Getting Into Character

Did you know that apparently the odds of getting on the New York Times Bestseller List are 1 in 220? Doesn't that seem kind of insane? But it does give hope to aspiring writers such as myself. It tells us that our chances of getting published, while not amazing, are not as dire as some might have us believe. I have 244 Facebook friends who are not writers I've friended. Which means that odds are, out of those people, one of us will someday be on the New York Times Bestseller List.

This fact maybe why I was catapulted into finishing a scene and conversation I've been having trouble with writing for a while. Now, I am going to let you in on a secret that may or may not make you think I'm crazy. Just know that I am not alone. The way I write is I can hear the voices of the characters in my head.

They talk to me, dictate what the story sounds like (especially in the first draft). For the most part, in that first run through, I let them control the story. They tell me what they know and where the story goes. I've tried to fight them on things before and I only win about half the time. And sometimes they pout and won't tell me their story for a while.

Some characters have a better idea of who they are than others. Some will throw hidden talents or emotional crisis at you from absolutely nowhere. And some simply say "Hey, we don't know how it happened, but we hated each other and then liked each other and then stuff happened. Good luck with that". Then I have to wheedle the story out of them (because they always know far more than they let on).

Authors commune with their characters in a variety of ways. Sometimes they get lucky with someone who desperately just wants to spill their story and the writer just has to try and keep up with the thoughts being provided. Others build complex character profiles, answering questions as the character to get a feel for their voice and thought process (this is especially helpful with first person narratives so you can hear what the voice sounds like before you start writing in it).

One tactic that many readers know of but don't know the reasoning for is writing with a playlist. You may think that this is just because the writer wants some sound while writing. And sometimes the music matches the story. Well the truth is that music is like booze for the people in your head. It loosens them up, mellows them out, and makes them a right bit more forthcoming about the vital plot points you're missing.

Not every tactic works for everyone. Personally if I'm having trouble concentrating on writing music is just distracting unless it is very very quiet. I'm sure my subconscious loves playing around with it when it's too low for me to actually hear. And I ask questions, but sometimes all that greets me is a cricket filled silence.

One of the best ways for me to pry the story out of my character is actually embodying them. This is actually how my trilogy began. The first book began just as me telling myself a story to try and get to sleep at night since I often have trouble drifting off. So I would play each character, have a basic template and then let them take me wherever they wanted.

I have terrible problems with confrontation (arguments, talking to strangers, etc.) which means conflict can be difficult for me to write. But I love acting, even if I just do it for myself. So when I get stuck there I sometimes actually get up and play the scene out, take the positions of both characters and embody the mood, talking through what they feel and how they act, even using dialogue. It's actually great for visualizing what's happening.

These are just a couple of things that help me when writing. Anyone have others? Oh and remember, if you know 220 unpublished people, any one of you could be a published author.