I hear voices in my head. All the time. I say this unabashedly as a writer, a teacher, a mother, a wife. There is a constant stream of conversation running in my head while I am going about my day.
Sometimes it’s the background buzz that says what I’m really wishing I could say when I’m smiling and nodding at people I’d really like to stab with a spork. Sometimes it’s my characters yelling and screaming me stupid because they don’t think I’m listening to them. Sometimes it’s the beautiful cascade of words flowing from my brain and out through my fingertips to create something I think is good writing.
We’ve been talking about voice and character here lately; character voice and our own narrative voice. Our final visit to link land this week is something I found about a month ago that I still think is really interesting; Alexandra Sokoloff talking about the Rules of Character. Check it out. It makes me feel better about the voices in my head.
It is so good to know other people have voices in their head.
ReplyDeleteI love this part--"Sometimes it’s the background buzz that says what I’m really wishing I could say when I’m smiling and nodding at people I’d really like to stab with a spork." Love that!
I'm with Christine, it's refreshing to hear that I am not alone. Too many conversations happen between my characters and I, and sometimes we can get a little carried away!
ReplyDeleteThe only part I really worry about is when I start talking back. And no one's around and I'm in the grocery store.
ReplyDeleteI often worry that I actually verbalize aloud those inner conversations, especially when I freewrite on the train!
ReplyDeleteHa ha ha ha ha! Thanks for the link. :-)
ReplyDeleteI read your post, started to leave my comment, but then looked off into space because my mc was having a conversion with another character... in my head, of course. :)
ReplyDeleteI can totally relate!
I absolutely love when my characters start talking when I'm out walking. I keep a little notebook in my pocket, but sometimes I don't even have to write it down because it's so vivid I know it will be there when I get back to the computer.
ReplyDeleteHi, Christine. You're right. It is good to know others like us. I'm glad you liked that line. :)
ReplyDeleteHi, Jen. You are definitely not alone. Too many of my conversations end up as arguments. :)
Hi, Anne. Hee! I do that, too. Answer back and have both sides of the conversation at once. Complete with my lips moving and arms waving. My husband just looks at me and says, 'There's no one there, hon.' BTW, how's the hiatus going? :)
Hi, Laurel. I'm right there with you verbalizing those conversations. In public places. :)
ReplyDeleteHi, Shannon. You are very welcome. :)
Hi, Amber. I"m sitting here LMAO! That's too funny. I'm glad you can relate.
Hi, Tricia. You are so lucky and I am so impressed. I generally have great ideas when I'm out walking or in the shower or driving, entire scenes and great dialogue, and I can never get somewhere to put it down. I have a tape recorder, but usually my great ideas are gone unless I'm in a spot to write them down.
Great suggestions over there--thanks for the link.
ReplyDeleteNormally, having the voices in your head telling you what to do is a bad thing. But for writers, it's the best! Either we are the coolest bunch of people in the world, or we are all a bunch of wackos! LOL.
ReplyDeleteEither way, I love when my characters talk to me!
Great post!!
Hi, Slamdunk. You are welcome. I'm glad you liked the link.
ReplyDeleteHi, Kimberly. Writers are the best. :) We are the coolest people in the world. And yeah, I do love when the characters talk to me, too. :)
I, too, hear voices. Whole conversations are playing out, and I KNOW that I'm responding with facial expressions, even a chuckle or (er) laugh out loud. Oh, well, just another crazy walking around in my own little world. Maybe it will keep other crazies away.
ReplyDeleteHee! Thank you. I have entire conversations with my lips moving and my hands waving and my family just looks at me. I'm pretty sure, well at least I hope, that no one else sees me playing out these conversations. :) Though I suspect you're very right; it would keep the other crazies away.
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