Making love out of nothing at all

[prillalar]

There comes a point in writing a story, at least one that takes more than a couple sittings, when I'm in love with my characters. Especially my POV character.

If I'm at work and can't write, I find myself saying things like, "It's okay, baby, I'll take care of you" or "Everything will be all right." I worry about the bad things that happen to them, even though those bad things are all my doing. I call them "sweetie" and "honey". I look cross-eyed at my SO, because, hey, who are you?

This doesn't really last past the end of the story, though. Okay, maybe it does, but not to the same degree. It is a good way to get to like a character I'm not too fond of, though. I even like Mulder while I'm writing him.

Maybe it would be better to be more detached, but I don't think I can. Anyway, it's a cheap thrill. *g*

Um, does anyone else do this? Or am I just an obsessive freak?

Confidential to M.: I love you, baby. I'm sorry I wrote this when I should be writing about you.

Comments

[laurashapiro.livejournal.com]

I definitely have to like any character I'm writing about -- this is true when directing or acting, too. You have to find a "way in," even if you're playing the villain of the piece or directing a show about the Gestapo or whatever.

As for falling in love...I think I have a different causal relationship between writing them and loving them. I fall in love with them, and then I have to write them, rather than the other way round.

Also, I used to find that I often wouldn't make my BSO the POV character. That way, I got to be inside the POV character when they were making love to/fucking/flogging my BSO -- so I was living vicariously through them. (: That's not always the case, though.

And no, I never called them pet names in my head the way you do. OTOH, I suspect my inner life is much more Mary Sueish than yours, which boils down to the same degree of obsessive freakiness, I think.

[meacoustic.livejournal.com]

I do that all the time. Normally I have arguments with my characters while I'm driving. I'm sure the people driving next to me are wondering why I'm shouting and gesturing like a madwoman when there's no one else in the car with me.

I even liked Draco when I was writing haeddu. Now, not so much.

[prillalar]

You should just get a little earphone thing and put it in. Then they'll think you're talking on a handsfree phone. :)

[prillalar]

I fall in love with them, and then I have to write them, rather than the other way round.

Some of the pairings I write I'm not in love with either of them, but rather their relationship is sparky for me. (This is true about a lot of the HP, for sure.) But once I get into the story, then the love kicks in. :)

Writing characters I'm not initially attracted to is a lot of fun, actually. I have to think about them a lot, try to get into their brains, and then I get the fun of becoming attracted to them whilst I'm writing them.

Also: I call TV characters by pet names whilst I'm watching the shows too. I shout out things at the screen. If I'm alone. Mostly.