I saw this movie, The Three Faces of Eve, when I was a kid and it’s haunted me ever since. The thought that one person could have multiple personalities, some that know nothing of the other personalities, while others are aware of the people they share a mind with…both freaked me out and fascinated me at the same time.
I know multiple personality is a psychiatric diagnosis, Dissociative Identity Disorder, but I’ve always wondered, what is it really. I mean, what is it?
A few years ago, I wrote a book - which has never seen the light of day - about the stories I hear in my head. Katalina Leon asked me to blog about how I come up with story ideas. I know some of you research, you outline, you plan. I admire your dedication, your purpose. There are many nights when I wish your method was mine.
But it’s not. I guess I sort of go with the flow. The stories I write are…like…just there. I hear the characters speak and they tell me their stories. I hear their dialogue. I feel their feelings. Sometimes I dream a story from start to finish. There are times when I feel like nothing more than a vessel. Weird. No, I don’t have DID, but I think an awful lot of us who write, published or not, do listen to stories told to us by voices in our heads and we feel compelled to record them.
What do you think?
I agree, it’s the voices in my head. I wish I could outline and storyboard and plot until I know every last detail of the book too. Alas, the characters make up their minds as we go along.
I’m working on a book right now where the heroine is a writer and she finds out the stories from her dreams are real. Yes, I dream up stories too. And I enjoy it! It’s an escape from the struggles that real life throws our way. So, my theory: keep dreaming.
Part of me appreciates being credited with being organized but my other personalities say they prefer to chuck our carefully contrived plot line once we’ve all committed to it, and do their own thing… I definitely hear voices. lol
XXOO Kat
Multiple personalities is such a scary though for me. I ready a book by Sidney Sheldon once with this theme. It was quite scary. I hear you on the hearing and seeing the characters in your head. Totally normal, I would think for some writers. That’s why I don’t usually plot. I usually just let my characters guide me.
Amber - I know, my characters head off in directions I never anticipated!
Falyn - OMG! So am I!!!
Kat - I’m glad you think I’m sane. It’s not like I hear voices telling me to do things - I just hear stories. I use a basic mental outline, beyond that, I simply run with it - whatever it is!
Delilah - I know, it’s a very odd illness. The book, Sybil, scared me too!
I write broad synopsi, but the character’s in my head rule. I must be a writer, becasue I know exactly what your talking about.
Another writer with people living and breathing inside my noggin. Sometimes I can’t shut them up other times I can’t get them to talk. It’s very frustrating. Fun, but frustrating.
The perfect way to look at it, Mercy - fun, but frustrating.
Ciara - I am so glad to hear from you all that I’m not the only one!
A: I forgot to say how much I dig that manic movie poster! How can anyone not know what they’re getting into with a poster like that? lol
B: The day the “voices” stop talking to me is the day I’m out of business. The best writing days are the ones where the characters come through clearly and tell me what to write. I love it!
XXOO Kat
I think we all hear them, and at leaste when we tell other authors they don’t look at us like we are nuts.
Kat and Savannah - yes yes and double yes…no wait, triple yes. I think the poster is kind of freaky - the movie totally warped me. I was terrified I’d black out and some other personality would emerge, like an evil me!
The most frightening thing about the poster is the limp, green pickle-hat. Any woman would go mad with that silly sour-pickle on her head! lol
XXOO Kat
Sybil was so scary and the film was one of Sally Fields first serious roles. The book made me worry about the parts of my childhood I refuse to remember.
Stephanie - I agree, Sally Fields was amazing and Sybil scared the &%$# out of me.
Kat - Hah! So true!