Inside the Nation(Be the character...or not)
- Aminah Iman
- Jul 17, 2017
- 2 min read
Hello Loves, It’s time for another ‘Inside The Nation’! This week I was writing (of course) and I needed badly to decompress. You know, get the character out of my head. She is very cold and deliberate, she has a mission to complete and will not let anyone get in her way. When I write for her there are some…let’s call them echoes, of her personality left in me. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t the first time it’s happened, but it dawned on me that others may have the same issue or a rendition of that issue. So, what do I do? A few things have worked for me in the past and I will share them with you here.
One of the things that work, for me, to get that one mean, badass character out of your head is step away. Now granted, this only seem to work when you are finished with the book, but it is ok to walk away from a work in progress for a few days. If you notice that you are writing about a serial killer and suddenly have the urge to slice and dice, please take a few days to get back to yourself. Humanity and the law will thank you for it.
Another helpful hint is to read a book. Just grab a favorite or one that has been on your tbr list and dive in for the night. Go somewhere else in your head for a while, it is ok. Some have a hard time reading as they are in the process of writing, but it will help you lose those nasty habits your character is giving you. I’m not encouraging you to stop completely or immerse yourself so completely that you forget about your own work, but simply take the night off and relax and let go.
Finally, there is just embrace it. Yes, just let it ride out! You are still you even with those pesky echoes going on in your brain. Sure, you may curse a little more, or rub your hands together obsessively, but you are still you somewhere in there. You will get back to your old self eventually, promise. You can’t stay your character forever because then who will they be… right.
These are the few things that help me out when I turn into one of my characters, I hope they work for you. If you have a few helpful hints, please leave them in the comments. After all, we could all us a little help. Thanks for tuning in and as always, I wish you Happy Reading!
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