Since I rarely remember dreams, I had to give some thought to today’s question:
July 5th question - 99% of my story ideas come from dreams. Where do yours predominantly come from?
If a picture is worth a thousand words, my books would be nearly finished before I started. I’m a visual rather than a sensory writer. I need to get “into” my characters to develop motivation and background. What do they look like? What makes them tick? What is the most striking aspect of their appearance? It’s all in the eyes. A compelling stare. A wistful gaze. A dreamy look. A shooting daggers glare. A road map of the past etched into a weary glance. I need to “see” what my characters have experienced before I can bring them to life. Each line tells a story and adds depth to my character’s background. To tell their story, I need to “know” their story. I need to see them through their experiences, through their eyes – a technique not exclusive to book writers if this song list is any indication:
Eyes are an excellent place to start.
ReplyDeleteJ Lenni Dorner (he/him 👨🏽 or 🧑🏽 they/them) ~ Speculative Fiction &Reference Author, OperationAwesome6 Debut Author Interviewer, and Co-host of the #AtoZchallenge
The eyes have it!!
DeleteI rarely remember dreams either. I think ideas are all around us, like the Willie Nelson song you heard that inspired your story.
ReplyDeleteGot a great idea standing in line at the PO this morning listening to an old couple trying to ask questions at the window. Bad news - that will be me sooner that later.
DeleteI need to see it all played out like movie before I begin writing.
ReplyDeleteMe, too. I watch it just like a film.
DeleteHi, I kind of like Alex. I need to see the characters before me. Not just their eyes, but eery feature that makes them an person. All the best. Shalom shalom
ReplyDeleteEvery feature is another building block for detailing character and personality.
DeleteOh yeah! The eyes tell a million stories. This is so insightful. I'm Gwen, co-hosting today for the IWSG https://gwengardner.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteThanks, Gwen. And THANKS for hosting!
DeleteI don't see, but I hear. My characters would suddenly start talking in my head, usually during some emotional upheaval in their lives, while I would be doing something mundane: cooking or washing dishes. And then I must follow them along the timelines both into the past and into the future, to learn their full stories.
ReplyDeleteMine would converse while I'm driving and have no way to jot down their conversations. I can't tell you how many times I had to dash into the office when I was working to get down as much as I could before I forgot.
DeleteOh, you are so right about it being about the characters because it is they who drive the plot via their decisions. And, in truth I love how they follow me around, pestering me to tell their story. LOL I'm not talking to myself in the grocery store aisles... no, not at all.
ReplyDeleteLOL! Or plotting a real murder when talking to another writer in a restaurant!
DeleteI love learning about how other writers generate and implement ideas. I'm usually not visual about characters at all--I have to really work to figure out what they look like and remember to mention something about their appearance every once in awhile. I can see scenes in my head though.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever seen a random person and thought, That person must become a character? That's happened to me a couple of times. Always fun... but weird.