The other day in my post about plotting Gabriele mentioned she does a lot of plotting in her head. I do a lot of plotting and mulling over character motivation in my head, too, especially when I’m walking the dog or cycling or in the shower. It made me wonder exactly what the inside of a writer’s head looks like.
I mean my head is rather full of sex and sex-related things. Given that I write erotic romance I’m fine with this. 
I have a host of paranormal creatures running around there, no doubt tripping over sex toys and the like. There’s cartons of condoms since responsible writers use them in their love scenes. At the moment I have wizards snarling at feline shifters, a taniwha or two plus of all things, a vampire. That’s a bit odd since I don’t like seeing or thinking about blood and vampires tend to live on the stuff. I’m avoiding him at the moment. There’s a cowboy competing at a rodeo plus a pen of bulls with sharp horns. And then there’s the threesome… Let’s hope they’re being responsible and using some of my condom supplies. They’re certainly using everything else! And then floating around in there are random thoughts about food. What on earth are we going to have for dinner? Then one of the threesome fall off the bed, all hell breaks loose and it’s back to sex. Again.
What does the inside of your head look like?
November 23rd, 2007 at 5:32 am · Link
I remember reading a description by Edward de Bono of Water Logic in which he used the image of a beach full of octopi to represent ideas and every point their tentacles touched formed the links between them (synapses I suppose). The random distribution of the octopi made sense only when you considered the connections and you could change this by disturbing the creatures so they sought new connections. The picture remained in my mind long after I’d forgotten the principles and I use it to visualize the creative process when I am explaining how a story comes into being in my mind. The initial idea (octopus) seeks connections, searching for patterns to strengthen it, and its touch disturbs the others and they seek stronger connections to replace that strength, rearranging themselves into a coherent network.
It’s not as logical, or as organized as your picture of individual item being utilized according to need and responsibility, but it explains my thought processes more clearly to me.
Amy
November 23rd, 2007 at 10:57 am · Link
Hmmm sounds a bit like mine. I’m thinking about household stuff, then my mind is full of very gorgeous hot men, like Gerard Butler and Patrick Dempsey. Also it’s full of Everest, elves (LOTR type elves not Keebler), knights, pirates, castles, fashion, claymores, vikings. I think there’s a serious battle Royale of Medevil proportions going on in my head. LOL!
November 23rd, 2007 at 11:23 am · Link
Space ships and hot aliens. Oh yes indeed.
I think a lot about my sex scenes too and the fact I need to up the variety a bit. And I think of fun ways to kill people off. And food-always food.
It’s a scary place my head.
November 23rd, 2007 at 12:50 pm · Link
Two of my characters must have taken a sneak peek into your brain. They’re historical, damnit, they can’t do what they want because it won’t fit with the facts, but do the boys listen?
For the rest, I have an elusive Caledonian leader, a mad druid, a stubborn Batavian, a mysterious tribal leder of the Epidii, a family of very mean and haughty Romans, some nice Roman guy with nightmares, a queen who kicked her hubby out and now sleeps with his friend, a bucking horse, a Mediaeval knight, torture equipment (not the kinky sort), a sorcerer-princess, and a score of other weird and wonderful characters.
November 23rd, 2007 at 7:02 pm · Link
Wow, Amy! The octopi things swimming around in your head are interesting. That’s certainly a different way of looking at things.
Amy G – now why did I know Gerard Butler was going to be inside your head?
Christine – I really like the aliens that are in your head. I enjoyed The Ties that Bind.
Gabriele – Ah, that’s who the two strangers were. I saw them looking strangely at the cartons of condoms! Watch out for that mad druid. I might steal him, too. He’d fit nicely with an idea I’m percolating.
November 23rd, 2007 at 10:09 pm · Link
LOL this is fun. My head is stuffed full of sex at the moment since I’m polishing up a spice brief *that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it* ! (oh and I killed someone off and knew exactly what to do with the body!)
November 23rd, 2007 at 11:21 pm · Link
LOL – Christina. You’re learning!
November 24th, 2007 at 10:52 am · Link
Lol, coming all the way from Rome resp, Germania, they would look strangely at condoms indeed.
November 24th, 2007 at 9:46 pm · Link
My head isn’t that complicated. Besides chocolate and Brad Pitt (permanent residents
) I only have room for a my current wip characters – that’s why I can’t write two books at once, or read anything heavy while working. All those voices – I couldn’t deal. My characters are never quiet. They chatter away all day, all night …
ARG!
November 25th, 2007 at 8:49 pm · Link
Ahh, this writer’s head is filled with rock and roll. Ask Wylie; she hangs with me.
Funny that you get inspiration in the shower and on the bike. Me, too! Must be a writer thing…
November 25th, 2007 at 10:23 pm · Link
Wylie – that’s the thing with characters. They tend to chatter a lot and are very opinionated!
Susan – I think I get some of my best ideas while in the shower. I’ve no idea why!