My Imaginary Friends

Did you notice I mentioned a fictional character on my blog’s facebook page this week?

I was referring to the character Anne in Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery (Lucy Maud was a Canadian, by the way).

Everybody knows Anne, right?

Maybe I’m a lonely person (but I don’t think it really has anything to do with it), but when I find an engaging character, whether in a book or movie…when I truly relate to a character…they almost become like a friend to me.

An imaginary friend.

And truthfully, I have many imaginary friends.

There’s Anne, of course.  I love Anne.  I love her exuberance…her energy.  I love her creativity…I love her imperfection.

Then there’s Emma from the book Emma by Jane Austen.  I love her youthful, well-meaning but blundering ways.  I love her mind.  I love her growth.  I love her repentance.

Then there’s Captain Picard.  He’s terribly cool (I’m telling you they hit the gold mine when they lured Patrick Stewart into that role). 

And I have to say, I really like Leonard Nimoy as the original Spock…and Data.  Wouldn’t they both come in handy during an emergency…or even a hard day.

 
Live Long and Prosper...and Let Me Help You with those Groceries, Laura

I have to mention Harry.  He’s another orphan, after all.  Just like Anne.  I love how Rowling writes from his often-limited perspective.  But let’s face it…he’s resourceful, quick (which helps with the resourcefulness) and a little sarcastic.

I can definitely relate to the ‘little sarcastic’ part.

Yes, these are just a few examples of the many engaging characters which have come to life in my imagination.

And--believe it or not--I may think of them as I jog or drive (isn’t it scary) or grocery shop.  I may think of them as I listen to music or do housework.

I may think of them as I daydream, in other words.

So I guess it shouldn’t have been such a huge surprise to me, but it was.

When I started writing my own fiction…I didn’t just love my characters…I adored them.

Of course, many of the characters from the book I’ve been writing are loosely based on friends from high school (they know who they are, so you can breathe a sigh of relief).

But the best part…the really exciting part…was when I couldn’t contain them.

Yes, my characters have almost, almost come to life.

They didn’t want to be placed in a box of limited, high school memory.

Nope, they wanted to do things in unexpected ways.

Now, before you get too worried, I know much of this happens on the subconscious level…but it still feels very close to miraculous.

When you decide to write a story…and you have a very basic (or not-so-basic) idea of where you’re headed, it seems to allow the characters to take the steering wheel every now and then.

It feels as if they’re controlling the show…at least at certain points.

And they morph in previously unsuspected and delightful ways.

For instance, characters I based on my two closest friends from high school have become an amalgamation of each other.  Both characters retain traits from the people from whom they’ve been modeled, but they’ve additionally been put in the blender and mixed up quite a bit.

The entirely fictional characters are even better.  I never expected them to become as fully-realized as they now seem to me.

I mean, I laugh when they laugh…and I cry when they cry.

It’s one of the coolest things I’ve ever experienced from a creative perspective.

I’ve heard and read of other writers who’ve experienced the same thing.

But, for me, it’s all relatively new…which may make it seem even lovelier.

So now, when I jog or drive or grocery shop…I think of my own characters.

And I wonder what they’ll get up to next.

Maybe they’ll move to Montreal and struggle with the pronunciation of parapluie…or maybe they’ll move out to a dusty, dry farm in west Texas and sit and stare at the incredible sunsets…or maybe they’ll fall into a huge pothole in a terrible parking lot and never be heard from again.

Who knows!

But it gives me something to think about.

Thankfully, the imagination holds endless possibility.

 
Lexie isn't as Impressed

Comments

[Laura]

And she should know, Lisa. She's so creative. We've been blessed with some wonderfully creative children. I LOVE it! I'm glad you like the blog post. Thank you for being my most consistent reader. I think you deserve a prize. Hmmm....

[Super Bluebonnet]

I like it! And I like the whole thing about continuing to expand one's imagination and creativity. I remember when Erin told me (maybe she was 6?): "Mom, you don't have to give up your imagination. You can use it all your life." Pretty profound!

[Laura]

Ha, ha, Duane! Yes, I'm a wimp...and proud of it! But seriously, thanks for reading and the positive feedback. :)

[Laura]

Thanks for the compliment and for reading, Rachel! I'm a big fan of Midas...you never know...he might become one of my imaginary friends. ;)

[Duane Ray]

This would be a great blog, Laura, but Spock is not imaginary...I was there when you cried at his first funeral as Scotty played "Amazing Grace" on the bagpipes. ;-)

Seriously, I greatly enjoy your blog...it's a good read!

[Rachel Hoehn]

This gets me to thinking about imaginary friends I might have that I did not realized I have. Nice blog Laura. Oh my cats would not be impressed either unless the head was bobbing. :-)