Writing

I've been giving a lot of thought over the last few years to start writing.

Most people will probably think this is a sign on insanity but if it is then so be it lol. Since I was probably 8 or 9 I've always played out situations in my head. Whether it be how a certain conversation may go, how I would react to the death or injury of a loved one, how a date may go, etc... As I've gotten older I find I do it more and more often. To the point where everything I want to talk about with someone I find I play out the conversation in my head first. Especially if it's something important.

For a little while while I was in high school I got really big into Musicals. Loved Phantom of the Opera and Wicked. Since I was home by myself for 3-4 hours after school a day I'd play the music as loud as I possibly could and start acting along with the sound tracks. I had a blast with it. Whether I'm Christine being dragged through the underground tunnels with the Phantom after she unmasks him (usually done by walking from the living room to my bed room through the kitchen) or Defying Gravity with Elphaba (usually with a broom in hand standing on my parents chest at the foot of their bed).

That was around the time things really started happening "in my head". Later on I'd find I would start becoming characters from the books I was reading. Happened with almost every series I was reading... (Strangely enough never with Harry Potter.) From there I would start to develop the stories beyond the book. Taking the characters and putting them into different situations. For a long time that was the only way I could get to sleep, or get through a long car ride. I'd keep myself entertained that way or start going through the story to wind down enough to fall asleep.

Eventually I'd find myself created new characters. Entire life stories that would play out in my head over a few months then disappear.

Now for a long time I just thought I was going nuts. Figured if people knew that about me they would think so also, but as I'm reading a new series of books, The Black Dagger Brotherhood Series, I just got to the Insider's Guide. The author is describing her writing process and the way her stories just come to her sounds a lot like mine. The big difference is that she writes them as they play out. I allow mine to play out in my head as a entertainment or relaxing technique and never think of them again.