In the Planning Phase
Unfortunately, despite my grand plans for the month of November, reality struck. Collided, if you will. Immersed me in chaos. (Alright, alright, enough puns- for now.) For past stories, I created some vague chapter list that I would (as I have mentioned before) inevitably ignore. I have also just let my mind roam free, creating as I went. This month, I found I should have done my chapter list. I hit writer’s block (as I said in a few recent Instagram posts). The scenes weren’t coming! It was like someone had stuck a ruined VHS tape in, and all I could hear was the screeching of the tape.
Then I stopped forcing the story- and a few real life events took me away from the computer. I listened to some music clips (who knew how just some short clips and Instagram reels could spark inspiration?) and started planning what I wanted to happen next. (I still need to rename the “villain” of the story, but that is currently future me’s problem.) I also hit what I can use to identify what my characters want.
If you don’t already know, I’m a bit of a personality theory nerd. There are plenty of systems out there, some more easily understood than others. I realized that I could use the Enneagram (a system of core fears with a path to growth) to give myself a loose outline of what each character struggles with, and what they need in order to step beyond that. I won’t tell who is what number (it could be a spoiler, especially for those who do know the system). I can tell you that between Collision and Immersion, the main characters are not the same number!
I do dabble in other systems, like MBTI (a system that targets how a person thinks and acts), but I avoid systematizing my characters too much too early. What can create dynamic characters can also put them in a box, making them a caricature rather than making them feel like they could step out of the pages into the real world. That’s the last thing I want; even as a person! People (and characters) are more than a simple list of traits. However, some of my friends have heard me talk about these characters, so they will know what they are in each system. (If you are one of these people, shhhhh! Spoilers!)
Outside of using personality theories, I pull a lot of ideas from things I’ve seen around me: mainly music, but also books I enjoy, pictures of interesting places, and my own personal experience. Nothing is like it’s original form, though. I don’t write autobiographies for a reason! The idea remains the same, but the details and descriptions are pure imagination. What are ways that you try to make your characters more real? If you don’t write, what do you like in stories that makes the characters feel real to you?
At this moment, I am only about 4,000 words in on Immersion. And that is okay! Starting tomorrow, I will be writing again, and I may organize a simple outline tonight. I’m getting more excited to introduce Summer (she has decided that she will be the main character), Toraxali (Tor-ox-oli), and possibly some of my elves. It’s a mystery to me as to who will end up staying in the final draft! What are some of your favorite fantasy creatures to read or write about?
Housekeeping: I will post on Instagram on Fridays, and here on my blog on Sundays. I may not post every Friday and Sunday, but if I don’t post on Friday, there will definitely be a post here and vice versa. Some days get busy all of a sudden, and sometimes I need a break. Sometimes, there isn’t anything new to add!
Until the Stars Fall,
Vivian Hale
Current song: Waiting Between Worlds by Zack Hemsey