Because sometimes, when I've had just about enough of my own company in my head, I talk to him about my story. There's a lot of people who will tell an aspiring writer not to share their work with loved ones because they "won't get it, and more than likely try to turn it into something they think is a better idea" but, as of yesterday, I stopped worrying about that.
I only had a few minutes before work so I decided to read over some notes from the past few weeks. Then, in a blink, voices (not the kind that end you in a white wrap around coat) came into my head and it was a conversation between my Main Character and someone who made known to her why she is the way she is, and it was only two sentences long!
I had no idea what it meant but I wrote it down and when my Husband came into the room I said "Hey, what do you think about this?"
I didn't get to explain it right then because we had to go. So I took a post it and wrote the dialogue, then stuffed it in my purse to think over during a slow time at work. Half way there however, my husband asked me "What do I think of what?" I read him the dialogue and he said "Huh?"
I explained the situation and who the people were that were talking and he said, "Let me get this straight." He tried to get on the same track I was on. I have a tendency to side swipe his brain without warning and it takes a moment for him to change from one track (which was...uh something, I can't remember now) to another which in this case is the story. After much explaining who this new character is, he started to understand (took a bit tho because modern times have warped certain mythologies and I have to straighten a few myth "facts" out for him).
Then Bam! He side swipes me with his take on how these two relate. I just sat there, my jaw slightly agape thinking, "Holy crap. How is it that he figured out that brilliant connection in a single "non brain bleeding" moment, yet I get two obscure lines of dialogue and didn't come to the same conclusion first?"
My husband has helped with lots of important facts that I had the hardest time when it came to ancient history, geography, weapons, etc. He was a Marine Biologist, Custom Computer Builder (including sculpting towers into things of art), Executive Chef with of course an interest in Knives (and thankfully swords, bows, and other weaponry). He was also my partner in the business endeavor as custom airbrush artists. He's done and been a lot of things.
I started sharing the idea of my novel with him a few months after we got together (six years ago). It has been within the last year that I've really worked hard on it. So much to the point of no social life, using Facebook only once a month to tell my family and friends back home that I am still alive, and my room is now my writing cave.
This novel started out with me wanting to tell the story of a fantastical charater. Now however, it is so much more. And it couldn't have come to life without the help of my husband.
(He insists he isn't a Co-Author. He hasn't written anything, just helped with a few issues that keep the story grounded enough to be believable. Well, I disagree. The characters, settings, and even the feel of the story itself would not be as strong as it is right now if it wasn't for his insights and moments of brilliance.)
I am now a firm believer that there is nothing wrong with bouncing your ideas and such off of someone. You don't HAVE to take any advice or opinion that is offered. You can use common courtesy and thank them for their insight and move on, whether you use it or not is up to you. I do warn tho, that you are careful in who you choose. My husband has been sucked into this for years now and It took a lot of horrible moments when we didn't see eye to eye to get where we are now. We have both learned a lot about each other because of this novel. He learned that I do listen to him and I learned that he wasn't trying to change the heart of my story. When emotions start to over take a conversation, that's when open mindedness ends and misunderstandings begin. People should never argue during the creative process. It's bad health to the creatures that spin the wheels in your head.
Got an hour before work. Gonna spend it reading something. Toodles!
I only had a few minutes before work so I decided to read over some notes from the past few weeks. Then, in a blink, voices (not the kind that end you in a white wrap around coat) came into my head and it was a conversation between my Main Character and someone who made known to her why she is the way she is, and it was only two sentences long!
I had no idea what it meant but I wrote it down and when my Husband came into the room I said "Hey, what do you think about this?"
I didn't get to explain it right then because we had to go. So I took a post it and wrote the dialogue, then stuffed it in my purse to think over during a slow time at work. Half way there however, my husband asked me "What do I think of what?" I read him the dialogue and he said "Huh?"
I explained the situation and who the people were that were talking and he said, "Let me get this straight." He tried to get on the same track I was on. I have a tendency to side swipe his brain without warning and it takes a moment for him to change from one track (which was...uh something, I can't remember now) to another which in this case is the story. After much explaining who this new character is, he started to understand (took a bit tho because modern times have warped certain mythologies and I have to straighten a few myth "facts" out for him).
Then Bam! He side swipes me with his take on how these two relate. I just sat there, my jaw slightly agape thinking, "Holy crap. How is it that he figured out that brilliant connection in a single "non brain bleeding" moment, yet I get two obscure lines of dialogue and didn't come to the same conclusion first?"
My husband has helped with lots of important facts that I had the hardest time when it came to ancient history, geography, weapons, etc. He was a Marine Biologist, Custom Computer Builder (including sculpting towers into things of art), Executive Chef with of course an interest in Knives (and thankfully swords, bows, and other weaponry). He was also my partner in the business endeavor as custom airbrush artists. He's done and been a lot of things.
I started sharing the idea of my novel with him a few months after we got together (six years ago). It has been within the last year that I've really worked hard on it. So much to the point of no social life, using Facebook only once a month to tell my family and friends back home that I am still alive, and my room is now my writing cave.
This novel started out with me wanting to tell the story of a fantastical charater. Now however, it is so much more. And it couldn't have come to life without the help of my husband.
(He insists he isn't a Co-Author. He hasn't written anything, just helped with a few issues that keep the story grounded enough to be believable. Well, I disagree. The characters, settings, and even the feel of the story itself would not be as strong as it is right now if it wasn't for his insights and moments of brilliance.)
I am now a firm believer that there is nothing wrong with bouncing your ideas and such off of someone. You don't HAVE to take any advice or opinion that is offered. You can use common courtesy and thank them for their insight and move on, whether you use it or not is up to you. I do warn tho, that you are careful in who you choose. My husband has been sucked into this for years now and It took a lot of horrible moments when we didn't see eye to eye to get where we are now. We have both learned a lot about each other because of this novel. He learned that I do listen to him and I learned that he wasn't trying to change the heart of my story. When emotions start to over take a conversation, that's when open mindedness ends and misunderstandings begin. People should never argue during the creative process. It's bad health to the creatures that spin the wheels in your head.
Got an hour before work. Gonna spend it reading something. Toodles!