Nice to Meet You...I Will Be Your Author for This Book

As I get ready to embark on the exhausting process of actually writing my next novel, rather than the months of just taking notes and thinking about it, the time has come for me to formally introduce myself to my main character. 

To write in a character's voice, one that's other than my own, I really need to get to know that person . . their habits, their expressions, the things that sadden them and how they show that or don't show it, the little things that make them laugh, what they like to eat . . basically everything. During the writing process, the main character character is going to be as real as anybody else for the writer. A writer needs to made the effort to gain their trust if he or she hopes to be lent the character's voice.

So over the next few days, I'll be spending a lot of time getting inside this character's head, or better yet, getting her inside of mine. Of course, we've met already. I know many things about her. 

* I know she's not naive though people assume she is.

* I know she's generally happy though people assume she is not.

* I know she doesn't like conversations with people 

   who aren't interested in what she has to say.

She's spoken to me in bits and pieces over the past few months. But this weekend, it's time for us to have a heart-to-heart. With my pen in hand, I'll sit back by the fire, spin some records and let her open up. I'm all ears.