Wait, where'd she come from?

[chipotle]

While haikujaguar is far more commonly having dialogues with her characters than I am, it does happen to me every so often. (I remember many, many years ago, when I was writing the novella The Lighthouse, visiting nerfcoyote in Gainesville and having a distinct dream impression of Revar, the story’s protagonist, sitting on the couch I was sleeping on reading the manuscript.)

About two years ago I had an idea for a story/novel, loosely connect with a story idea I had two years before that, that I never quite got anywhere with. I had a main character—and wrote a vignette about her—and world notes. And world notes. And world notes. The story never really got anywhere, and I decided it was because I’d come up with too much background. That may sound odd, but I’ve always been the kind of storyteller who focuses much more on characters, and I tend to build worlds the way movie companies build sets: there’s enough there to tell the story convincingly, but there’s not much beyond that. This time, I’d ended up with three societies with competing political interests and a sweeping story arc that would have to turn their philosophical differences into physical fights. And this is all well and good for a roleplaying setting, but I didn’t have any other characters. I didn’t even have much about the woman in the vignette (she’s named “Dark Sky” in my notes) other than knowing her personality.

Well. The last week or two I’ve been sleeping better and dreaming substantially more, even though they’re dreams that tend to fade immediately upon waking. Falling asleep a couple nights ago I thought about this shelved novel idea, and Dark Sky showed up to listen as I ran through about what I said in the last paragraph.

“But that wasn’t the problem,” she says.

It wasn’t?

“No. Your problem is that I’m part of the story, but I’m not the person you’re telling the story about.”

Then who’s the main character?

“That rat girl is,” she says, gesturing to the rat girl.

What?

“Hey,” says the rat girl, giving a wave.

Technically, I know the rat girl, but from another context—she’s never had anything to do with Dark Sky at all. I point this out.

“It’s not my fault you didn’t make the connection. Hey, you’re not attached to all those notes from two years ago, right?”

Um… no, not really.

“Great. We’ll talk later.”

Comments

[susandeer.livejournal.com]

I really envy this sort of dreaming! Though I did have an odd one of my own last night and intend to make it the first painting in my new studio. Still! Wow! A conversation with a muse! *envy*

[haikujaguar.livejournal.com]

*gets popcorn*

[momentrabbit.livejournal.com]

I approve mightily of stories involving rat girl. Write it. ;D

[vulpesrex.livejournal.com]

A writer/artist friend - and I believe an acquaintance of yours - once drew a picture for AnthroCon, based on a certain theme. He recounted to me later that - either due to sleep deprivation, too much sugar, or some other perception-altering situation, yet in a full waking-state - he encountered the one-shot character from his illustration, sitting on his bed, and asking him why he drew her in that particular situation.

He explained to her that she was a symbol, and the situation in which he set her was partially due to the theme of the convention, but as their dialog continued, he bagan to realise that the illustration was also about the feeling of simple innocence slipping away, of being lost from Furry Fandom - of it being sacrificed, in the name of the Lowest Common Denominator and pleasing the monied but horny masses.

He later wrote a short story about it, and coupled it with the picture - actually, he wrote it as sort of a rant, with the implication that it was just that, wrapped in a morality tale...

...But before he wrote it up - in fact, before even going to the convention - he confided in me about it, described it as quite real, and the only occurance of anything resembling the metaphysical or mystical or supernatural which he had ever experienced before. It frankly rattled him - and as he told this to me in confidence, I cannot mention his name.

The artwork did not sell at AnthroCon. Just a little outside the mainstream vision of the theme, perhaps - and I purchased it from him.

So far - she has not spoken to me.

But I _do_ believe that she spoke with her illustrator.

***

When a muse whacks you aside the head - count yourself fortunate, and listen.