Characters

Beware: The Doubt Monster Will Get You!

| Casey Wyatt

All week I have been working on my latest novel. And in the beginning, I was cruising along. You know, blank page euphoria is a wonderful thing. Unfortunately, I’m in the early stages of what I call – the doubt phase. Even though I know where the story is going and I know I have a solid plot, I find myself listening to doubts.

Like:

  • This story is dumb. Who will want to read it?
  • There are so many other things I should have/could have done. 
  • I must be missing something like (fill in the blank).
  • This story is so weird no one will buy it.

On and on it goes. The greedy Doubt Monster messing with my head and my confidence.

I know why this is happening. Because I’m not staying in the creative mind. I’m letting that inner critic sneak in. The Editor is not allowed to make an appearance until after the whole darn thing is done. At this stage in writing, I should not be thinking about the reader, the marketplace or much of anything else real world related.

It’s right about now, I need a smack to the head. Or a reminder that there are people waiting to read this story (thank you, my precious First Reader – you know who you are).

The Doubt Monster rears his ugly head (yes, I believe it’s a him – no clue why, honest) at various times in the writing process. Sometimes, he dogs me the whole way. Other times, he appears sporadically. Rarely, if I’m lucky, he won’t show up until I’m almost done.

Of course, I totally blame myself for the Doubt Monster. He exists because I allow him to. So really, I’m just fighting with myself. Silly, I know. The best way to battle the annoying pest is to ignore him and keep writing.

I wish there was a more magical answer. But like all things, if you want something bad enough, you have to push through the tough times and keep going!

I’m the Author Goddess…

| Casey Wyatt

I am the Author Goddess, therefore, I rule the universes that I’ve created. The characters are my minions. They exist to do my bidding.

I tell myself this all the time. And it’s true.  Sort of. I am the creator of their world. Sometimes benevolent, sometimes a dictator.

Writers all do this. We fabricate new worlds with new rules. Even if it’s the “here and now” world, we still add our own spin to it. We make the facts fit the story as we need to tell it.  We ask our characters to do things normal people often can’t or won’t do. And most of the time, the characters go along for the happy (or miserable) journey.

Occasionally, they resist or flat-out refuse. They stamp their feet and demand to go in a different direction.

A rebellion in my carefully crafted plans. How dare they? I’m the Author Goddess. They must do my bidding.

Right?

Not really.

Sure, you can ignore your characters and force them to follow your “master plan”. But, just like in real life, it’s not right to make someone do something they don’t want to (making the kids clean up after themselves doesn’t count). When in this situation, instead of indignation, try going along for the ride.

Let the character take you on the journey they want to go on.  Travel their path and see it to the end. They could surprise you and even open the story up in ways you never imagined.