katiefoolery: (Busy now)
[personal profile] katiefoolery
Is it really normal to have people in your head, suddenly accosting you and spouting out their story all afternoon, whether you want to hear it or not?  I mean, really?  Ever since one of my own characters decided to become my possibly-not-necessary muse, I’ve become accustomed to accepting that I might not be completely in control of what’s happening in my imagination, but even so...

It’s not as though they're even polite about it or ask my permission first.  Oh no.  That’s for...  Actually, I’m not sure who that’s for.  Presumably luckier writers than I.

Instead, mine just turn up whenever they like.  For instance, while I’m in the middle of hanging out the washing.  One minute, I’m happily basking in the sun of the backyard, less-happily hanging up the clothes, when I feel a tap on the shoulder of my imagination.

“Oh, hi,” says a voice in my head.  “OK, it’s like this.  I’m on this base...”

“Er, what?”

“Gah, are you even listening?  That’s so typical.  No wonder my mum never wanted me to mix with off-world types.”

This is where I suspect that the new person in my head is both a) a little xenophobic, and, b) often unintentionally rude.  But I suppose she can’t really help that - it’s her up-bringing.

So I explained: “What I MEANT was, why the hell are you in my head, telling me these things?”  Even though I strongly suspected I already knew the answer to that particular question.

“She sent me,” said the voice, pointing her thumb in Jane’s direction.  Jane, it must be noted, was looking even more smug than before.  Someone really needs to drop a very heavy piece of furniture on that girl.  Soon.  Alas, as I created her and love her despite her many, many annoying tendencies, I fear the task will fall to me and I'm not quite up to it.

So I sent Jane a glare that promised a very painful death.  Maybe.  If I can steel my heart enough to do so...  Actually, I’m pretty sure that glare ended up promising Jane some sort of decorative writing desk, rather than painful death.  Why can’t I find it in myself to hate these invaders in my mind?  Why??

It turns out this new character is even worse at taking subtle hints than Jane.  She just rambled on all afternoon and made me write down a page of notes and snippets of story and that STILL wasn't enough for her.  She’s a little quieter today, although I suspect that may change if I don’t start writing some of her story soon.

But is that really normal?  Do other writers spend all afternoon with a voice in their head, quite literally rattling off bits and pieces of their story and getting annoyed when you don’t write them down quickly enough?  As though they think they’re a real person?

And how do I go back to the old days, when I used to actually have some measure of control over my own imagination?

on 2006-11-19 11:51 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] naelany.livejournal.com
I don't think you can go "back to the old days", they won't let you ^_~. Besides, maybe you just imagined having had that amount of control before (or rather, they let you believe that you had, but have since made a point of "educating" you to the contrary)

As for voices rambling on... mine's gone and walked off. Skulking, no doubt, because I've not been able to put the many plans into fruition *sigh*. And now, when I need my muse most, it's quiet *pout*

on 2006-11-20 05:57 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] katiefoolery.livejournal.com
Yes, I think you may be right there, good Naelany. I was just deluding myself in the old days.

*reminisces*

I hope your muse comes back soon. Perhaps you could try reverse psychology on it? It's worth a shot.

on 2006-11-20 07:53 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] naelany.livejournal.com
How would I do that, exactly? lol I'd love to give it a try.

on 2006-11-20 08:17 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] katiefoolery.livejournal.com
Well, I imagine you just sit there, thinking: Well, who needs a muse after all? Not me. In fact, I'd come up with much better ideas on my own. Now that I think about it, I hope my muse stays away forever... and so on. :D

on 2006-11-20 05:12 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] naelany.livejournal.com
yeah...don't think that'll work lol. Idea's good though ^_~

on 2006-11-20 12:55 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] alankria.livejournal.com
I'm pretty sure you can't go back. *grins* *hugs muses*

on 2006-11-20 05:58 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] katiefoolery.livejournal.com
I'm beginning to think that's the case. Ah well, it makes for an interesting life. At least I'm never lonely.

on 2006-11-20 10:28 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] alankria.livejournal.com
Yes. Instead, fun things happen like walking out along the street and hearing an increasingly-familiar voice say, "By the way, when character X attempts to rescue me, I'm going to shoot him."

on 2006-11-21 05:56 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] katiefoolery.livejournal.com
Hehe! What an amusing revelation that was.

on 2006-11-20 02:19 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] the-kaytinator.livejournal.com
Totally normal,

I don't know what I'd do without my plot fairies and character observations.

