Terry Gross: No, she didn’t call me.
I had another interview with Terry Gross this morning.
No, it wasn’t for real. It was just me in the car talking to myself again. This happens more than I ought to admit, but I doubt I’m alone in the world of fantasy author interviews.
Actually, I’m pretty good at calling up Terry’s voice in my head. I bet I could even get her to read an extract from on of my stories. Let’s give it a shot:
It is not probable that this monomania in him took its instant rise at the precise time of his bodily dismemberment. Then, in darting at the monster, knife in hand, he had but given loose to a sudden, passionate, corporal animosity; and when he received the stroke that tore him, he probably but felt the agonizing bodily laceration, but nothing more.
“So tell me what did you mean by that?”
“Um… Well, Terry, I guess I really haven’t much of a clue what I meant because I didn’t even write that. You’re reading from Moby Dick.”
Ok, so maybe I don’t have total control of my personal Terry Gross just yet. Still, it’s fun sometimes to pretend that I’m actually going to end up on Fresh Air someday if I keep working hard at my writing.
Chilling Out
In any case, this morning’s interview focused on the story I’m getting read to work on for NaNoWriMo. After all, we’re coming in for final approach to NaNoWriMo. What else would I be thinking about?
Are you getting nervous? I am. Obviously, I’m getting nervous, right? I mean, I’m driving down the road at 6:20AM talking to Terry Gross, who isn’t even there, about a book I haven’t written yet!
I really like the story I have in mind, and this probably the source of my nervousness. I’ve written before about taking notes, making character sheets, writing backstory, etc. Certainly I’ve done a little of that, but my hands keep wanting to find the keys that tell the real story. They’re itching to get rolling and see what lies around the first bend.
This tends to happen whenever I’m close to writing something that I know I’m going to enjoy working on. So, when I get a little frenetic about a story (and having fake interviews in my head is a good sign I’ve reached the tipping point), I like to take a bit of a breather so I don’t burn myself out or fret so much about the story that I just seize up on it. Part of my relaxation routine this week involves reading. I’m also looking to get as much sleep as I can since I’ll be getting up early to work in my extra writing time.
Now that I think about it, I may try to get out for a walk in the woods too. We’re just feeling the first brush of winter here. The air is especially invigorating.
I completely understand the phenomenon of conversations with the non-present in the car. When I was writing my first novel last year, my husband wanted to know nothing about it so he could enjoy it without all the input (And a fleeting year later, he finally has the finished manuscript.) So instead, if I were stuck on a snaggy part of the plot, or just needed to reason out motivations or conversations, I would relate it to what basically amounted to an imaginary friend. I would talk about the story as if I were telling aforementioned imaginary friend gossip about *my* friends that she hadn’t met. Thankfully, I never got any responses back from my non-existent carpool mate, and I never used it as an excuse to take the HOV lane on the way into Boston, but at one point I considered getting a bluetooth earbud so other drivers would think I was just on the phone 😉 Talking to yourself = socially unacceptable.
@Jamie – Breathe! slow down, enjoy the moment, the anticipation. Embrace the process. ((hugs))
What? Doesn’t everyone do fake interviews in their head? 🙂 You’re in good company here! I too am excited and nervous. I am really doing this, wow! I cannot thank you enough for all the tips, and support. I really do feel so much better about NaNo knowing I’m not alone. Thank you Jamie!
Karen Swim´s last blog post..Keeping Your Head In a Mad, Mad World
@Belynda LOL! I love the part about talking to your imaginary friend about real friends. That’s hilarious! (most because I do it too)
@Deb Thanks! It’s just pre-race jitters. Need my handlers to come and rub me down before the gun goes off. 🙂
@Karen As always, I’m happy to help, but I should fess up… Keeping busy like this keeps my mind off my own terrors. 🙂
I’ll confess, I imagine interviews with Terry Gross as well. Best of luck with your Nano novel and I hope, some day, she calls.
@Jenn Thanks! And here’s hoping for the same for you on both counts! 🙂
I’ve never had an imaginary interview, but imaginary conversations aplenty! Last year when I was getting stuck I would talk to my characters and ask them about what was happening. It mostly worked.
mikethegirl´s last blog post..NaNoWriMo ‘08
@Mike I like talking to my characters. I think that’s a great way to find out their names too. 😉
@Jamie & Mike – talking to your characters can springboard your whole back story down an alley you had no idea was there. I know, I’ve been there; and at the time I was plenty p***d because I wasn’t about to consider compassion an option for certain personages. But what do I know I’m just a typist. lol.
Deb´s last blog post..Insect show-offs
I don’t talk out loud to myself, but in my head this morning I made up a conversation while I was walking to school…
I can’t remember much of it but I know I was trying to explain something to the imaginary person, and then called this person a “poor son of a cylon.” I thought it was clever alliteration. I also was tired.
My excuse for everything is “I was tired.” Or drunk.
Good luck with NaNoWriMo.
Chiya´s last blog post.."The fourth years did it for the lulz"
I don’t just commincate imaginatively in words, but in movement too!
I occasionally use Propriotective Writing where one utilizes a phrase, during stream of consciousness writing: What did I mean by…(some word)? It’s great for flow.
Steven´s last blog post..Three Reasons You Need Self-Defense Right Now
“I can’t remember much of it but I know I was trying to explain something to the imaginary person, and then called this person a “poor son of a cylon.” I thought it was clever alliteration. I also was tired.”
Anything that ends in a Battlestar reference is COMPLETELY acceptable in my book 😉 It’s dumb how much I love that show 🙂
Good luck wrimos!!
@Chiya I second Belynda, the BSG reference is totally working for me! 🙂
I dream a lot while walking about too. I have some posts from my old, old site I need to get up here that have that kind of quality to them… Thanks for sharing yours!
@Steven I agree. This is a good technique for breaking out of a block or just getting the motor running on a cold morning.
@Belynda Be careful that you do not squee about Starbuck. It’s habit forming. 😉
@Jamie…. are you kidding? We’re getting a dog some day? HER name will be Starbuck. Tee hee! (She’ll be an english creme golden retriever, in case your curious). I also want a Corgi named Ein, But that’s because of Ein from “Cowboy Bepop” and I will hug anyone who gets that reference.