at the people creating those characters and stories as if they are weird, silly, and wasting their time. Without us they’d have nothing to fill their downtime (sometimes their lives) and I suppose all we can do during the times when we feel rejected or mocked is to realize that we receive our thanks and admiration via those characters rather than to our faces.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Well said. Guess some people forget there are artists behind the works they enjoy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Love what Chelsea said! Charles, I know what it’s like to have people put down what I do. I’ve been told, “Why don’t you do something useful?” As if writing a good story isn’t useful. Stories have helped me on many times when I was depressed. Stories are life savers. And yes, I think of my characters as real people. I interview them in my journal to see what they think. If someone thinks that’s weird, well, so be it!
I have found that when I start to take on the mindset of others (that what I do isn’t useful), that’s when I find writing difficult. I can’t get into my characters’ skins the way I want to, because of the so-called “reality check” others impose on me.
LikeLiked by 2 people
The people who ask that question confuse me at times. Wonder if they would ever try to live without anything artistic. Is that even possible?
LikeLike
Yes, well said!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: The Voices in My Head — Legends of Windemere | Scott MacLean Art
I get it. My situation is different, but I understand. People don’t really like it when I talk about writing either. Thank God for our online community, because they understand. People in my world don’t want me to be “out there” talking about some fantasy world, planet, or magic system. They want me paying bills and such.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I get that a lot. People are okay with writing as a hobby, but once you try to make money off it, they turn. At best, you get support for a year and then they figure you failed because you’re not bringing in Rowling money. Really makes me wonder if people even consider how long it took the big name authors to get where they are. It isn’t like they submitted once and struck gold. A lot of work and sacrifice went into their success.
LikeLiked by 2 people
That’s the story they never tell. The popular media wants us to believe in overnight success. It also occurred to me that you could have the workings of a good psychological horror story going here.
LikeLike
True. Many people prefer to believe in a sudden rise from obscurity instead of hard work. Not sure I’d try psychological horror again. Didn’t feel it the first time. 😢
LikeLiked by 2 people
I think you’ve put so much in to them that they feel like real people to you, which can happen, especially when you spend so long working with the same group of characters. Them being real to you only makes them come alive in your stories better. At least, that’s my opinion.
Your problem is something like this: now, with everything going on, you’re pushing them away without meaning to, like people sometimes do with real friends. It’s like you’re torn between wanting to keep your friends close, hang out with them, have fun like you used to, etc. But at the same time you’re pushing them away, because you’re sort of scared doing so will bring up memories or subjects you don’t want to think about, which you promise yourself won’t happen, but somehow it always does. So, you invite them over, and they visit for a while with no problems, and everyone’s happy and having a great time. But then someone says, “Remember that time when…” and things get awkward, so everyone makes their excuses and leaves. You just have to figure out how to avoid that awkwardness when one of those things comes up, and then your characters will want to stick around like they used to. But I can’t tell you how you’re meant to do that, because it’s different for everyone.
LikeLike
Maybe you’re right. Though I’m going to have to get over that issue sooner rather than later.
LikeLike
Yes, you are. Good luck figuring out how.
LikeLike
Pingback: Distant Voices | Daily Inkling – Normal Happenings
I wonder if this “radio silence” is part of the grieving process since you had to step back from your writing and grapple with things in Real Life?
And I’m so sorry about all of that!
LikeLike
They’re probably related. Hard to focus on writing when stressed out.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Charles, my characters are like friends to me. I hear them long before I picture them. I, too, spent a lot of time alone during my school years. They were my company. My relatives often looked at me as strange. Years later when I was diagnosed with bipolar, some said it was still me trying to be strange. They couldn’t understand that anymore than they could understand why I couldn’t wait to get back to my stories. As one of your above commentators, my abusive situation with my ex took it’s toll on me. It was either him or nothing. I’m not trying to make this about me. I’m just saying I understand. To be truthful, I don’t have friends outside the home. A lot of people think that’s unhealthy but my kids and my characters help me through each day, no matter how bad it gets.
LikeLike
Sorry that people said being bipolar was just being strange. Far too many jump to that conclusion even in these days when we’re supposed to have a better understanding of mental health. With the friends, I know a few people like that. As long as you have someone, I think you’re doing good. Even if those people are online or family.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks, Charles. Some people just don’t try to understand. I do try and push myself to be social when I’m out and about. I smile a lot. It does exhaust me though. I don’t want to come off as pretending to be comfortable but I’m definitely more at ease, at home.
LikeLike
I’ve always had a rich imaginary life in my head – clearly you do, too. I think it’s a blessing. And yes I do talk about my characters as if they were real. Luckily the book I am writing now is about a real person, very strange. I’ve never lost the voices but it’s clear that as an author we see and hear things very differently, which is why some people, on hearing I’m an author, say “Oh, that’s nice,” and go off on another topic. Which is OK, because I’m different.
You have your blogging family for support, and we do understand!
LikeLike
I get that topic switch too. Haven’t really gotten used to it either. Glad to have my blogging family.
LikeLike
Pingback: Seven Links – Where Genres Collide
I just want to say that I truly admire you creative folks who dream up stories and people in your heads and wrap fictiticious stories around them. The only voices in my Voices in my Head blog are the ones inside my own head and are they are all related to me. (At least I think they are). I could not write a story or dream up a character if my life depended on it. Thank God it doesn’t. Keep on doing what you do and don’t let the naysayers make you doubt your genius.
LikeLike
Thanks. Although, stories can come from related voices. Guess it depends on what they’re saying.
LikeLike