on 2006-11-20 05:59 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] katiefoolery.livejournal.com
That's good to know. It really is insanity in there at times, isn't it? It's just a relief to know I'm not alone in this. :D

on 2006-11-20 05:24 am (UTC)
Posted by (Anonymous)
I think they have drugs now that can stop people hearing "Voices in their head's":):)

on 2006-11-20 06:00 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] katiefoolery.livejournal.com
As long as they also have drugs for people who CHRONICALLY ABUSE THE APOSTROPHE, too. You'd better cook something nice for dinner or there will be words.

on 2006-11-21 01:43 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] silver-pegasus.livejournal.com
Is it sad that I then had to look really close to figure out where the apostrophe was? I defend myself by saying you have a really odd font in your journal.

on 2006-11-21 05:55 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] katiefoolery.livejournal.com
Hehe - not at all! I have a highly trained sense of apostrophe-abuse and it drives many people insane. I could probably spot a mis-used apostrophe at twenty paces... if I really tried.

on 2006-11-21 06:55 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] silver-pegasus.livejournal.com
It may be worth putting them in my post's deliberately just to see what happens'. Could be fun.


PS. :P

on 2006-11-20 06:13 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] minnn.livejournal.com
*giggles*
You can't kill Jane - you'll be haunted by the ghost of her!

I think the only solution is to get published. "When I get published, the voices will go away" - repeat :P

The only thing I ever get going around in my head is useless, silly songs. Eg, Fry Crack Corn, for five days running. Perhaps, if I have a use out there somewhere, they're trying to send me insane...or it's Bender. Wonder what that could mean?

*grugs*

on 2006-11-20 06:27 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] katiefoolery.livejournal.com
Oh, good point. And I'm sure the ghost version of Jane would be even more annoying and more difficult to get rid of.

Alas, I think if I got published, it would only encourage the voices but I suppose there's only one way to find out. :D

on 2006-11-20 09:52 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] talmina.livejournal.com
Not only would she be more annoying, but she would be able to walk through mental walls!

*crosses fingers you don't have a fortress in your mind like Dragon*

Personally I wouldn't mind having such an interesting muse.

on 2006-11-20 10:34 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] katiefoolery.livejournal.com
Ack! That's even worse.

*imagines a Jane running riot through my mind*

On the up side, at least she'd arrange the mental furniture nicely.

It is interesting, I suppose. I've never really had a muse with a character before, so it's a real learning experience.

on 2006-11-21 01:44 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] silver-pegasus.livejournal.com
I'm getting really jelous right about now. Wish I could write. Hey where do you get one of those muse things anyway?

on 2006-11-21 05:54 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] katiefoolery.livejournal.com
Well it's really just a matter of starting and trying not to stop, this whole writing thing. :) And those muse things turn up whenever they want, I'm afraid. I existed without one for years, until I started writing about a character called Jane in my [livejournal.com profile] jane_of_letters community. Before I realised it, suddenly she was no longer just a character - she was in my head putting ideas in there. So now I'm stuck with her.

on 2006-11-21 07:00 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] silver-pegasus.livejournal.com
But I just end up staring at the screen, or reading it later ang going "I hate it". My biggest problem is a decent idea to start with though.
I used to love the joint stories Cupid, Sel and I did together, or the very fun 'play book' (inspired by the fantabulous plays of SR)that Nomes, Cupid and I did together, cos I didn't have to come up with the whole lot, there were other people's ideas there too. Of course that also menat I spent all my time avoiding being the person who alters the story in any way.

on 2006-11-21 06:49 pm (UTC)
Posted by (Anonymous)
I've heard this happening to many writers. So you're not alone! I don't hear voices, I see things happening my head. The dialogue for me comes later. =D
-Kelly Parra

on 2006-11-21 08:17 pm (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] katiefoolery.livejournal.com
That is quite interesting, now that you mention it. Dialogue is probably one of the more important things to me when I write, whereas my description of things tends to be lazy at best - I suppose it makes sense to 'hear' my stories before I see them.

on 2006-11-23 05:45 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] morbane.livejournal.com
Apparently Peter S Beagle's muse is sometimes late for work so he has to start without her.

Not your Jane, though. Right diligent, she is.

on 2006-11-23 05:58 am (UTC)
Posted by [identity profile] katiefoolery.livejournal.com
Hehe - 'right diligent'! Oh yes. In fact, there's no getting rid of her sometimes. Usually when I want to sleep...

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