New characters- old friends

Well today finds me in the midst of nano madness. As always this event is crazy, insane, and so much fun it's not even funny.

But this year I found myself having more trouble than usual. My characters were strangers!

Now, yes, new characters are always strangers- they're new after all. Part of what I love about being a writer is getting to know these very cool new folks. But this time I found myself really missing some of my previous characters.

Maybe it’s an affect of now starting my fifth “world”- I’ve already got four very healthy worlds with very healthy casts living in my head. Maybe since there are so many, my heart wants one of my familiar faces to pop up. Someone I know and can laugh with.

This hit me the first week of NaNo- it wasn’t that I didn’t like my characters, it was just a longing for the ones I already knew. Sort of like the second season of a beloved tv show- you already know everyone so that awkward getting to know you phase isn’t needed and you get to jump right in.

I wanted to jump right in but my mind didn’t know these new folks (Karthen and Sakari) so I had a wee bit of a conflict.

But something happened this week-end. I started just running with the characters. I made a list of how they were different from my others- the good the bad and the ugly.

Slowly I began to see them for who they were, or rather who they were becoming to be. And you know what? I like them! Now, it doesn’t mean I like my older characters any less- but I think there’s room for another crew or two in my heart and psyche.

What about you? Do you miss old characters? How do you get to know the new ones?

Happy NaNoing folks!

When characters pull a fast one

I’ve started a new book as mentioned previously- but even though it’s only a few pages in, it’s gone through some MAJOR changes.

My lead character had a sex change while I was trying to sprint into “his” story. A bit of a shock to me, but probably quite worse for "him".

Here’s what happened. I was settling in to do some writing sprints with a dear friend. I was moving along but something just felt off- like when your left rear tire is going flat. Not flat yet mind you- but slowly losing air and your car just feels “off”.

My story-my newest baby- was off the track.

I had decided to do a male pov with this story- a story idea that’s lurked in my idea drawer for a few eons. It HAD to be a male, four guys, military fantasy, images in my mind….and the character said- nope.

Actually, I blame the new character. As I was working I realized- naw, this has to be a tough military woman. So I puttered about trying names, changing all the pronouns, etc. Then I realized this wasn’t just ANY woman, this was a character I had written in a short story over ten years ago for a class! She shoved her way in and pummeled the original character out of exsistance!

Now, I’m all for strong women- I like to think I’m one, and I admire those who really are. But isn’t this a bit much? Just whose story is this? Well, the new character made it very clear that it is her story and while I may think it is mine- I am delusional.

Now, not everything will go her way, but I think her main issue was just to make sure I knew she was supposed to be the lead. But dang, I’ve never had that happen before!

What about any of you? Ever have a main character RADICALLY change from who you planned on them being?

Character Love

I’ve got a confession- I love my characters.

Now this really shouldn’t come as a shock, after all- I created them.

But this is different. I just finished reading a SF novel- pretty dang good one too- and I realized I liked my SF character better than the one I was reading about. Actually, my thought was that Vas (my SF character) could sooooooooooo kick this character’s butt.

LOL- it might seem odd to think about which fictitious tough ass female character would win in a fight. But it was a fun thought. Now I don’t like just tough characters, but if something on the front of the book (or even inside) states that this is one tough chica- then she better be tough.
And I was very entertained that MY tough chica was far tougher than the other author’s “tough” chica. To be honest, even though they said she was tough, she really didn’t demonstrate it much. Vas, on the other hand, comes out swinging and doesn't stop.

That lead to the fact that I really do love my characters and not just because I created them. I like them in the same way I would some of my favorite characters written by other authors. I love that my women characters are actually tough (each in their own way) and it’s not the author simply telling you they are tough. My gals don’t need a guy- guys are fun, and often very handy, but my girls can all take care of themselves if need be. The guy compliments who they are, but they don’t need to complete them.

And my toughest, Captain Vaslisha Tor Dain, could probably beat any literary character that didn’t have super human powers (and possibly a few of those as well). Now obviously, there’s more to her (and the others) than just an insane level of kick-assed-ness. They screw up, sometimes they fall, sometimes they cry.

But they get back up and get right back into where they need to be.

This insight lead to another- I feel satisfied, REALLY satisfied, in the fact that I’ve written these books. As in if they don’t get published I won’t feel I wasted my time type of satisfied.

This is a really cool feeling.

I know many folks (me included) sometimes say, “even if I don’t get published I’m still going to write.” This is true, but some part of me still felt it would almost be a waste if any or all of my books didn’t make it.

Now I’m ok. It’s changed the way I’m thinking about my upcoming “Agent Search 2011”. I don’t feel as worried and panicky. It’s a really nice feeling and I hope it stays.

How about you- how do you feel about you characters? About other folks characters?