Stubborn Streak

My next heroine, Blossom, is still being stubborn. I got a start on her story- 2,513 words, but that was on Sunday morning. Since then I haven't been able to get her to come out and talk to me. I've scarred her and destroyed her livelihood. I think she's mad at me. ;o)

I had to though. She wouldn't learn anything if I hadn't and she wouldn't be worthy of the hero. Maybe I need to do some character profiling for both of them and hope that gets her to open up and become chatty. Her oldest sister was the chattiest.

Blossom has withdrawn into herself though, which might actually be the side effect of the car accident. It's the depression. If she's not screaming at everyone because she's in so much physical pain and so angry about what's happening, she's just plain not talking. That's going to make it really hard to write her POV when she's resistant. I'd rather give her the reins and let her lead the way. If only I could convince her of that! :o)

I really don't mind riding shotgun with my characters. Sometimes they know better than I do what their story really is and I like it when they tell it. It brings them to life and gives them real characteristics and allows me to almost become a "reader" of their life and not just their storyteller.

I wonder if writers have a natural born instinct to open their senses to allow the other voices into their heads and hearts. Almost like meditation....I know I'm not the only one who thrives on those moments where the characters take over and begin channeling their voice through the writer.

It's those moments that your fingers fly feverishly over the keyboard and everything else just sort of fades out- sights, sounds, smells. You get wrapped up in the story, deeply involved and in a way you become one with the characters, feeling the same emotions and conflicts in your heart. It's as though you're actually there. And when something major happens, and the scene ends- the curtain closes- you look up through teary eyes and think, "Wow...."

Time really gets away from me when I have writing days like that. I lose myself in the words and I don't stop to wonder where it's coming from. My momma taught me not to look a gift horse in the mouth and it is a true blessing when the characters cooperate and give of themselves so you can get the story written. Not only does that give you a sense of accomplishment, but it also opens up doorways in your mind for other voices to come out and speak up.

Mind you, some try to come out when it's not their turn (as in Blossom's older sister Juniper. She kept interrupting when I was writing their other sister's story.)

Blossom's going to be booger though. She's more self-centered and arrogant than any of the four sisters. She's vain and shallow and I think her story is going to be the biggest personal transformation. It's a transformation that has to happen before she can find real love.

They say (though who that "they" is, I don't know) that you have to love yourself before you can be loved by another. Well, that wasn't Blossom's problem. She loved her outer beauty~ to a fault~ and thought everyone loved her for what she looked like. When that "perfection" is stripped away after the accident, it will reveal a deep lack of love for who she really is and her insecurities.

She will have to grow and change ~ go through a metamorphosis ~ in order to become a woman who loves herself inside, if she hopes to win love, which is something she's taken for granted for years.

I know she can do it. I know she will eventually come out to play. Just a matter of luring her out and telling her it's okay to talk about it, because in the end, she gets her happily ever after...and she's a better person for it.

I'm off to have some breakfast, get my behind on the Gazelle and then dig into some personal profiling of my characters and see if I can get some of the story out of Blossom. ;o)

Have a great day!