“Are you okay?”
I hear this question frequently while writing in public. Usually from my bride. At first, I didn’t have a clue why people asked me such a question. But then I started hearing the same explanations.
“You look disgusted.”
“You’re scowling.”
“You seem so upset. Did something bad happen?”
I realized my facial expressions reflected the mood of the scene I was writing. So, I started saying, “I’m wonderful! I’m just really into the scene I’m writing.”
That will you get a few raised eyebrows at McDonald’s. At home, my family’s gotten used to it. In fact, my wife emerged last week with this sign.
Warning sign for when I’m writing
It’s become the family joke. “Dad are you—Oh you’re writing.”
Now all of this doesn’t mean I’m okay. I think writers need to be a little different than everyone else to do what they do. And to most people out there, we’re a bit odd. But whether you talk to your characters, they talk to you, or you scowl at a laptop, these are all just ways we accomplish our goal.
To create a powerful emotional experience for our readers.
When I heard my wife sniffling in the other room as she read the climax of Soul Yearning, I had a private fist pump moment. She might give numerous reasons why she liked my story, but tears speak volumes more.
When writing I try to picture the scene like a movie with full musical accompaniment (See, I told you I’m not really okay). But at times I struggle to describe with words what I’m seeing and hearing in my mind. The best way for me to find those words is to imagine myself in the scene with all its joy, pain, frustration, or anger.
Hence the scowling.
So as I tap away on my laptop, I wear my sign proudly.
Are we writers okay? That’s debatable. But our quirkiness has a purpose. This is what works for me.
What works for you?
Hahaha, I’ve gotten that sometimes even when thinking about the stories when I’m not writing them. I don’t get it often, but I never could understand it. lol, it should’ve occurred to me that I might have facial expressions giving me away. xD I generally listen to soundtracks and picture it as a movie.
but you’re right-getting it across can be hard.
I’m still waiting for the day when an officer pulls me over because I’m rattling off a new idea into my phone recorder. I can only imagine that conversation. “Well, officer, I wasn’t texting while driving. I was….” Yeah…
You’re better than me. What works for me is to shut the door to the writer cave (aka my office.) I do this to not only “contain the crazy” that happens in this room but like Nathanael I play music sometimes and if I’m going into full on “writer mode” I also light a candle and turn my phone to silent and put it somewhere it won’t interrupt me when it vibrates. Love the new blog.
Thanks for coming by Nancy
If I lock myself up too often, I start getting the scowls from my bride and it has nothing to do with imagining a scene. Plus the two-year old tends to invade the room where I get away, So, I’ve learned to tune everything out. Music seems to be a common denominator for writer’s though. I very rarely write without something playing in the background.
I remember this one time my sister walked into my office while I was bawling my eyes out. She thought something serious had happened. “No, I just killed off one of my favorite characters.” (Recommence bawling) I don’t think I’ve ever gotten a stranger look!
Nice Ralene! I sniffled a bit when I wrote the climactic scene on my first draft and was happy no one was around. That would have been an awkward explanation hehe.
You remember that scene at the beginning of Romancing the Stone, where Kathleen Turner has her headphones on, listening to her “soundtrack,” typing and crying. That’s so totally me.