When Characters Come to Life
My eyes popped open and my heart was racing – ‘Write! Now!’ pounded in my brain. I peered at the red digital numbers, 3:34 a.m.
The main character of my YA work-in-progress, seventeen-year-old Raven, screamed and pounded on my skull. She needed to speak and morning would be too late. I dragged my butt out of bed, stumbled down the stairs and powered up my monitor. Then, for three hours, I wrote every word she screamed through my fingertips.
It was the first time any character I had created truly came to life and lived through me. (If I sound like I’d cracked, I did wonder that myself.)
For the next two weeks, Raven screamed, yelled, tantrumed. I got little sleep and spent every spare moment obsessively pounding on my keyboard until I reached the end of her story. Only then, Raven stood satisfied, quiet.
I mentioned my experience to writer friends of mine and some knew exactly what I was talking about, and others were curious about the experience. Non-writers chalked me up to nuts. (I could tell from the look in James’ eyes, so I stopped telling non-writers.)
It was fun. I loved it. And I wish it to happen with every story I write. But what is the formula?
• Raven’s story was the first one I wrote in first person. Usually I write in third.
Was this the magic?
• Raven’s was the first true life experience I wrote about. Usually I write fantasy.
Was this the magic?
• Raven’s was the first story I outlined to death (or maybe in this case, to life!)
Was this the magic?
I ponder this as I start writing my next endeavour. Will I experience this magic again?
Have you ever had this experience? What magic do you feel when you write? Do you know the formula of bringing your characters to life?
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(¸.•´ (¸.•* Suzanne Costigan writes middle grade and YA novels. She lives in Winnipeg, Canada with James, her children, three dogs and four cats.
barbara lange
christina m janz
Larry Verstraete
maryloudriedger
Suzanne Costigan
Melinda Friesen
Either you are not nuts, or I am nuts for this: I am still waiting for the time my characters really open up to me like that! Good post!
Fantastic Suzanne, can relate to what you have just written
I didn’t totally get this until it happened to me. It makes the writing easier sometimes, other times harder, like when you have to do something they dislike, they get resistant. They want something you can’t give them and you can’t pander to them. Now I sound nutty.:)
This hasn’t happened to me with a fictional character but once when I was writing the life story of a women who had been a doctor in my hometown in the early 1900′s I felt like I had become her. I dreamt about her life at night and in the dreams I was her. I had interviewed so many people about her and become so involved in her story that I worried she was taking over my life.