When a New Character Won't Shut Up

I've been happily plodding along working on my YA novel about two sixteen year old girls. I have the entire thing mapped out (but I'm not afraid to go off track), and I've been writing every day. I love my characters, plot and ending.

Then, out of nowhere, a new character and story pops up. Not only is he unwelcomed, but he's a HE! I've never written a male main character before, and I had no intention of doing so.

I was in the car one day with my five year old, when he asked me a question about our family life. I could have answered one of two ways: I could have given him an I-don't-know-now-stop-talking-about-it-answer, or I could be honest like I usually am when he asks questions. I went with honesty, and as I was explaining I started to wonder if I was telling him too much for an almost-six year old to comprehend.

Then I started wondering about him at fifteen and being neurotic and worrying about things too much because I told him too much when he was a kid. BAM! I had a character. That night I tossed and turned in bed as the male character told me his name, where he lived, and what his parents were like. I finally had to get up and find some index cards to write stuff down. Then I fell asleep.

Now I have THIS kids story practically writing itself every day. I'm taking notes like a good little writer, but I'm trying to refrain from actually writing anything until I'm done with my current ya.

I'm not complaining, believe me. I'd much rather have characters throwing themselves at me than feeling like I'm a brain dead writer who can't come up with anything.

Has this happened to you? How do you handle it? Have you ever had the urge to write about something/someone unfamiliar?

When Your Characters Surprise You

You always hear to let your characters tell their story and see where they take you. I used to think that sounded like a bunch of weird, writerly mumbo jumbo. But it's been happening to me lately.

I've been working on my young adult novel every day (a miracle in itself). I get anywhere from a thousand words to one sentence, but I make sure I get something down. Since I've always had a hard time finishing stories and holding my interest in them, my main goal with this novel is to just plow through the first draft until the end. I'm writing bad, bad embarrassing stuff like you're supposed to in your first draft. I'm not allowing myself to fix anything. I'm just writing.

And a cool thing just happened. I was writing a scene with my main character (a sixteen year old girl) eating breakfast with a couple of woman she'd just met. I had no idea where I was going with this scene, I just knew I wanted one of the woman to drive her to her next destination. While eating breakfast my mc asked how the two woman met, and they each gave such a funny response that I was actually excited to learn how they met. And I had to stop writing for the day so I still don't know. But that's a great feeling to look forward to what my characters will tell me when I get back.