The Staring Eyes of the 'Non-Writers'

[CharleeVale]

Ahh the days, where under the cover of madness you can function as you want….

That’s how I kind of felt today. It was one of those days where you’re mind is on a roll, and inspiration is rolling in by the bucket loads – However you don’t have enough time to write any of it down. It’s so frustrating! Luckily, the weekend is in sight and I will be able to write to my little heart’s content.

Since I haven’t had a whole lot of time today, a natural consequence is that the voices have been particularly strong, all of them clamoring for attention even more than they usually do. My non-writer friends were, needless to say, confused. That will happen with the numerous zone-outs, sudden movements in response to a character’s unseen actions (Which will, in fact, get your friends to ask you if you are a ‘weeble’), the mumbling under your breath, and the laughs that relate to absolutely nothing.

So how do you solve the strange looks that this seeming ‘writer insanity’ earns you? There are several viable options….

1.) The Notebook -- A small usually black book contained with scribbles that contain anything from the color of the gum you just saw on the floor to the way the wind blew the girls hair across the street.
Pros --Traditional, and you get to write down exactly what you want.
Cons -- You can easily forget the notebook, not have room to carry it, or just be downright lazy.

2.)The Filing Cabinet -- create invisible drawers in your mind in which to store data about your characters, plots, settings etc.
Pros -- It is a visual/audible record of your inspirations
Cons -- Work best for people with photographic memories, and highly developed mental faculties. Otherwise known as geniuses. (though the rest of can limp along enough to make it work for a day or two)

3.)Music association –- Pick a song for those characters that are bouncing around in your head, and listen to it whenever they enter the video screen of your imagination.
Pros -- This can help you remember the mood when you were in when you got your inspiration, and even call back what you were thinking about at the time.
Cons -- If you’re like me and have lots of characters up there, the can add up to a serious case of music ADD. (Oh, and by the way, tons of new songs are starting out with electric guitar intros. I dare you not to notice now.)

4.)Interpretive dance -- I think this may speak for itself
Pros -- They say that muscle memory is one of the most powerful devices you can employ!
Cons -- Ok, so this might not help alleviate the stare, but who cares when you launch into that awesome, ninja like, running, spinning, thing in the middle of the street. (I may, or may not, have done this….)

5.)Let the voices have you -- All writes who have done this raise your hands and say 'Aye.'
Pros -- With the characters talking directly to you, you get bucketfuls of new material.
Cons -- This usually involves involves curling up into a fetal position and rocking back and forth. For the other writers who have been there, you know that it is a scary time.

If you are forced to use more than one of these methods a day (as I was), you KNOW that you're in deep and need to get to your writing haven A.S.A.P.

That's all for now! I'll be back soon with more tales from the voices, and book reviews that are just me.

CV