This isn’t so much ‘how I write’ as how I think. I would guess that just about everyone has a different way of thinking.
Now, my characters simply live inside my head, and when I write dialog, it never comes from me, at least not directly. Or at least it doesn’t seem to me that it does.
I was considering a couple days ago that Jane and her friends like chips and salsa and nacho chips, and in fact a lot of their lives seems to revolve around having said items.
However, I don’t particularly like either of the above. I have no real idea where Jane gets her interest in chips and salsa from, even.
I mean, I like Mexican food to some extent. I’ll eat at Taco Time (but never Taco Bell, that’s a no-no to my wife – long story) but it’s not something I choose on my own.
Jane and Lacey both are avid gym-goers. Alex would never consider going near a gym, and Bailey goes, but usually only because Jane shames her into it.
Personally, I’m with Alex.
So, where do these differing personalities come from? Is it something I’m internally creating, but it’s so deep that I don’t even know about it? Or am I channeling something from the Far Side. No, not that Far Side, the other one.
Now, all that said, I DO maintain control of who is talking. It’s not a free-for-all. I decide that Alex will remark on what was just said. I also have no real control over what Alex says, just that she’s going to be the one talking.
Any of you writers or readers out there have any thoughts? Am I psycho?