It's really obnoxious when writers say things like "I think this or that" about one of their characters.

You're the writer and creator. What do you mean you " think " a character might be thinking this or be going through that? You should and do know what that, they're thinking or going through whatever you make up and say they are. Come off it FFS.

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BlueVeins · 22-25

lmao this is totally how I would talk about my characters if I were famous, I'm god awful at characterization 😂

MethDozer · M

@BlueVeins

I'm god awful at characterization

At least you admit that part, it makes it a lot less pretentious

SW-User

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Muthafukajones · 46-50, M

The character is alive to them so they speculate about the motives and thoughts of the character just as they might about a real person.

MethDozer · M

@Muthafukajones I repeat, "come off it".

SW-User

Some level of ambiguity can be good; finality is not always desired. When you write you don’t always have everything planned and have every solution or explanation in front of you. Sometimes you are exploring it yourself. So I might say what I was going for or what I was thinking when I wrote it, but I’m open to other interpretations.

I get how it could sound pretentious, but in my case I’m not trying to impress anybody. And only a few people who read my stuff and critique it hear these thoughts. If it ever became available to a wider audience, I’d probably not reveal it in the first place.

JustGoneNow ·

I hate that in all writing, even poetry and song lyrics. Something either is or it isn’t. You describe and let the reader think.

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JustGoneNow ·

@MethDozer yeah. totally. or in music and poetry. they’re your fucking thoughts. if you don’t know, I sure the fuck don’t.

MethDozer · M

@JustGoneNow yessss. When bands say that they " think" a song is about is next level.

JustGoneNow ·

@MethDozer yup. 😂

Doomflower · 36-40, M

Yeah but I can see how they use that framework to explore characters.

MethDozer · M

@Doomflower Leave it at the writing process. Shit or get off the plot if the story is done.

dancingtongue · 80-89, M

@Doomflower @MethDozer If it is a stand-alone, or first book in a series, then I can see MehDozer's point. But f the author is speculating about future sequel stories, it is part of the writing process and it usually is in response to someone's question. They talk about giving birth to the character, and it is a lot like that. You create them initially, and you are the closest one to them so think you can predict the directions their lives will take, how they will react to situations. But until you get into actually crafting the story, putting it down on paper and seeing how credible it is or isn't, you aren't certain.

MethDozer · M

@dancingtongue Future speculation is different. It's pseculation on what was in the story.

bijouxbroussard · F

I write, but I’ve never become so invested in a character that I saw them as a separate entity. I understand some folks do, though, especially authors who create series, for example. There’s a Twilight Zone episode, "A World of His Own", that illustrates the extreme. 😄

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