How a writer is like Dr. Doolittle
Like Dr. Doolittle (Rex Harrison, not Eddie Murphy folks) writers are often misunderstood. After all, we live in a world most people can’t understand with motivations and routines that seem foreign. We mingle best with those like us or accepting of us. Hell, I’d take a giant snail ride to visit many of you if I could.
And like the venerable veteranian who talks to the animals, writers of fiction talk to their characters. It’s preposterous! It’s unbelievable! Some would say we’re crazy (and in some cases they’d be right).
But like Dr. Doolittle I think there’s more to it than talking to anything or anyone. It’s a fact that the Dr. allowed his animals to speak to him. He listened. He paid attention. He did what was best for the animals and not for himself.
I’ve had a character change the direction of her life without my immediate knowledge. She also became prettier than I’d intended.
Who was I to argue? I listened to the direction she wanted to go.
And luckily it was nothing like dealing with a Push-Me-Pull-You.
Speaking of a Push-Me-Pull-You and a Giant Snail while we’re at it — writers are also like Dr. Doolittle because we’re known to be surrounded by creatures no one else can understand and some don’t even believe exist — namely Crit Partners, Editors, Agents and Publishers.
Oh right — and bloggers!
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Oh, I can definitely relate to the “creatures” that “some don’t even believe exist” line!
As they say, “truth is stranger than fiction” .
And when I discuss my “blog friends” with my real friends they look at me like I have a problem, like I have “make believe” friends.
Being able to listen to the crazy Doo-Little-y voices in our heads is a key component to writing well, I do believe.
If we don’t believe those characters exist, then the reader won’t either. Of course it helps a great deal that they do exist.
I loved this post Amy.
An excellent analogy. And some of days are like the Push-Me-Pull-You all by themselves.
I love arguing with my characters. So often, they do things I don’t want them to do, and take the story in directions I never expected it to go. It’s why I love writing: I get to craft the story, but I’ve got to do it just so I can find out what happens next.