M is for Madness. Moments of Madness. Those crazy
feelings that every writer undergoes. Those weird feelings that creep up on us,
taking us unaware and making us do all kinds of stupid things just to get into
the skin of the character.
A writer I admire said in an interview that as the
protagonist in her book was an old man who suffered from a dry cough, she would
cough in front of the mirror just to hear the sound of that cough and see how her throat feels after the dry cough, so
that she could describe it authentically. She said that she must have coughed 100 times. If
that is not a Moment of Madness, then what is?
I have my moments of madness. I start several
projects with weird characters and then after a few days when the madness
subsides I have deserted the project for my faithful companion: the current
WIP.
Have you ever tried any such thing all for the sake
of getting into the skin of the character?
Note: this is my post for the A to Z
Challenge. My theme is Emotions and Feelings writers experience.
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ReplyDeleteI admire the creative thinking behind "moments of madness" for this challenge. Usually I try to relate the emotion of the day to my own experience as a family historian. Unfortunately today nothing is coming to me. In my research I experience lots of moments of just being mad, in the sense of angry, not creative.
ReplyDeleteWendy at Jollett Etc.
I thought of locking myself in a car boot at one time so that I could describe the experience more authentically - now that would have been total madness, Rachna.
ReplyDeleteWe writers are crazy - no doubt about it.
I have these maddening moments often when I write. I recently drove around in the rain trying to figure out how to describe the sound of windshield wipers.
ReplyDeletedoreenmcgettigan.com
I've never done anything crazy, but Fanny's comment made me laugh!
ReplyDeleteI once toyed with the idea of keeping a dictaphone in my bag... you often overhear some wonderful snippets of conversation...
ReplyDeleteBut a person could probably be arrested for that type of behaviour...
I can't really imagine doing anything this extreme. I also loved Fanny's comment! :D
ReplyDeleteI was an actress before I was a writer, and getting into the skin of your characters is so vital to getting them right. I've certainly put myself in situations my characters would themselves be in for the sake of the experience. Nothing dangerous, mind.
ReplyDeleteOh, if only people could see us performing as we write, they'd truly think we have gone mad!
ReplyDeleteHi friends, all of us have these mad moments wherein we succumb to bouts of craziness.
ReplyDeleteFanny, thank God, you didn't get into the boot of your car.
Doreen, driving in the rain to figure out how to describe the sound of windshield wipers is kinda of okay.
Michelle,a dictaphone can be quite the risk.
I once read about someone who was writing a character who was kidnapped, so she tied herself to a chair to see what it would feel like. I thought that was pretty weird!
ReplyDeleteHi Rachna,
ReplyDeleteWhether it be from an angle of madness, or not, I also become the characters in my stories. If I'm writing about a toilet brush, I become a toilet brush. I think it's good therapy to just go wherever your writing creativity takes you.
Gary :)
Madness! I've been there. Once I went to a psychologist for counseling because my heroine was visiting one. I needed to know the kinds of questions one would ask and what the environment was like. The whole thing was a little creepy for me and I think she suspected something was amiss. Our session didn't last long. I was too normal. :)
ReplyDeleteALWAYS. I've got an acting background, so you may even find me blocking out a scene. =)
ReplyDeleteI was going to call this April challenge a moment of madness, but I suppose that's a given, eh? ;)
True Heroes from A to Z
Writing is a lot like acting - got to get inside those heads, whatever it takes.
ReplyDeleteI've never coughed for a character, but I have tried over and over again to imagine their feelings or think about their surroundings.
ReplyDeleteAnd I don't think it' madness, I think it's dedication! (maybe that just says something abut me)
anything related to writing should have a madness. either a love or a hate!
ReplyDeleteSome of my characters are more mad than I intended when I started their story. :D
ReplyDeleteIt's that madness that makes our work so good! People who don't write will never get it.
ReplyDeleteAnything that puts you in the character's head is a good idea, i think. Even if it is a bit nutty.
ReplyDeletemood
Moody Writing
What writer isn't a little "touched"? :)
ReplyDelete