On any typical day, being a very imaginative person, I can hear the characters I am writing about in my head telling me their story. Right now, working on Noira’s tale, I can hear how she would react to things that happen in my day to day life.
For instance, I can here her scoff at me when my soft heart gets emotional at a drama, or I can just see her lifting her brow quizzically when i say or do something that is beyond he understanding of me. She and I are definitely not the same.
When I was writing Bianca’s first book, I could hear and feel her approval at my mannerisms and my compassion with others. She was patient with me and was less demanding. Her story flowed through me easily. The only thing she had a hard time with was choosing a cover. I just could not get it right, with my limited knowledge of editing programs, nut she forgave me.
When I have much time to think, especially at my full time job and my body is set on some task that i can run on autopilot, I have conversations with my characters. I ask their names, and if they don’t have one I try and help them discover one for themselves. I ask questions of them, what do they look like, what are their mannerisms, and what happened to them. A lot can happen in the course of one of my days.
I write down, when I get the chance, all of the things they have told me. I make up a rough character sheet, that if I need to, I can go back and remind myself about a character.
Writing takes up a good portion of my life, but I have tried just not writing, and that has never turned out well for me. I dive to the deepest depths of depression and I don’t feel at all if I don’t write. It’s as much a part of me as breathing.... Sticking to schedules... That’s another story. :)