Who's that mystery character?
In today’s video I introduce you to a nameless, ageless, genderless character. They don’t even have a story yet. But they do have a state of mind – in fact, that’s all I’ve got on them right now. This character just showed up in my mind one day. They were unhinged and impatient, and just wanted to unload, so I let them.
Am I suggesting writers don’t create their characters? That characters are out there somewhere, wandering around looking for an author to latch onto? Maybe. I’m pretty sure I didn’t invent this one.
“But isn’t it actually just you, Sue? Your own subconscious posing as a character?”
Good question. I did wonder about that. I do garden and I do think about the processes of nature and how they work, and I’m in awe of these things, to a degree. But this character is way further down the rabbit hole than I am. It’s not me.
Internal Monologue
This writing is an example of internal monologue… or stream of consciousness. Not the writer’s but the character’s. I think it’s a great way to reveal a character’s true nature. Action or dialogue can work too, but the way a character acts or speaks isn’t the same as the way they think. Thinking happens in the privacy of your own mind, so all the censors and editors and politeness and niceness or brusqueness or bravado are turned off. It’s a way to see directly into the character.
From a writing perspective, it’s an opportunity to dispense with rules and indulge in all manner of fast and loose writing. It’s a fun way to write. At least for me.
What next for the mystery character?
I suppose I could spend some time coming up with a name, gender, age, race, socio-economic status, relationship status… but that sounds a lot like trying to pin them down. And they don’t seem like the pin-downable type. So I’m just going to wait, let them rant occasionally and see what else they reveal.
What is Write Out Loud?
It’s an experiment in sharing writing-in-progress. Every post I’ll read something I’ve written, and write a brief commentary on the process. Since I published my memoir, Unlikely Stories of a Perfect Childhood, everyone I know has asked me, “What are you going to write next?” This blog is the answer.
Wow!! Thanks for that. What a hard and soft character . The personality came through to me as a little arrogant and sceptical but then empathetic to the struggles of nature. Your character evolved in that short telling of internal dialogue. I feared and respected him/her at the same time. Wonderful !!