Character

So, here I am again. I've been writing a whole lot more this week, which is unexpected, but it's late right now. I don't want to get started on another part of my story without full control of my consciousness. Also, I just watched two of the worst movies known to man. Well...I fell asleep during the second one. Twice. That's ok. I don't sleep enough at night, I feel like it's a good thing that I catch up on it during the day.

See, friend-whose-name-shall-remain-undisclosed? I only said I don't sleep at night very well. That's why I take cat naps almost every day. So there.

Anyway, I figured I'd ramble on here for a few minutes, maybe drain some of the writing-itch I'm feeling. I don't really have much of a deep discussion to lay out for you today, so I'm sorry. Most of my deep thought these days have been about matters best not thrown willy-nilly into the internet. You understand.

You know what's good therapy? The ability to throw words into a story without much thought of quality or continuity. Don't believe me? Well, have you ever been really, really angry with someone but unable to confront them? Did you ever vent by, say, staging a conversation and shouting into thin air? or figuring out long-winded arguments that of course pin down your side of the issue perfectly? Or just dwelled on it until it got so old and worn out that you just got over it yourself?

Honestly, that's what writing is half the time. It's taking your pent-up emotions and giving them to characters and situations and creating confrontations until you've completely worn yourself out on the subject and can look at it with better clarity. I've done it several time. Feeling overly romantic/lovesick? Slap down a two-page love story. Feeling murderous? Write about...gory battles. Evil, angsty, or angry characters. It's not coddling the emotion, really. It's putting it on the page, reading over it, letting the badly written work show you how illogical it all is, and calming yourself down. It also separates the emotion from real life, which helps you control yourself in the moment better.

"You" being me, of course. I know there are several people who just don't work this way. But even if you are not a writer, per say, you should try it out. It may just help. And then, you can show me your work and let me steal all your ideas, because everyone knows that's what good writers do.

*ahem* Just kidding.... >.>

Me, I write epic novels with all of the above enclosed within. You'll find, if I ever show people anything I write, that most of my characters reflect several of my deepest beliefs in one way or enough. My life goes into what I write, especially the way people relate to each other. Allow me a few seconds to brag, and I will say that I have been highly praised by several experienced and successful writers on my dialogue flow and character definition. It makes me happy--characters are, in my opinion, what make the story. If the characters grab you, it doesn't really matter what the story is about--you'll want to read it.

To a certain extent, of course. Plot is a big part of any story. Give it thought.