You Are What You Write

I was told of an interesting theory recently. It is that when a reader is enveloped in a book, they tend to take on the characteristics of the people in the story they are emerged in. If this is true what does that say for an author?

If the simple act of reading can alter your personality even if only temporary is it more true for an author. A writer has to put themselves into the mind of a character to develop them into reality. They are submerged into the traits, language, personality, mannerisms, etc. In some ways they become that person, at least while they are writing.

When the computer clicks off signaling the days end do the characters stay with them? Are they able to set aside a person who is in no way anything like they are in real life? What would that mean for a writer of something less than flattering?

For instance, do some crime novelists take on the mentality of their villain once the writing day is done? When a person takes on the task of writing about a murder of a famous celebrity, to they bear the burden of that horrible mind set?

Obviously for the majority of cases the answer is no. Maybe in some ways we all take on a little of who we write. We also put pieces of ourselves into our projects.

In order for a person to write a multifaceted three dimensional character that appears they could walk right off the page and enter today’s world, they have to become one with that person. Writers have a wonderful job. They get to embark on endless journeys down the fictitious path of their imagination and creativity. For some this can be a very individualized process and one that can be considered a great learning experience.

Anyone whether they are an author or not can learn a tremendous amount about themselves when they put pen to paper or their fingers to a keyboard. The simplistic art of journaling can be quite beneficial for a person’s soul. Our mind can unlock the key to an infinite number of possibilities if given the chance to breathe and take form.

Does this sound like a lot of gibberish? Well, may it is. Or maybe it’s a profound morsel of knowledge to be passed down through the ages. Okay so probably not that last one, but you get the idea.