Total immersion in my fictional world. That’s the thing that makes writing so exhausting—for me, at any rate. I thought I might write about this for this month’s Insecure Writers Support Group post, because I felt I really learnt something from Camp NaNoWriMo in April, and maybe some other writers might find it helpful.
If you don’t already follow the Insecure Writers Group, we’re here to share experiences and support each other. We post every first Wednesday of the month. You can find more and sign up at the Insecure Writers Support Group website.
This month’s question:
Of all the genres you read and write, which is your favorite to write in and why?
Well, duh, my own particular brand of fantasy, because I get totally immersed in my world and its problems.
This total immersion is what I really ‘get’ out of Camp Nano. I can take a month and say I will achieve *insert goal here*. I make sure the time is there for me to do it, and if there are things that are going to get in the way, (hello week’s holiday), I do more before and catch up after. I’m driven—for a month.
I can’t keep up that pace. If I did, I’d start to be even more peculiar than I am already. Even when I did emerge, to go and see friends, all I really wanted to do was talk about what was going on in my characters’ world. I was still there. Maybe that’s a thing with authors. We are really walking round in this world, acting like we belong, while in our heads, we’re in Narnia, MiddleEarth, or for me, the Realms.
These places I write about are real to me. Some of them are based on real places I can visit. I’ve realised I don’t describe them enough to my reader. And that’s because I’m so in there, surrounded by this creation, that I take it for granted. I’ve tried to work on that in the editing stage—in fact I took note of it in most of the books I’ve read since April. Elly Griffiths is particularly good at making a place come alive—even though most of hers are in Norfolk, which is a big thing for me.
I’m not alone in this total immersion. My good writing friend Noelle Granger blogged almost the same thing the other week when she said
my head is in the 16th century and there I use no contractions and the language is somewhat stiff.
When I’m in the Realms with my princelings, I don’t have too much to worry about in the way of language – although I sometimes have to check for modernisms and technology they don’t have yet. I’m walking down the paths, treading in the puddles, climbing into the flying boats. If you doubt it, you could read the guest post I did when I visited Fred, George and Kira in the Realms!
Tell me I’m not the only one…
…please?
The IWSG Anthology
Don’t forget to get working on your stories (if you haven’t submitted already) for this year’s IWSG Anthology, the theme of which is Voyagers, and the genre: Historical-Adventure/Fantasy. You can read all the details here.
It took me a while to work out what that genre meant. And then I went and listed the book I’m working on as Fantasy/Adventure – Historical…
… and there’s more
The WEP-IWSG short story for June
Is due on June 19th to the prompt Caged Bird. Although you can list your link on the WEP site now.
I can so relate to immersion into your character’s world. It happens to me too. But I think it is what makes many writers positive people. Like C.S. Lewis, we write about a world that fascinates and is better than where we are.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat G @ EverythingMustChange
I know how you feel. That’s why I have editors and betas to point out that I need to describe what I’m seeing in my head better for people who don’t live there. 😉
Credit to you for creating your own worlds. I can see how it would be hard to let that go, as you are writing and figuring it all out!
Being able to create your own world makes writing fantasy a lot of fun.
Although I write mysteries, I try to immerse myself in the North Wales setting as I miss the area so much. (Your links to other authors supplied more books for my TBR list. Thanks.)
I find it hard to pull out of my 17th century world – it sticks with me all day!