Blog posts, articles and entire books have been written about how a writer should approach the creation and maintenance of characters. Then there is the other industry where folk examine famous works of literature and the characters therein from all sorts of angles; along with the motivation(s) of the author.
So then.
When you have passed the toe-twiddling stage at the water’s edge of the sea that is your project and are now wading out, determined to swim to the other side…
Opinions please:
At some stage is there part of you in one or maybe a few of the characters, reflecting various personal moods, views and the rest of the complexity of the average person?
Or.
Is there a little secret part in which you indulge in living through the character’s life. A place you can go to to shake off the usual frustrations of the daily life? Be someone else
Or.
Are you The Supreme Being of the world, moving everyone around as you see fit on a Four-Dimensional chessboard?
Or.
Having introduced these folk to a narration are you now running after them waving a document and crying after them ‘Plot! Don’t forget my plot!!’, only to have at least one of them turn around and smiling benignly say ‘But dear writer. Have you not read the sub-text? Do keep up,’
Or.
Is it a case of a combination of all or some of the above?
Writing Despite Computers and Programmes 
I certainly don’t feel like the Supreme Being. It’s more like your third scenario most of the time, with me hoping the characters don’t introduce somethin unforeseen and then leave me to figure out how to deal with it. I do remember a time when living out a character’s life was a thrill, but that doesn’t seem to happen any more.
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Oh they do like doing that, don’t they? The things they threw at me in this last volume!
That sounds poignant Audrey. I can empathise although not such a thrill as a relish. Do you miss it, or do you feel your writing style and approach has changed?
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Perhaps my style has changed, but for some reason writing feels more like work than fun now.
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I’m sorry it’s taken that turn for you Audrey.
A writer is never without some sort of circumstance which confronts them.
And yet we keep on.
You have an impressive list of works to your name and have made that one your own. Here’s hoping you keep on keeping on.
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Oh, I definitely intend to keep on writing. The current first draft is 98% complete, so this is no time to quit. It’s just not as easy and fun as it was 20 years ago. 🙂
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Sheila, my wife writes poetry and has the similar experiences.
This is the price of achievement. A writer keeps on, and having reached one level, moves on up. Not wishing to repeat themselves they the explore new approaches, variations and challenges.
It never gets any easier because the writer is constantly evolving and that is hard work.
Glad to read the first draft is nearly completed Audrey.
Keep on keeping on🙂
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Thanks, Roger, for the encouragement. Much appreciated!
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My pleasure Audrey.
💐🌸🌺🌻🌼
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