When characters call

Caitlin.
Clancy Farquhar.
Lady Emeralda Smart.
Cirencester Bloom.
Walpole E. Epstein.
Lycralad.
Reg the Vampire.
Gerald.
Wendy Windways.
Agnes Ontario.
And others…

Ten different characters, each with a totally different story. Some crossover, and appear in another’s story; some appear only once, never to be seen again. And some simply provide their name, never to return…

But, when I write about these characters, I have to wonder who it is that is steering their tale.

I have a feeling that it’s the characters themselves. They come to life when I write about them, and stop me in my tracks if I want them to do something they don’t want to do, or simply just wouldn’t do.

“I’m not like that”, they’d say, or something similar.

I’d like them to walk down a hill – they end up racing along a river in a speedboat.

I want them to silently watch on – they don’t – I think, can’t – stay silent.

I have an idea for a story… they have other ideas.

Characters.

Should they be free, or simply be puppets?

I’d prefer freedom myself.

If I was a character.

Apr 11, 2013

Abilities, Confusion, Feel GOOD!, Legends, Mystery, Mystic Springs, Questions, Random

20 responses to “When characters call”

Visionkeeper

Apr 12, 2013

Freedom is the name of the game TL in the new world, so I guess you best get used to your characters demanding it 🙂 You’re doing a great job! VK

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1. Tom Merriman
  
  Apr 12, 2013
  
  Thanks, VK. I prefer freedom, so I think my characters should have it as well! 😀
  
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Let’s CUT the Crap!

Apr 12, 2013

You are so s.m.a.r.t., Tom. Freedom it must be.

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1. Tom Merriman
  
  Apr 12, 2013
  
  Indeed it must, Tess!
  
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prenin

Apr 12, 2013

Definitely freedom! 🙂

God Bless!

Prenin.

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1. Tom Merriman
  
  Apr 12, 2013
  
  Aye! Freedom indeed!
  
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penpusherpen

Apr 12, 2013

I vote for freedom, Sir Aquatom, ‘cepting when I’m dealing with characters from my own stories of course… mind you, they do tend to go their own way…free reign… (as apposed to free range… methinks, ‘cos then they’d be out in the yard, pecking about… getting up to all sorts of mischief) … I wonder about my brain sometimes.. but then I think pffft!! … 😉 xPenx

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1. Tom Merriman
  
  Apr 12, 2013
  
  That’s the thing with giving characters free reign, Pen. They tend to lead you up the garden path a bit. And then, they get stuck, and you have to try and get them back on the right path again. It’s all fun though!
  
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  1. penpusherpen
    
    Apr 13, 2013
    
    ’tis true, Sir A, … I have been lax with my tale telling and I miss it, just concentrating on ‘shorty’ poems. (mayhap I should tag them as such. 😉 ) … but time slips through my fingers like…flour through a sieve, which reminds me, I should be baking… got a flan to do from scratch today… Bacon and Egg, (Quiche Lorraine to be posh) but first the pastry… (see?.. no time, no time at all…) xx
    
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    1. Tom Merriman
      
      Apr 13, 2013
      
      Yes, I’d like to know how Fyrespike’s getting along… and Gil for that matter, although I also enjoy your poems!
      Hope you enjoy your Quiche Lorraine. We’re very posh around ‘ere!
      
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      1. penpusherpen
        
        Apr 13, 2013
        
        ’twas lovely, Sir A, Hardly any left… I must dash now..’tis Match of The Day and I deliberately didn’t find out how Man U did against Stoke… How’s that for will power?
        😉 xx
        
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        Tom Merriman
        
        Apr 14, 2013
        
        Very well done, Lady P. Usually, when I try to avoid something, it’s the first thing I come across!!!
        
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kateshrewsday

Apr 12, 2013

This acquiring a life of their own, I find a little undettling, Tom. For what would happen if things got out of hand?

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1. Tom Merriman
  
  Apr 12, 2013
  
  Only within the stories, Kate! 😀
  I think I have a good idea as to how the storylines should go, but the characters tend to have ideas of their own, causing the tale to grow legs, and before long the character is far bigger than what was first intended! However, having said that, I like the way the characters lead the story sometimes more than my own ideas. Now that’s hard to get my head around! 😀
  
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shreejacob

Apr 13, 2013

I’m not so sure Tom…I rarely write stories with characters in them. I’d think that if we were characters in a story..then I would want to have control..maybe not everything, but definitely most of it…because if we think about it, aren’t we all characters in our own life story? 😉

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1. Tom Merriman
  
  Apr 13, 2013
  
  I sometimes feel like I’m a character, Shree, although not the leading one…
  
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  1. shreejacob
    
    Apr 14, 2013
    
    We are all leading characters in our own lives 😉 AND supporting actors in other’s…we lead busy lives!! hehehe
    
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    1. Tom Merriman
      
      Apr 14, 2013
      
      We do indeed, Shree!
      
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Soma Mukherjee

Apr 13, 2013

: ) : ) what a clever write up Tom this is such a stunning piece
oh to think those charcters are running free..actually they do, sometimes when i start writing i have some things in mind but by the time i have edited re edited and published it those characters have made their moves and made me write something else…

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1. Tom Merriman
  
  Apr 13, 2013
  
  They do tend to take over at times, Soma!
  
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