Tell me the truth. You’re in love with at least one of your fictional characters, aren’t you?
As writers, I think we all have intense emotional relationships with our characters. Whether you would describe it as love, or hate, fascination, or even feeling that your characters are running the story and you’re just taking dictation, we’re all emotionally invested in our characters.
We know what our characters like and want. We know their tastes, and their whims. So, here’s a challenge for the writers out there:
Date your character!
We’re all busy trying to work our writing into our daily lives. But, putting some time aside to get in touch with your character can be a fun way to recharge your creative batteries, find inspiration, and end writer’s block.
Let’s look at a “What If…” scenario. What if your character traveled across time, space, death, and reality to spend the day with you. You, my friend, are taking them out on the town. Character not of your preferred gender? That’s fine! They’re now your best buddy!
- Determine your character’s choice of music.
- Pick your character’s favorite color. Wear it! If you have an outfit you know your character would want to wear or want to see a date in, that’s even better.
- Figure which restaurant would be your character’s favorite, and what dish they would order.
Play the music, get dressed, go out and order the meal, and ENJOY!
I realize this may seem silly to some of you. Try it anyway! Remember, you’ll only get out of it what you put in. If you put thought, planning, and emotion into this, it can be a fun way to kindle a new sense of excitement and enthusiasm for your character and your story.
So, go ahead! I won’t wait up!
Coffee, Cats, and Keyboards 
I’ve never actually tried this. I mean, I “chat” with my characters when I’m writing or thinking about the story I’m writing at the time, but never to this extent. I’ll be sure to give it a go at some point 😉
Thank you! I realize it may sound silly to some people. But, I think just getting out there and doing it can be surprisingly stimulating creatively. Yes, I ‘chat’ with my characters too. Maybe more than I should. LOL Thanks again.
I’ve learned that if there’s no input, there’s no output. Writers need experiences and interaction with people to feed their creativity. And, no, the weekly trip to Kroger doesn’t count even if you did talk to the checker about his tattoos.
LOL Exactly! Thank you very much.
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This is really interesting advice– maybe most writers do this to some extent, but being intentional about it and actually setting aside character time could be productive. Thanks, Georgette.
You’re welcome, and thank you!
I always try to put little things like that in my stories and think about where they come from in order to get an idea of why they behave the way they do. The one thing I hate the most is when I have to kill off a character.
I think that’s a great thing to do. And yes, it is hard to kill them off. But, I find killing them off only happens on the page. In my mind they never go anywhere.
Reblogged this on Sharyn Bradford Lunn.
Thank you. So glad you liked it.
This is such a fun idea! I’m sometimes challenged with getting close to my characters, I am going to try it! 😀
Thanks! Keep me posted about the results.
I think you’re right, it is a love filled relationship… But I would never dare to take him on a date, my poor boyfriend would not stand a chance if I begin to date my imagination 😉 hehe
That’s funny! I’m single, myself, at the moment. So, it doesn’t matter to me. Mostly it’s to help people to get closer to their character. If you’re close, you’re close! LOL Thanks.
Well, I had a great time thinking this over, so thank you 😉 The idea is great, but I think I have the opposite problem, I might be a bit to close to my characters 😉
I feel your pain. I’m the same way. Actually I’ll be blogging about emotional attachments to fictional characters so… stay tuned!
Reblogged this on Starstone and commented:
I came across this one, and I have to reblog it, just because, it’s so true and such a funny idea, and I will never, ever do it. Imagine me, going on a date with, let’s say Nahoris, because those of you who have read the Hand of Fate might know him. Oh well. Honestly, I would not take him to dinner….
No, me, dating my imagination, that would be a very dangerous relationship. Someone as anti social as me, who work with horses and write books and, most days, are able to completely avoid human contact, imagine me, dating this perfect little elf I have created in my head?
I would never dare do that to my boyfriend…
As for Cazal, who is my main character in the Hand of Fate, I got to admit, I would not dare go on a date with her, but for very different reasons. I am pretty sure I would not fall head over heels in love with her, no, she is as strange, as touchy, as tough, as soft, as bitter and dangerous as I am, and I believe that if Cazal and I would ever meet, we would instantly hate each other, just because we do take pride in being unique in our eccentricities…
Thalid then? I could safely date my dark elven wizard right? I do believe he would be the best option for me, really. He is too, one of the “lesser” characters that people tend to fall in love with once they read my books. He has got charm, and charisma, and a dark side that someone like me has to find utterly attractive because he is capable of doing the cruelest things, but when push comes to shove, he never does anything that is not motivated by love. Thalid is a great character for me to work with, and yes, I think I could date him, just once without replacing my boyfriend…
Who am I kidding… Forget I said that… No, don’t ever let me do this. I am already struggling to remain in this world. But maybe, for writers, not as insane as me, not as closely attached to her characters, not as in love with them already, this could be fun. So try it, even if I dare not.
Reblogged this on The Portrait of a Student as a Writer.
Can I just say I can’t agree more with this blog. I love people who appreciate the importance of character, for me it is the defining element of writing. I have just started up my blog but from what I have read I love your philosophy of writing. I’m always looking for comments on my writing or just discussing writing in general. So take a look
I fall in some kind of love with my characters, I think to be able to write about them the way they are, you have to have some kind of love/hate relationship to them.
Reblogged this on Elisabeth Berg and commented:
I really can relate to this.
I fall in some kind of love with my characters, I think to be able to write about them the way they are, you have to have some kind of love/hate relationship to them.