I’ve been writing my work of fiction for quite some time now, and I’ve been thinking about the inner dialogue I used when approaching fictional circumstances from my character's point of view. I generally try to base my characters on real people or amalgams there of, but I’ve noticed that getting into the heads of these fictional beings might require finding personal justifications for their actions that are actually unnatural for me. Moreover, I’ve wondered if its normal to get lost in the characters you create and end up behaving or thinking like they do out side of the page? Rather like “The Method,” but through writing other than acting. I’ve just recently re-watched: “The Life and Death of Peter Sellers.” So if you’ve seen that film, you know where I’m coming from, although Peter Sellers was an extreme case. Could you, for example, reply to this thread as if you were one of the characters in one of your stories, if you can?
Interesting thought applying the concept of method acting to writing... I think there are lots of performance tools that can be applied to writing especially those which delve into characterisation. If you have characters who have a very different logic to yourself it would be helpful to understand the logic behind your character and what experiences and traits contribute to their reasoning/reactions etc. I wouldn't suggest you try to live the life of your character in order to research them - observation, imagination and characterisation exercises are much safer!! Response from one of my main antagonists: (Soft female voice, alluring and confident) Scarymonster, Do not to concern yourself with your strange fictional world. It offers you nothing but that you already pocess. Is the real world not enough for you? Disclaimer: This character is not supportive of fantasy worlds and tries to control her family and environment by manipulation and a tiny bit of magic. . You didn't say the character had to be helpful. lol.
This one happens with some of my favourite main characters, I often find myself thinking about how they'd act in a situation, or even asking them if it's ok to put them through what I write in my stories. Reply from Neil: I always get lost in the guys I write about, maybe they're real? It's not impossible that maybe I'm not writing but just recording the actions of real people Over There? That would explain a lot. Reply from Dan: Ah... yeah.. I guess you could get lost in a character you really liked... but I dunno if I'd be acting as that character, but maybe I'm just not creative enough?
It’s interesting you should say that, when I’m doing characterisation, I actually think that they are speaking to me, and I’m just taking dictation from them. Well, it’s kind of like that! Let’s say I know the sort of thing they’d say, and I start feeling their vibe after a while, and I flow with the character’s logic. I wonder if there’s an element of schizophrenia in writing fiction. Here is my reply from Tallulah to Lostinfiction’s character, (Female voice with a slight southern lilt.) “O’ Darling, you take the whole thing far too seriously! When I was on the skids, I knew I was the best, up here in this old skull box. And I’m fabulous darling, don’t you know? Darling, but its such a brainy question, I'm not at my best when I moralise or philosophise. Logic is elusive, especially to one who so rarely uses it.”
