Compromising With Your Main Character

Question of the Day: What is one quirky habit, hobby, or hidden talent you have that not many people know about you?

As you all know, I am doing National Novel Writing Month. Earlier, I was having a mild argument with my Main Character, but we just made up. :) Basically, she thinks the last few chapters have been pretty passive and need a little oomph, while I’ve been trying to tell her to be quiet because editing and “going back” will ONLY slow me down! So far the past day or two, she’s just been yacketing yacketing in my head. In the end, though, we compromised…

MC: Gosh Wendy, I don’t really know what to think about that last chapter…

Me (narrows eyes): What’s that supposed to mean?

MC: Well, I feel like ever since Chapter 9, the action has just really been dwindling down…

Me: Um, HELLO, I’m trying not to go too fast or feed too much information to my readers!

They need time to rest, just enough time for them to get inside your head and for me to build some suspense…

MC: But Chapter 9 and 10 just seem so…so passive. They need a little oomph.

Me: Oomph??

MC: You know, to spice them up a little. Hmm, maybe you should have me take a random

plane flight to Las Vegas and I can party all night…

Me: I’LL decide on how to write MY novel, little missy.

MC: Well it’s MY story!

Me: I’d like to see YOU slaving away day after day, typing until your fingers are sore with the thought “1667, 1667” repeating over and over in your head, and tearing your hair out because you can’t find another synonym for “secretive.”

MC: Clandestine.

Me: *THWACK* (punches MC in the nose)

-ten minutes later-

Me: MC, are you okay?

MC: You broke my nose.

Me: Oh shut up, your nose didn’t break. You’re just a figment of my worthless imagination. *seconds later* Erm…does it still hurt?

MC: Duh. So what do you want now?

Me: Well I’m trying to complete Chapter 10 and am failing horribly. I guess you ARE important to this novel. I am sorry for fake-breaking your nose. So whaddaya say? Help me out here? Chapter 10 could really use your insight…

MC: I want to go to Las Vegas.

Me: Well I can’t let you do that.

MC: I WANT TO GO TO LAS VEGAS!

Me: ………..Okay.

MC: !!!!!!!!WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OMG OMG OMG REALLY?!?!!?!!!!!

Me: You can go to Las Vegas, but ONLY after Chapter 16.

MC: Why Chapter 16?

Me: Because in Chapter 13 something bad happens to somebody you care about, and then in Chapter 15 you get kissed.

MC: COOL!!!!!!!!!!!

-The End-

So what about you? Do you ever have little figments of your imagination spring to life and start arguing with you?

Personally I think my Main Character and I have a bit of a personality clash….