Spilling Ink: Day 4 (Or, Why Imaginary Friends are the Best Ever!))

Three days and four posts later, I'm feeling like a hard core blogger. I wonder when I'll run out of stuff to write about? My life isn't terribly interesting, and yet this month has almost completely been just about me. So let's take 24 hours out and talk about the wonder that is writing.

*cricket, cricket*

Aw crap. What should I talk about?

There are so many people out there talking about writing, that I feel like I have nothing to add. Anything I could say, any tips I could share, it's all been said and done before. I mean, there are the agents like Nathan Bransford, Scott Egan, and Janet Reid. They've written time and time again on everything from queries to contests to reading (oh my!). You want an author's perspective? The big shots out there like Kiersten White and Mandy Hubbard share a lot about writing. Then there's a whole list of blogs on the left side of this screen that you can go check out for any literary topic under the sun.

Clearly, there's no shortage of advice on the internet. So what can I write about on this fine morning?

Imaginary friends.*

No, I don't mean the kind that people in padded white cells have. No, I'm not talking about your kid's creepy playmates.

I'm talking about MY creepy playmates. And yours, if you write at all. I firmly believe that characters are every writer's imaginary friends. A great writing teacher once said that 90% of writing is thinking. So, if you spend an hour writing, you're spending a LOT more time thinking about what you're writing. Dreams, daydreaming, doodling on the side of your evil english class's notes, that's all just quality time with your story.

Which just boils down to quality time with your characters... you know, your imaginary BFFs. Except that sometimes they might try to kill each other. But every friendship has its complications, right?

Ok, I'm pretty sure I sound like a crazy person now. Still, though, I have some characters that I wish I could hang out with for real (like a certain smexy Ryan Reynolds look-alike. Meow, baby), but it's still cool to spend time with them while I'm working on their stories.

Am I right, or should I start packing for that white padded cell? At least I'll have good company...


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*Note: I usually censor myself more thoroughly, but this whole spilling ink challenge is letting some of the crazy get out. Please don't hold it against me.