I’ve often thought I was a bit weird (no, scratch that – I am a bit weird, but recently I’ve discovered I’m not alone in this 
weirdness) when it comes to writing.
After talking to other fiction writers, I’ve learned that it seems to be a thing that we all share some of these weird attributes.
Here are five things that all fiction writers will understand, but will usually cause other people to raise an eyebrow:
Talking About Characters Like They Are Real People
I am definitely guilty of this. I think after spending so long writing about our characters, they do become real to us. Where it gets weird, is I now do it about other people’s characters too.
Whenever I watch a TV show or read a book that I get really into, it irritates me so much when a character does something completely out of character for no reason other than it made the plot simpler to introduce or move forward.
I regularly say things such as “XYZ would never do that because of this, this and this.”
Yes, people tend to look at me like I’m crazy. No, I don’t care.
Accepting That Characters Sometimes Do Things We Hadn’t Planned
Before I started writing, I admit I would have found this one crazy myself.
They’re our characters, just figments of our imagination. How can we not control them?
It’s a good question, and one I can’t answer, but I guarantee if you write a novel length piece of fiction, at some point along the way, a character will say or do something that surprises you (and it’s often something that adds something to the novel that makes it better).
Knowing Your Characters Better Than You Know Your Friends/Partner
Recently, I found a quiz on Buzzfeed that was meant to tell you how well you know your best friend. It was a huge list of things and you had to tick off each one you could answer about your friend. It then gave a little spiel about whether or not they were truly your best friend.
I don’t normally do these quizzes, but it seemed like fun (it was around 4.30am – I blame sleep deprivation). I think I scored about half, but as I went through the list, it struck me that the questions were fab ones to see how well rounded a character is.
I completed it again for the main character in the novel I’m currently working on, and I found I could easily answer each one.
Not Caring That Your “Eureka” Moment Means A Whole Lot More Work
There will come a point in any novel where everything comes together and you have that eureka moment. It’s the point where those loose threads that you weren’t quite sure what to do with all tie themselves up in a neat little bow.
This moment usually comes about three quarters of the way through your first draft, and it’s never how you thought the novel would wrap itself up, no matter how in depth your outline was.
It basically means you have to re-write everything you’ve written up to that point to add in the extra threads and keep the story moving in the right direction.
But because it feels so good knowing that the story has evolved and become so much better than you hoped for, you don’t care about the weeks of extra work.
Hating Yourself for Killing Off A Favourite Character – And Doing it Anyway
As you write about these characters, they become a part of you, and killing one off, especially one of the “good guys” is hard.
It’s easy to think “no, I’m going to do this instead” but you don’t, because you know it won’t have the same impact.
So you kill them off, hating yourself as you write the scene (I’ve even heard of some writers who cry as they kill off their characters although I’ve never been that bad, but then I’m not really a crier).
Yes, we’re a weird bunch, but it’s hard not to become emotionally invested in writing.
Do you write fiction? Do you have anything else to add to this list? Let me know in the comments 🙂
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I use up any precious ‘days off’ from looking after my kids, writing. People think that is mad but I really look forward to it! Great post.
Same here – it can actually be quite relaxing
You are SO right about characters sometimes doing things that they want to, regardless of our plans for them. I once had a character pretty much write himself into a story of mine, and he made the story so much more interesting!
It’s strange how it works, but it’s amazing too!
My characters always do things that I never thought would happen. Like with my vampire story that’s on my blog. I’ve changed a lot of it since then but its because my characters have changed a bit and when I was editing I found myself writing something completely different. It was like I was just the instrument the character used to get his word out. But I was so proud of it! I haven’t killed off a character yet but I have changed something drastic that I held onto for so long and it hurt when I changed it. It was better for the story though but it still hurt. Yep! We writers of fiction are a bunch of weirdos lol!
It’s strange because it does often feel like the story is telling itself through you once you get into it. I can’t wait for your novel to come out!
Number two is a big one for me. I usually combine it with number one, too.
I love it when a character surprise me – I think it’s a big part of what makes them feel so real to us
This is a great post! I would love to write a novel but I don’t think I ever could. I do agree about some of what you say as a reader though. I know the book is well written when the characters stay true to themselves if you know what I mean? I immediately am put off when a character does something I know they wouldn’t?! Keep writing! #anythinggoes
Give it a go – you might just surprise yourself! I know exactly what you mean – a growing and changing slowly over the course of the book is one thing but when they just change over night it’s really annoying
Love this and can relate to them all. My husband gets really involved in my characters too and will often ask after them as though they are close family or friends 🙂 #AnythingGoes
That’s fantastic – it must be great to have that level of support from him
I agree with the Eureka moment, it means an now the work begins. #AnythingGoes
It sure does!
What a great post! I would love to write a novel but I know it would be all encompassing! I’m an avid reader and often find myself getting so worked up over fictional characters lol x #AnythingGoes
I do too – it winds me up so much when they do stupid things haha! x
I’ve found myself watching television or reading a book, and thinking about what my character would be doing different from their character!
Oh that’s a good one!
Love this, so interesting. Not weird at all, and anyway, a little bit of weird is good imho! #AnythingGoes
Thank you 🙂 A bit of weird never hurt anyone lol
I often hear the characters in my head…at the grocery store or while I am cooking dinner…anyone else? Or is it just me?
Me too – so frustrating if you’re not able to jot it down because you can never remember the conversation they had properly later and you can never get the tone just right again!
I am really in awe of the mind of a fiction writer.
#anythinggoes
It’s mostly a whole load of crazy swirling around (although that might just be me lol)
So true!
I suppose you must live and breathe your characters, especially if writing in the first person so you are inside their head all day long #anythinggoes
Yes, that pretty much sums it up!
My dream is to write a novel I just don’t think my imagination is quite there yet! -#anythinggoes
Go for it Jaki – You’d be surprised what pours out of you once you start