Wait, I made it up! O.O

special needs · Jan 15, 2006

Does anyone else get so engrossed in what they're writing, that they begin to believe its true? I mean, everytime I attempt to write I cry when I write something sad, and scare myself sh!tless when I write something scary. Sometimes I have to turn on every light in the house and remind myself that, uh, its not true. I made it up.

Am I insane? Or does this happen to anyone else?

victoriastrauss · Jan 15, 2006

James Frey...

- Victoria

clara bow · Jan 15, 2006

you're so not insane!

I believe that the stories we tell and write have their own reality. Otherwise they might not have as much impact as they do. I myself certainly get caught up in my character's lives and such.

Jamesaritchie · Jan 15, 2006

True

special needs said:
Does anyone else get so engrossed in what they're writing, that they begin to believe its true? I mean, everytime I attempt to write I cry when I write something sad, and scare myself sh!tless when I write something scary. Sometimes I have to turn on every light in the house and remind myself that, uh, its not true. I made it up.

Am I insane? Or does this happen to anyone else?

The stories I write are very seldom factual, but I do my best to make all of them true.

Sage · Jan 15, 2006

I never forget that they're not in the real world, but they certainly seem to have a life of their own in my head sometimes (& hopefully on the page as well). Sometimes I feel more emotion for what happens to them than what happens to me.

AdamH · Jan 15, 2006

Always. A lot of the locations I chose for my stories are real places which helps. But I live in the characters as I write them. That makes them real to me. And the story that happens around them becomes real. It's a great feeling.

triceretops · Jan 15, 2006

After I'm finished with a book, and I know its the best it can be and I'm happy with it, the dang busted thing keeps reeling over and over in my head just like a film, and I'm the fat happy director just sitting back and saying, "Cut, edit, and print."

Tri

special needs · Jan 15, 2006

Well at least I'm know I'm not psycho...

DamaNegra · Jan 15, 2006

My friends think I'm weird because sometimes they find me crying or laughing or curled up in a corner full of fright, and when they ask I always tell them it's because of the book. I thought I was insane!!

PrettySpecialGal · Jan 15, 2006

Well, my problem is that my first attempt at writing a novel is a young adult novel that is somewhat autobiographical. Not completely, but lots of events, and personal thoughts and feelings came out in it while NaNoing. So now, I am at the point of "did that really happen or was that just part of the writing?"
I know I'm crazy. Got the t-shirt and everything....

Jeneral · Jan 15, 2006

Ohhh, I can relate to this. Since I've spent so much time researching ghosts in writing my book, which has a ghost as a main character, I've had things happen. Breezes along the back of my neck, doors opening on their own, floral scents drifting in at odd times... I tell myself that it's Jacob (the ghostly character) telling me to quit stalling and finish that final edit!

Vomaxx · Jan 15, 2006

victoriastrauss said:
James Frey...

--------------
I am sometimes moved to tears by what I have written--usually tears of anger when I see that I have yet again needlessly repeated words, used an unnecessary attribution, forgotten how many people were in a room, etc. etc.

kristie911 · Jan 15, 2006

There are times when I get so emotionally overwhelmed by my writing that I'm left feeling like I slit my wrist and bled the words onto the page...the power of that scares me sometimes but most of the time, I can separate fact from my fiction...

moblues · Jan 15, 2006

I know exactly what you are talking about. I immerse myself so deeply into my characters' psyches so that I can keep them in character. I literally see their scenes unfold as I write them.

Is this normal? Who knows. Would I do it differently? Absolutely not. It's too rich of an experience to surrender.

Mike

Albedo of Zero · Jan 16, 2006

One of my MCs took me by surprise...I sat back and actually yelled at her; "What the hell did you do that for?"

luxintenebrae · Jan 16, 2006

I'm not sure if I've ever yelled at my characters, but I definitely do feel like they're real people. It always seems like I'm actually there with them in the scene (usually playing one of the characters), so I get all teary-eyed when anything remotely emotional happens because it feels like it's happening to me. I've worked with them for so long that it's as if I've lived with them for a decade. They're the greatest friends (or enemies). Is it weird to have conversations with them? (In my head, of course!) Oh well, at least it really helps my writing. I read somewhere that it's good to "interview" your characters, and it actually works. I started to get scared, though, when I suddenly remembered one morning, "Oh, it's Joe's birthday today!" And then I felt very happy for my character. That's when I knew I needed to take a little break.... :tongue

September skies · Jan 16, 2006

I get very attached to my characters and story and sometimes almost forget that they aren't real people. (like when I think of them and try to call one of them on the phone)

BlackCrowesChick · Jan 16, 2006

I've started to cry when my characters cry lots of times. Not anything big, but my eyes well up and I get all emotional. The last time this happened to me was last week I think, and it hadn't happened in awhile before that. I guess that's because for the most part until that point last week, my WIP hadn't been all that emotional, but some other things I wrote a few months ago were a lot.

I kind of think its a good sign because then I know I'm really getting into it. I don't know if it means other people will cry when they read it or not, (probably not) but I can hope so. I wonder if some of my favorite authors cried when they were writing parts that got to me. :Shrug:

Carmy · Jan 16, 2006

Are you kidding? I cry my eyes out, or I laugh my head off. If the phone rings during a crying scene, I have to tell people I have a cold. I get lots of colds.

I constantly look over my shoulder when I write scary scenes.

My thought is that if you don't experience what your character is experiencing, are you really inside that character's skin? Do you really know what they're feeling?

Jewel101 · Jan 17, 2006

And I'm sure everyone falls in love with their MC, right?... right?

crosseyed reader · Jan 17, 2006

Am I insane?

If you are, I daresay you have lots of company. Writers have two combinations that create the perfect storm for questioning our sanity. We are a passionate lot, and writing is a solitary venture. I get wrapped up in my main characters because I need to make them believable. Since there is a lot of me in one of my main characters (except she's smarter, braver and better looking, of course), I find that when faced with a tough real life situation I ask what would my character do? Oddly enough, it gives me strength. All this from a freaking fictional character!

So, pull over the couch, Dr. Fraud, and make room for one more.

loquax · Jan 17, 2006

I rarely feel such strong emotions when writng. Normally I'm either excited because I think what I'm writing is awesome, or down because I think it's trash.

I'm one of those people who can't express emotions very well unless it's through art, writing, or music.

Tienci · Jan 19, 2006

loquax said:
I rarely feel such strong emotions when writng. Normally I'm either excited because I think what I'm writing is awesome, or down because I think it's trash.

I'm one of those people who can't express emotions very well unless it's through art, writing, or music.

Me too

(poetry for me though). I wish I could write my book like I write my poetry.
I feel like I'm missing something...

Wait, I made it up! O.O

special needs

Resident Airhead

victoriastrauss

Writer Beware Goddess

clara bow

Li'l Rug Bug

Jamesaritchie

Sage

Our Lady of Parentheticals

AdamH

Pumped Up Kicks

triceretops

special needs

Resident Airhead

DamaNegra

Mexican on the loose!

PrettySpecialGal

roll, roll, roll in ze hay

Jeneral

Cat wrangler

Vomaxx

kristie911

Happy to be here

moblues

Albedo of Zero

That didn't hurt

luxintenebrae

September skies

cloud watching

BlackCrowesChick

Uptown Girl

Carmy

Jewel101

crosseyed reader

loquax

I verb nouns adverbly

Tienci

Lost in the Land of Giants