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branchandroot) wrote2004-03-09 01:00 pm
branchandroot) wrote2004-03-09 01:00 pm
Entry tags:
characters, muses, stuff
A recent post made me think.
Do my characters really *talk* to me? Do I hold actual conversations with them?
I mean, when I write it out in here, that's what it looks like. But in a lot of ways it feels like I'm translating what actually happens, which isn't verbalization at all.
On the other hand, there were a few times while writing "Glow" when I started to write some action, usually for Ed, and got a very definite veto. If I translate it into words it goes something like
Ed: Excuse me? I am not letting him carry me, what the hell are you thinking!?
It doesn't happen in words, though. That's just what I translate it to when I want other people to be able to hear it.
It's a lot more like echolocation, that process of asking myself questions until I get a solid "bounce", a firm contact, a "yes, that's it". Feelings, not words.
Only, it isn't asking myself, for this.
Storyspace, where all these characters stay, is an odd one. It's not part of my self, for all that it's inside my head. It's a shared space. I make it *out of* my self, and then use it to store copies of characters I like, which are, in effect, other people. Other people with whom I can utilize the protocals for internal communication. It makes the process of writing... curious. The plot comes out of my head, and then I bounce it off the shape of the characters and listen for how they react. And translate their reaction into dialogue. But to make that bounce work, I have to take the characters a little out of Storyspace, a little into my self. That's what gives me the channel of communication that carries the "yes I would do that/no I wouldn't do that" response. There has to be a constant feedback between my awareness of the plot and my awareness of the shapes of the characters, so I can hear when there's a break in congruity. A bad note.
I think maybe this is why I write so fast, when I write the stories down. Nonverbal communication, the internal kind, is extremely fast. I need to translate fast to keep up with it.
So I guess I'd have to say my characters don't really *talk* to me. But communication certainly happens when I rummage around in Storyspace.
Do my characters really *talk* to me? Do I hold actual conversations with them?
I mean, when I write it out in here, that's what it looks like. But in a lot of ways it feels like I'm translating what actually happens, which isn't verbalization at all.
On the other hand, there were a few times while writing "Glow" when I started to write some action, usually for Ed, and got a very definite veto. If I translate it into words it goes something like
Ed: Excuse me? I am not letting him carry me, what the hell are you thinking!?
It doesn't happen in words, though. That's just what I translate it to when I want other people to be able to hear it.
It's a lot more like echolocation, that process of asking myself questions until I get a solid "bounce", a firm contact, a "yes, that's it". Feelings, not words.
Only, it isn't asking myself, for this.
Storyspace, where all these characters stay, is an odd one. It's not part of my self, for all that it's inside my head. It's a shared space. I make it *out of* my self, and then use it to store copies of characters I like, which are, in effect, other people. Other people with whom I can utilize the protocals for internal communication. It makes the process of writing... curious. The plot comes out of my head, and then I bounce it off the shape of the characters and listen for how they react. And translate their reaction into dialogue. But to make that bounce work, I have to take the characters a little out of Storyspace, a little into my self. That's what gives me the channel of communication that carries the "yes I would do that/no I wouldn't do that" response. There has to be a constant feedback between my awareness of the plot and my awareness of the shapes of the characters, so I can hear when there's a break in congruity. A bad note.
I think maybe this is why I write so fast, when I write the stories down. Nonverbal communication, the internal kind, is extremely fast. I need to translate fast to keep up with it.
So I guess I'd have to say my characters don't really *talk* to me. But communication certainly happens when I rummage around in Storyspace.
no subject
Each time, I'm a little startled by their response, especially when it's one or two lines that prompted such a reaction. I didn't see it, although I will feel the twist in my gut reading someone else's story, I don't when it's my own.
I find that this is most often true for me when I'm writing something that *should be* extremely intense. Or affecting. Or something. I was absolutely floored when Em said "Morning" made her cry, even though I can see now that I probably would have had the same reaction if it was someone else's story. Lilias, for example, made me cry my eyes out.
Some day, when I feel particularly stable to start with, I'll read Broken Jade and tell you what I think.
but that's not what was in his head when writing
Ah, reader response, where would we be without it?
...with a lot fewer flame wars, actually. ^_^;
no subject
I think it depends on the reader - the other War Room folks adore it, but then, they frequently kill, maim, traumatize, and just plain brutalize the G-boys on a regular basis. Ah, it's a bit of a joke between us: how much can you do, and still be IC?
And it's not unremitting gloom - as a matter of fact, many of the first ten or so chapters aren't nearly as bad as people expected, because of the way I structured things. But I won't say more than that...
- Sol
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