Authors commonly feel like the characters they write about are real, to various extents. On the mildest end of the spectrum, the characters will just surprise their creators, doing something completely contrary to the author’s expectations when they’re put in a specific scene and forcing a complete rewrite of the plot. (“These two characters were supposed to have a huge fight and hate each other for the rest of their lives, but then they actually ended up confessing their love for each other and now it looks like they’ll be happily married. This book was supposed to be about their mutual feud, so what the heck do I do now?”) Or they might just “refuse” to do something that the author wants them to do, and she’ll feel miserable afterwards if she forces the characters to act in the wrong way nevertheless. On the other end of the spectrum, the author can actually have real conversations with them going on in her head.
I’m not much of an author, but I’ve had this happen.
My mental character-models generally have no fourth wall, which has on several occasions lead to them fighting each other for my attention so as to not fade away. I’m reasonably sure I’m not insane.
Authors commonly feel like the characters they write about are real, to various extents. On the mildest end of the spectrum, the characters will just surprise their creators, doing something completely contrary to the author’s expectations when they’re put in a specific scene and forcing a complete rewrite of the plot. (“These two characters were supposed to have a huge fight and hate each other for the rest of their lives, but then they actually ended up confessing their love for each other and now it looks like they’ll be happily married. This book was supposed to be about their mutual feud, so what the heck do I do now?”) Or they might just “refuse” to do something that the author wants them to do, and she’ll feel miserable afterwards if she forces the characters to act in the wrong way nevertheless. On the other end of the spectrum, the author can actually have real conversations with them going on in her head.
I’m not much of an author, but I’ve had this happen.
My mental character-models generally have no fourth wall, which has on several occasions lead to them fighting each other for my attention so as to not fade away. I’m reasonably sure I’m not insane.