Detatched or Unhinged?

I missed the first cast of characters, but knew their story was told, and I soon got caught up in the lives of the second lot. They kind of took over after a few chapters, and I was able to leave the others alone.

I am attached to all my characters.

I'm attached to all my characters, but I find I don't really become attached until I'm well into the writing. It's sort of a bonding process. Until I've put my characters into difficult situations and see how they react, they're simply creations that may or may not be discarded.

I think a writer needs to be attached to the characters. I get attached to all of mine - they come to life for me, and that's how I can tell their stories well.

It's also why I get upset when I have a proposal turned down - because I'm already invested in those characters and their stories. Then I get over it and write a new one. <G>

Susan G.

It may be more an issue that something has happened in the story that makes you not "like" the characters anymore. Sometimes this happens when you haven't thought out enough of the background of a character in a plot-driven book. What you might try to get back in touch with them is an "interview". I've found that this helps a lot. Pretend that you're a newspaper reporter and your character is the subject of a feature story. Then ask about ten questions that will help you get to know the person better.
Here are some to start with:

1. What's your character's favorite childhood memory?
2. Who is the one person that was his/her primary rival in high school?
3. What's his/her worst habit?
4. If your character won $5,000 in the lottery, what would he/she buy?
5. If your character had the weekend to spend with his/her best buddy (not a lover), doing his/her favorite activity in the world, who would it be and what would they do?
6. Does your character like Rum Raisin ice cream? Why/why not?
7. If your character had to run an errand to the local office supply story, what section would they wind up in and be fascinated?
8. Does your character window shop for clothing/electronics/accessories/decorations? What's their "fantasy" buy if money was no object?
9. What is the one thing that he/she has ALWAYS wanted, but has never gotten around to buying/doing?
10. What is money worth to your character? If they would NEVER, EVER get caught, would he/she lie for money? Cheat strangers? Steal it?

These are just a few suggestions. Try to spend at least an hour doing this and I'll just bet that you'll get connected to that person again (or end up disliking them enough that you'll create a new character instead.)

Good luck!

Characters

WVWriterGirl said:

For anyone out there who has had more than one book published (or written):

Is it normal to become detatched from the characters you create in books after the first? By way of example, I've got a little done on my second piece, which is a stand-alone novel, and I've thought about it extensively. I'm nowhere near as attached to these guys as I was the people in my first book.

Have any of you had this experience? Am I just coming unhinged?

WVWG

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If I find myself with characters I'm not attached to, not drawn to, that I'm not anxious to get back to each day, it tells me something is wrong. For me, I find that it's often really the story I'm telling that's the problem.

I don't have to be attached to the characters or the story in order to write something that sells, but I do have to be attached to write something that makes me want to come back to the writing each day. When this becomes a real problem, I almost always move on to something else. Not every story I try to tell works out, and not every cast of characters I create holds my interest.

I think having some kind of attachment to your characters helps. It makes the story more "real" for you.

But...

I have written a story with a character I didn't like very much. Actually, I was afraid of him. But I wrote the story, anyway, because I cared about the OTHER characters. I wanted to see them get out of this mess and deal with the jerk making their lives miserable. I wanted "closure" with this story and it would bring "closure" for the characters I cared about.

I like the interview idea. I have done this, too, mainly when I couldn't figure out how to solve a problem or to understand my character's mindset at that point in time. It's a great activity to try and it usually works well.

Spend some time with your characters. Carry them around in your head. Let them talk, watch them interact. Write more scenes with them. Explore why you don't feel so attached to them. But, yes, if you really can't "catch on" to your characters and the story that they are telling, it is probably best to let that one sit for a while or move on. Good luck!

I'll Try It

Cathy C said:

...What you might try to get back in touch with them is an "interview". I've found that this helps a lot. Pretend that you're a newspaper reporter and your character is the subject of a feature story. Then ask about ten questions that will help you get to know the person better.
Here are some to start with:

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I'll give it a try from the current WIP (see my AW Idol entry)

1. What's your character's favorite childhood memory?

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That time back when I was seven, and -- let's just call him Johnny -- Little Johnny from next door got in trouble for breaking that window, even though he tried to pin it on Suzy. Made me feel good that he didn't get away with lying.

2. Who is the one person that was his/her primary rival in high school?

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Never had one. I mean, ya gotta belong to a group to have a rival.

3. What's his/her worst habit?

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Drinking too much Jameson's. That's hard to do, but I've managed a couple'a times.

4. If your character won $5,000 in the lottery, what would he/she buy?

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Buy? Hell no. Too many bills. You got any idea how much it costs to lease office space in this town? In the better neighborhoods where your choice of clients ain't just some rum-soaked winos?

5. If your character had the weekend to spend with his/her best buddy (not a lover), doing his/her favorite activity in the world, who would it be and what would they do?

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I don't got a best buddy -- gave it up when too many of 'em died. It's tough enough being a Shamus, it's better for everybody else if I go it alone. Don't need anybody killed on my account just 'cause they know me. So, what'd I do on an off weekend? Catch up on my sleep and dream about what it'd be like if I could retire.

6. Does your character like Rum Raisin ice cream? Why/why not?

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The rum I can handle. Ice cream just dilutes the effect. So, no, I don't like it.

7. If your character had to run an errand to the local office supply story, what section would they wind up in and be fascinated?

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The safes.

8. Does your character window shop for clothing/electronics/accessories/decorations? What's their "fantasy" buy if money was no object?

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There's this nice Mossberg over/under in 10 gauge ...

9. What is the one thing that he/she has ALWAYS wanted, but has never gotten around to buying/doing?

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Hell, ya just asked me that.

10. What is money worth to your character? If they would NEVER, EVER get caught, would he/she lie for money? Cheat strangers? Steal it?

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No. No, and no. Now get outta here.