Misbehaving Characters

The other day I was writing when my roommate asked me to help her move something. I did, and my mind drifted to the scene I was working on. As we finished, I let out a GAH and said, "My characters are trying to skip school and they're not supposed to! I don't know what they're doing!"

To which, understandably, my roommate responded, "Well, can't you just make them not skip?"

"But... but they want to! They're about to leave and they weren't supposed to. They're just supposed to eat lunch. I don't know if I can get them to stay. I probably sound crazy."

To which, understandably, my roommate responded, "Yeah, you really do." Note: she also smiled and laughed and is thankfully supportive of the crazy writer mind.


But when I sat back down at my computer, just as I was about to go along with my characters' little scheme to cut class on me, I realized they couldn't. Really couldn't.

A. It wasn't in line with their characters, though the circumstances would have still made the blip in their character understandable and allowable.

So, most importantly, B. Cutting class was an act in complete contrast to one of the character's main motivations. He'd never do it, even if he wanted to. Even if he could.

I was then able to scold my characters for trying such a sneaky thing and they behaved by eating their lunches and going back to class.

I share this story for two reasons. First, it's hard to explain to the non-writerly types in my life how there are so many decisions in my writing I don't actively make (in the first draft, anyway), and I think that's one of the coolest parts about it. I have this map for my characters in my mind, and there are specific stops I know they are going to make, but I don't necessarily know which routes they are going to choose along the way.

I've discovered that when I get most excited about my work in progress and really start cranking out pages is when I have enough of the plot figured out that I can't wait to figure out how the characters are going to reach each turn and how it will affect them in ways I haven't considered yet. When I start seeing how all the pieces will fall together, that's when I go on a writing frenzy because I want to see the finished product.

Second, as easy as it sometimes is to let our characters start doing crazy things without our permission and take control of their own story, as the master of their lives, it's our job to second guess them. We have to always be aware of their overriding motivation and drive so that we can keep them in line.

Do you ever have wayward characters? Do you also find that you aren't actively making all of your first draft decisions?

The wonders of the unknown

So, the wonderful Veronica and I were having a writing party the other night, and she was getting quite the kick out of my excitement of not knowing what was going to happen as I embark on a long work for the first time.

"I just realized, this is going to take place over Christmas, and I don't know what will happen!" In my WIP the parents kick the main character out of the house, so will they all get together for Christmas? I. Don't. Know.

It's an exciting thought.

Then Veronica said, "I usually only know who is going to die." I feel like that should be quoted again sometime down the road, when she is really famous. Because it's just awesome.

In other thoughts, I thought maybe I would have my first Teaser Tuesday. So here is the beginning of my WIP, which isn't revised anything. Just for the record. Okay, I'll just paste it now, and then hope you like it...

June 7^th

         I wonder what it would be like to pluck out my eye. It’s got to be pretty simple I figure. With this pen I’m holding, all I’d have to do is wedge it into my eyeball far enough to pull the eye out. There would be a lot of suction, I’m sure, and something inside there would have to rip. Though I think I’m conveniently forgetting the immediate pain I’d feel when the pen went in.

         It wouldn’t do any good. I realize that. I just know that it’s easier to think about using my pen for that rather than writing what I have to write.

         I’m pregnant. With you.

         I mean, no one with medical knowledge of any sort has confirmed it, but I think it would be hard for seven tests of two different brands to be wrong. I threw them away in the dumpsters outside of the coffee shop where I work, so my parents can’t find them.

         I’ll have to tell them, I know. But I just got home for summer break and I’m supposed to be celebrating surviving my sophomore year of college, not taking pregnancy tests. Not being pregnant.

         I would say that I am going to wait to tell them when I know what I’m going to do; when I have everything figured out. But I’ve been weighing my choices the past few days, when I was working up my nerve to go to a drugstore and buy the tests. And what I know is that I don’t really have a choice to make. Not everyone would see it that way, but I do.

         There’s a lot I need to tell you in the coming months; during our time together. I hope I can get through it all, because you deserve that much. You may just be a tiny thing inside me right now, but you’re still something.

         You’re everything.

So how much of your novel do you have planned out before you begin? Anyone have really intense outlines? Or do you just begin with a simple premise? Happy Tuesday!