BellaOnline Forums Career Fiction Writing Living in the story

I attended the More Reinvention Convention in DC and one of the keynote speakers, Anna Quindlen, wrote both fiction and non-fiction. She was discussing how difficult it was to continuously cross between the two because when you write fiction, you have to "live" the story in other words - it has to become a part of you, the characters the town...etc...

I was wondering for those that write fiction, how true that is for you. How deeply do you have to become engrossed in your story writing to write fiction?

I am completely and utterly tangled up in my novel i'm writing. Though I go about my day working and going to classes, my story is always on my mind. This is especially true with my main character. When situations happen to me, I try to think how she would react if they happened to her. It's very much an obsession. After work and homework I always devote a few hours to work on the story. If I had my way, I'd lock myself up in my room and write for weeks at a time.(This would be fine with me because i'm a total introvert) The story really does become a part of me. It has taken a life of it's own along with the characters. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

I get very involved in my characters and their lives. I feel their pain, fears, and joys. When they cry, I cry, when they laugh, I laugh. I see them in my mind as real and they are friends. My main character is a personification of things I would do or like to do. I have put my own emotions, thoughts and personality into her. The other main character has taken on the personality of a very dear friend of mine in real life.

My characters scream at me if I do not give them enough attention - they demand to be created and given a story to act out and a life to live.

Kinda sounds like I am very eccentric, but that is the only way I can create characters and stories, by putting myself into their minds, hearts and souls.

At least I am able to keep in the realm of reality and keep that separation from my characters - keep my own identity real...I think....