Writing World Wednesday: When Characters Rebel

Something people tend to say about writers: "Well, you're a habitual liar then, right?" This stereotype in writing actually confuses me. From outside of a writer's perspective, though, it makes sense. 

What people don't understand is that writing isn't something very conscious of us. It's like going into tunnel vision and watching something unfold, and all you can do is write as fast as you can to keep up with how the events progress. We're just passengers along for the ride.

Sometimes, when we try to guess what happens next, we're wrong.

Just the other day I was writing a scene I had been preparing for some time. In particular, my dear MC Ashley Vaandere winds up in the catacombs under Paris, France for a few minutes.

Naturally, as Ashley is a curious person, I figured she would venture through the catacombs for a time before hurrying to get out. She's seen carnage and she's seen death, so a few piles of bones wouldn't scare her, right?

Ashley didn't agree with me. Only about three hundred words into her travels underground, she panicked. She didn't want to explore - I had overlooked at just how many bad things she had seen within the past couple of months. She'd seen so much of it that she never wanted to come face-to-face with it again.

With that, what had been imagined as a three-or-four thousand word journey became that of only 900 words - long enough for her to find someone who ended up in the tomb with her, talk to them, and then get herself out. After editing, it may only be around 500 words. 

The point of this post is how interesting it is that, as writers, we can be certain something will transpire a certain way. This person will do this, and that person will do that. Yet when it comes to writing it, the characters rebel, and a scene we've built for maybe over a year can turn on its head and we're just trying to catch up with what our characters are doing.

Characters are more sentient than people give credit for. Just because we write out what they say doesn't mean we're making it up. These people have feelings and emotions that we wouldn't react to like they would. We don't make it up. We feel everything with them. This is why I disagree when people say writing is "lonely."

It's anything but lonely.

So what do you all think? Have any of you had a scenario where a character declared, "Nope," in regards to something you'd anticipated? Let me know in the comments!

Have a happy Wednesday, everyone. Trying a new font as I'm afraid that the font I've normally been using might be too small, and straining to the eyes of casual readers. (:

Random Monday: Only Two Posts in 2014 - How Uncool!

A year with no posting?! For shame!


Since my creator has such a terrible time keeping up, I'll contribute a post. Hi, I'm Ashley, and I'm the protagonist of the Flame Cycle Saga, which this blog is so named for. So, to keep this short, here's a Random Monday, which used to fit the schedule so well. By random I mean my author only wants me to do a general update of stuff. So, here goes.


A list of happenings in the author's life -
- School
- More school
- Lots of school
- Work
- More work
- Almost getting electrocuted/set on fire at work
- Other life matters


A list of happening in the character's life -
- Illegal cross-ocean journeys
- Heart-to-hearts
- Exploring places unseen for 2000 years
- Talking to Greek gods and goddesses
- It seems fun, but it's not.


So, with that, there's the update. If anyone still reads, lemme know in the comments what's going on for you characters and your authors! Also, another well-wishing for NaNoWriMo. My creator desires to offer an extension for writing buddies, so her profile name is:


kconine57715


Some others you might buddy up with areeee -
Mastermaid22 [everonword.wordpress.com]
ZG Writer [keytoeden.BlogSpot.com]
and Kela McClelland - she's not doing a NaNo project this year that we know of, but it'd be fun to buddy with her regardless! [teardropsonmybook.BlogSpot.com]


Have a happy Monday, friends!! Ashley Vaandere out!
[There's a formatting issue that hasn't been solved quite yet. Why does a double-space look like a triple-space? No fun.]

Interview with ASHLEY VAANDERE, mateys!

This is a long'un, lads and lasses... 'pologies for that! I hope you stick through, because I would love to see what you guys think of my character!

Well, I dragged Ashley away from the journey to find her brother and brought her to the Flame Writer blog for a quick hello!

ASHLEY: *Waves and turns to leave*

Stop it. Your brother will be fine for like five minutes. Alright...here we go!

FLAME WRITER: Alright, if you could change something about yourself, what would you change?

ASHLEY: My neediness. I rely on so many people for opinions, for help, for advice... I’d like to be able to rely on myself. When I can’t, it makes me feel useless.

FLAME WRITER: We can all relate to that. What’s your biggest fear?

ASHLEY: Losing anyone or anything close to me... *Glances off to the side* And I’m afraid it will be my fault, that I’m the catalyst that would cause me to lose them.

FLAME WRITER: I love this one. If you found a genie in a magic lamp, what would your three wishes be?

ASHLEY: *Grins* I’d like to end the war that me and my friends are in for wish one, ten million dollars for wish 2, and more wishes for wish 3.

FLAME WRITER: Niiice. What is your happiest memory and most frightening memory?

ASHLEY: My happiest would probably be... *Raises eyebrow* I’m going to say it’s my seventh birthday when pretty much everyone played a game of Hide-and-Seek. As for my most frightening, isn’t that a spoiler? Am I allowed to say...? (Keep it vague.) Uh... Well, basically, I try to kill my brother and I can’t stop myself. That’s my most frightening.

FLAME WRITER: What sort of activities did you participate in when in school?

ASHLEY: Basketball and volleyball. They’re fun and fast games and don’t have too much authority involved because you share the leadership. Football is too messy. Cheerleading feels like there’s a leader involved. I hate authority.

FLAME WRITER: What’s your greatest talent (aside from controlling fire)?

ASHLEY: I would say being able to relate to people. I can understand a lot of people and the situations they’re in, so I can sympathize with them and make them feel like they have a friend.

FLAME WRITER: What’s your relationship with your parents like?

ASHLEY: I love them so much. I’m more of a mommy’s girl—Alex is daddy’s boy. My family was like the freakin’ Brady Bunch. Mom’s usually home more, which was why I related to her more. Alex went to work with Dad a lot when we were younger. That doesn’t mean I love him any less though.

FLAME WRITER: Do you say what’s on your mind?

ASHLEY: God, I’d hope so. Then I’d feel like crap about having so many people who hate me. *Grins* It’s not hard to get the tyrant of the world to put you on his Red List if you piss him off a few times.

FLAME WRITER: Do you have a pet?

ASHLEY: I have a white Chihuahua named Snow. She is SO CUTE. The neighbors hate her though. I don’t get it...

FLAME WRITER: What character trait do you think is most important? Why?

ASHLEY: Bravery, that way I’m not afraid to protect those I care about.

FLAME WRITER: What is your biggest fault?

ASHLEY: My arrogance, and I pay for it later.

FLAME WRITER: What would be your advice to anyone with a goal in mind?

ASHLEY: Persevere. Never give up. There will always be friends who are there to help you, so never let yourself give up, or you’ll be letting them down. Don’t let yourself doubt.

And that’s all the time we have! Ashley’s going to get back to searching for her brother, and I’ve taken up enough of your time. Thank you for learning more about my protagonist, and soon I’ll head off to check the interview with your cap’n in chiefs! Thanks for your time, and I’ll see ya next time on the big blue sea, lads and lasses!

The Blog Hop list expired!? D: