Lindsey R. Loucks's Blog, page 22

Waiting For My Main Character To Talk To Me

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Argh, I have this problem a lot. I've started writing a brand new story, and my main character is a bit of an oddball. The problem is she won't speak to me. I waited for her to start talking so I could transcribe everything, but nope. Nothing. I had high hopes for spring break - I was going to crank out fifty pages. All I got was seven, which isn't bad, but spring break was ten days long. Ten days. Seven pages. Frowny face goes here.

Those seven pages were mostly actions and dialog since my main character wouldn't share her thoughts with me. Then, this last Sunday, she started talking. I wrote three pages in two hours. Not great, but not bad.

We're working through her trust issues. Slowly. I'm trying to make her think I exist just to tell her story, and I think it's going to be a good one.

I know I've blogged about this before, but is it possible to force your characters to talk to you?

P.S. I'm glad I can call myself a writer, because otherwise I'd be labeled a schizophrenic. :D